I was heading out to Packwood for the weekend, and this little complex of hikes was the perfect leg stretcher. I rolled through Ohanapecosh Campground around 4PM, and found quite a few open parking spots in the day use area. There were signs that the campground was already full, but only the east section was open. Everything over the bridge was not available to campers and was coned off.

I opted to do the Silver Falls loop clockwise, and hit the trail. Though there is no view of Rainier in this section of the park, the deep forest and river breezes make it a wonderful option for hot days. While my car registered 85 degrees, I was never too hot and was in shade the entire time. The flipside of this is that it gets very dark as soon as the sun drops behind the ridge. Be advised if you are hiking later in the day.

I took the spur to Grove of the Patriarchs before looping back to Silver Falls. It is obviously still closed, but I wanted to see if there had been any progress made on it. I'm in agreement with Stever's last report, it appears that little to no work has been done. It's definitely not opening this season and I'd be shocked if it opened in 2024, either.

Silver Falls was still rocking and rolling, even this late in the season. The river is a deep, hazy blue and I even spotted some ambitious souls swimming in the bowl of the falls, despite the cold temps and snags.

Making my way back to the parking lot, I swung back up to the hot springs. In my opinion, they weren't very compelling, but the colors and the smell of them were interesting to note.

Before everyone gets all excited seeing the Grove listed it's still closed.  Read on for details...

Like we have done every Wednesday after Memorial Day for the last five years me and my hiking buddy Jeno headed down to the southeast corner of Mt Rainier National Park to hike the Silver Falls loop trail and check out what if anything has been done at the Grove of the Patriarchs trail (closed last year and this year).  What can I say we are creatures of habit...

I met Jeno at 5:00 AM in Maple Valley and we headed south on Highways 410 and 123 arriving at the parking lot for the Grove right at 6:15 AM.   There were no cars parked ahead of us and the bathroom was in great shape and fully stocked.  The suspension bridge over the Ohanapecosh River was damaged during the winter of 2021-22 causing the trail closure.  When they announced the closure last year the NPS said it would be closed for two years.  We hiked out to the bridge and it doesn't look like any work has been done since we were there last year.  The bridge is still closed and blocked off and the bridge planks that were damaged remain in place.   There are also some fissures in the bank on the west side of the Ohanapecosh that were there last year as well.  From our vantage point we wonder if the trail will be closed beyond this year?

We turned around and headed back to the parking lot.  The Steven Canyon Road is closed on the west end of the Grove parking lot.  New this year is a guard (non NPS) sitting in a car watching things.  I walked over to ask them some questions about the road work and before I was to their car they jumped out and said "what are you doing here?  Where are you going?"  I was kind of taken aback by their confrontational demeanor.  Any way I explained I was hiking the Silver Falls loop and wanted to know about the road work.  Well long story short the road work will continue into next year and there is no access allowed for anyone hiking, walking or biking on week days when they are doing their road work.   

While I was exchanging pleasantries with the guard another hiker showed up and took off on the Silver Falls trail ahead of us.   We quickly caught and passed them and that would be the only hiker we'd see today.   The loop trail has a number of trees down on both sides of the river.  Probably 5 or 6 total.  All are the step over variety.  With all the warm temps and snow melt Silver Falls was raging this morning as was Laughingwater Creek and any other stream, creek or tributary we crossed.  Lots and lots of water flowing.  Having said that the Ohanapecosh is crystal clear and such a beuatiful river to look at.

We headed down to the campground and were curious what we would see camper wise.  On the way down the campgrounds along 410 while open were pretty empty with just a few campers.  Ohanapecosh CG was the same way.  Not as many folks camping compared to past week after Memorial Day Wednesday's.  As a FYI only the east side of the CG is open.  The west side is still closed.  We didn't see any rangers around to ask them when it might open. 

From there we went up the quiet west side of the Silver Falls loop to complete our hike getting back to the Jenomobile at 8:45.

Both on the way down and on the way home we counted cars at the various trailheads along 410 and 123 and we only saw one car parked at Crystal Peak/Lakes trailhead both going and coming back.  All the rest were deserted. 

One final note, compared to past years there was not much snow along 410 and very little at Cayuse Pass.   The warm weather we've had this May has taken care of it.    Stay safe everyone.  See you on the trail.  SR

As we've done for the past few years to kick off our summer hiking season at Mt. Rainier Jeno and I did the Grove of the Patriarchs trail and the Silver Falls loop.  We arrived at the Grove parking area at 6:45 with one car there ahead of us.  The bathrooms are clean and stocked.  The Grove trail is closed at the bridge.  We knew that  and of course ALLOFUS in their recent trip report mentioned it as well but we wanted to see if the bridge was fenced off or removed or what so we headed down the trail to the bridge.

There are a couple of logs down that you need to duck under and there are a number of signs up starting in the parking lot saying the trail is closed.  They become more frequent when you get to the bridge.   We were surprised to see it still in place.  It's leaning in a few spots and some of the foot boards are out in spots but it is still there.   We did notice on the west side the ground is sliding away from the looks of it.  The MRNP website says the bridge will be closed for the next two years so plan accordingly.

