UPDATE: This request was lifted within 24 hours due to the precipitation in the area.  All trails are accessible.

NPS is asking that visitors avoid and not visit the Westside Rd area to allow for fire crews to deal with fires in the area.

If a permit holder for back country camping, may want to check with a WIC on status of area.

Bottom Line:

Breathtaking loop from Rainier Westside road, ascending Tahoma Creek to the suspension bridge (the Tahoma Creek trail is unmaintained, but probably more importantly non-existent due to a washout for about 50% of its length), traversing the Wonderland trail to beautiful Emerald Ridge and its Puyallup glacier views (with the copper-colored toe of the glacier almost touchable) and back down to Westside road via South Puyallup camp; this alpine experience is unlike any other in the park with the multi-colored landscape; thanks for trip reporter Lisa Elliott for her recent report from this area which convinced me I could not wait another season to try this out!

Stats:

• Distance: 18-1/2 miles
• Duration: 8 hours
• Vertical: 3150 ft
• Road/Parking: Westside road is closed about 3 miles in from the main road, and there is small parking lot; National Park Pass required; no restrooms; a handful of cars with no sign of break-in activity; this is a very quiet part of the park
• Weather: Sunny once out of the marine layer, with increasing high cloud, and some moderate smoke; mid-70s; light breeze at times; minimal bugs
• Trail: There are basically five sections of this trail: Westside road to Tahoma Creek trail, Tahoma Creek to the Wonderland, the Wonderful up and around Emerald Ridge and down to the Puyallup trail, the Puyallup down to South Puyallup camp and then Westside road, and then 4 miles back to the closure point of Westside road; some highlights:
  • Westside Road north - there is warning sign that is this is an active debris flow and rockfall area and indicators of a need to move to higher ground (e.g. sustained low rumble)
  • Tahoma Creek Trail east - it turns out this trail was closed due to "harzardous conditions" although we did not see a sign entering, only when exiting onto Wonderful Trail, at which point we appreciated why; the trail is washed out on its West end where the creek shore is concave, and there is significant tree fall hazard and route-finding on the wash plain; this is most the first couple of miles; once the shore becomes convex, you can find the trail again, although even then there are plenty of slides that have taken out sections of the trail, some with detours some not (see video); CAUTION: If you travel too far on the wash plain it may be difficult to get out; the cairns and pink tape noted in some older reports seem to have been removed - we only saw one cairn; Gaia GPS kept us positioned relative to the original trail
  • Wonderland Trail from suspension bridge to Emerald Ridge north - a lot more climbing in the trees, but eventually you break treeline and the views are simply amazing; Emerald Ridge does not look that green from the south; once you reach the high point, there are green north-facing meadows
  • Emerald Ridge down to South Puyallup camp west - this trail has largely become a creekbed and is thus very rocky; overall the trails on this side of the park seem rougher and less well maintained
  • South Puyallup camp to Westside road - beautiful rain forest
  • Westside Road back to the closure gate south - a ~4 mile slog that we were surprised was not all downhill; the first *huge* switchback actually has a trail bypass to cut down the distance, but only noticed in Gaia after the fact
• Water: The Tahoma and Puyallup creeks are muddy glacier runout, probably more muddy than normal from the recent warm temperatures; there is not a lot of water on the trail otherwise; there is a waterfall on Tahoma Creek Trail near the junction with Wonderland, and then the next real water is all the way up and down to South Puyallup camp; we both carried and filtered but doing the trail for the first time, I became a little concerned about my next water source
• Takeaway: This is a remote, quiet and breathtaking side of the park that is mainly seen by through hikers on the Wonderland trail; it is a long day from Westside road for sure, but so worth it; the hike is shorter as a out-and-back via Tahoma Creek Trail, but based on the rough conditions and closure we improvised with the loop (adding ~4 miles); we did not see folks for hours which always makes for a great time to me (!!); the color of the rock in this area, with the copper oranges, is definitely unique

The attached 4K video shows the trail end-to-end with a focus on the high alpine.

Fantastic semi-circle 3 day-2 night backpack at Mt. Rainier National Park.

We carpooled, met a few others, then shuttled one car from Longmire and started on the Westside Road. After arranging for a permit at South Puyallup for our first night and Devil's Dream for our second, we traveled by foot up the Westside Road and first took a trip to Lake George and Gobbler's Knob. Our trip included the second day across beautiful Emerald Ridge, to the Tahoma Suspension Bridge, then crossed the alpine meadow at Indian Henry's with sweeping views of Rainier. 

Day #1- 8/1/23- Westside Road to South Puyallup Camp- 12.26 miles elevation gain/loss +3400'/-2100 Dropped cars at Longmire for through hike. Parked car at Westside Rd, hiked up Westside Rd to Lake George, dropped gear and continued to Gobbler's Knob. Continued to South Puyallup Group Camp. Set up camp, gathered water out of camp to filter, had a dinner together, explored the basalt colonnades and Kautz Memorial. https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/170383728

Water uphill .60 miles RT

Day #2- 8/2/2023- South Puyallup Camp to Devil's Dream Camp- 8.5 miles elevation gain/loss +3094'/-2096' Had breakfast around 7:00 am. Broke camp, left by 8:00. Hiked up Emerald Ridge, spending plenty of time for pictures and snacks, cross over the Tahoma Suspension Bridge, then side trip up to Mirror Lakes, gathered water to filter for camp at a stream at Mirror Lake and Indian Henry's for lunch. Descended to Devil's Dream Group Camp. We enjoyed dinner together chatted and had another relaxing evening. https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/170487447

Water to filter behind Indian Henry's Patrol Cabin

Day #3-98/3/2023- Devil's Dream Camp to Longmire- 5.8 miles elevation gain/loss +479'/-3800' Had breakfast around 7:00 am. Broke camp and left by 8:00. Crossed the Kautz and Pyramid Creek early together and back up the ravine to Rampart Ridge and down to Longmire. Picnic at Longmire National Park Inn shuttled back to the cars at Westside Rd. https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/170495421

Total 30 miles Garmin, 34 miles All Trails 6800' elevation gain

We decided to E-bike to the South Puyallup Trail on the Westside Road with the destination being Emerald Ridge. I'd been there twice before and each time I've wondered if there was a way up the 400-foot knoll that is right between Emerald Ridge and the Mountain. We decided to give it a try. 

The first half of the hike takes you to the Wonderland Trail on a section that was rerouted and rebuilt by WTA volunteers. It's a great trail. Once you reach the Wonderland you head up and the trail gets very rocky. It really slows you down on the way down. This section is currently filled with blooming Paintbrush and Lupine that are just getting ready to bloom.

The flowers are still just getting started on Emerald Ridge. No snow.

From there we crossed the moraine to the base of the knoll. It's a granite wall of big rocks but there is one obvious place the goats ascend. There is about 25 feet of low class 3 scrambling and we were on the meadow. Then just a 400-foot hike up the hill to the top. Lots of goat hair everywhere. 

So if you've wondered like me if it's possible to get up there, it is.

And it's worth it. 

This was my first solo backpacking trip - just 3 days 2 nights but it was a great start!

7/9: Picked up my camping permit from the Longmire Wilderness Information Center and got some last minute advises from the helpful rangers. Got to Westside Road and hit the road around 8:40 am with my 38 pounds pack. (I packed way too much water!) Went up to South Puyallup River Trail. But first, I paid my respects to those falling Marines. A nice walk in the forest with no blowdown. Only complain was I was using AllTrails which marked the river campsite 0.5 mile before the actual site. Very cool Andesite formations by South Puyallup (pic 1). No one at the campground. I setup my tent in Site 1. Put away the heavy bear canister. I felt much better and hiked to Tahoma Creek Suspension Bridge via the Emerald Ridge. Some very beautiful landscape and plenty wildflowers along the way. Many mosquitos that I have to put on a head net. Met a female ranger who said she would check the permit that I hang on my tent. The Suspension Bridge was so exciting! I always want to see this bridge in person! Met several backpackers doing the whole Wonderland Trail.

7/10: Didn’t slept well because of the river noise and I forgot to pack a pillow. Got up early and hiked the Wonderland Trail to St. Andrews Lake where I had lunch. Lots of wildflowers (beargrasses, avalanche lilies, different kinds of paintbrushes) along the way! There were several blowdowns that were easy to go over. There was one big blowdown and I had to crawl under. I went to St. Andrews Creek trail and saw three volunteers doing trail works. This trail was very well maintained with tall trees. Saw more volunteers coming up. I later saw their vehicles parking by Westside Road. I spent sometime checking out Denman Falls before heading to Lake George campsite. No one by the lake when I got there. Again, I picked #1 site. Setup my tent and had dinner in the shelter with lake view. I walked to the lake and saw this guy with an unleashed dog came out. The dog barked and ran towards me. I was ready to defend myself until that guy called the dog to stop. He explained the dog was probably surprise to people. I told him I was surprised to see a dog (which is not allowed inside the National Park)! The lake was nice and fog moving in fast. I didn’t think I could see a nice sunset up by the Gobblers Knob Fire Lookout.

7/11: Got up by 4 am. Still foggy. No sunrise hike to the Lookout either. Did a round of Tai Chi and packed up and left Lake George.

Overall, I felt great with this backpacking trip. I learnt more about my backpack the hard way! I still need to pack light and smart! Great to hike a tiny section of the Wonderland Trail and met these WT hikers!

In 3 days, I hiked 25.6 miles with the pack and 8 miles without the pack. Close to 8000 feet elevation gain.