We then headed back to the parking lot, crossed Stevens Canyon Road which is closed at the parking lot and started down the Silver Falls loop trail.  As we expected the water was roaring and flowing this morning.  We noticed there are a number of social trails down to various viewpoints on the way to the falls which we avoided and there is one really good and NP approved viewing area where you can get pretty close to the falls.  We went down there where the spray was flying.  We then continued down the trail for a short ways to the bridge that crossed the Ohanapecosh River.  We crossed paths with the person who had parked ahead of us a couple of times this morning, once being at the overlook past the bridge.  We talked to her for a bit before continuing to the campground.

There were a handful of campers there and some people out and about.  Please note only the east side of the campground is open currently.  The bridge is blocked off to motorized traffic.  We talked to one camper who told us they thought the west side of the campground was closed due to trees being down.

After a break at the bridge we continued on the Silver Falls loop on the quiet side as I call it seeing the one hiker going the opposite way but that was it for hikers on the trail this morning.  When we got back to the parking lot it was just our car and her car there.

The south side of Highway 123 from Cayuse Pass has some serious snow on each side of the road.   I can see why Highway 410 is still closed for now.   Please be aware there is a large repaving project between Greenwater and Enumclaw on 410.   They are paving about a 5-6 mile stretch of the road.   We got stopped for about 20 minutes on the way back as they are using a pilot car to guide everyone thru that area.

Stay safe everyone.  See you on the trail.  SR 

Snowshoe adventure this morning - I went up to Mt. Rainier National Park, to see what was going on around the Ohanapecosh area. I saw a week-old trip report from @glucas (very helpful - check it out!), and I wanted to explore. So glad I did!

I left Yakima at 6:00am, stopped at the White Pass ski lodge (as always) for a bathroom break. Bare and wet/dry over the pass. Kept going west on Highway 12, then turned north on Highway 123. The road is still clear until the park boundary (about 2.5 miles further). Bare and dry/wet the entire way as well.

Arrived at the national park gate at 7:30am. It was in the upper 30s, and the snow was already smooshy, so I wore snowshoes the entire time. If it was colder, you could probably just wear boots and traction and be fine. It was near 50 when I finished, so I spent most of the time in pants, gloves, and short sleeves. I did wear my puffy coat when I took breaks. Good boots and poles helped, of course.

Like @glucas noted, sometimes there was a few feet of snow on the road, other times just a few inches. Definitely more snow the further I went. There is a decent trough to follow, though, which saves you some energy. A nice, gentle uphill, while surrounded by big trees and occasional creeks. And so quiet. There are a few trees across the road - most you can step over (or step ON and over), one was easier to go into the woods and go around. 

A mile in is the turnoff for Ohanapecosh - I'm sure people can snowshoe around the campground and make use of the covered benches at the Visitor's Center. I kept going on the road, though. @glucas mentioned that the actual Silver Falls Loop was mixed snow/no snow, and I didn't want to deal with that. 

Around 3 miles from the gate, there is a spur trail to the left, which joins the Silver Falls Loop. If you want to see the falls but avoid the patchy trail, this would be a good way to do it. 

I kept going ,and 0.1mi later I turned onto Stevens Canyon Road. (It looks like the snowshoe trail continues up Highway 123, but I don't know how far.) It was tougher going on this road, but still nothing awful. Like @glucas noted, the vault bathrooms here are open and accessible - you just have to climb over a big pile of icy snow to get there (snowshoes helped here). 

I wanted to see what the suspension bridge to the Grove of the Patriarchs looked like - I was here back in November when the whole place was flooding. I know the bridge (and the Grove) are still closed, but I still wanted to check it out.

With my snowshoes, I was able to get onto the Eastside Trail (there's a pile of snow to cross, but it is feasible). It was great to be in the trees - with the sun shining through and some patches of fog, it was almost magical. The trail is snow-covered, but obvious. I'm paranoid about getting lost, since I am usually by myself, and it never raised any red flags. It is narrow in spots, though, I suppose a serious fall and slide would end in the river. You have to push through a few thin branches now and then, too.

After 0.8mi from the road turnoff, there's a spur to the bridge. It's a bit steep, so step carefully. You can see the photo of the bridge - yep, still broken. Definitely do not attempt it. If you compare the water height in this report's photo to my report photo from November 2021, it's pretty amazing how much this river can change. The sun was shining on this spot, so I sat for awhile, enjoyed some snack and cocoa, and watched the water pass by. One of my favorite rivers, crystal clear water and so many colorful stones (when it's not the Great Flood). 

After a half hour, I headed back. A long slog, but at least it was downhill, and I could just follow my tracks and mentally wander. I saw lots of animal tracks - elk or sheep, dog, cat, and possibly a Snow Liger. The road was in the shade the whole time, but later in the day you would probably be in the sun.

Made it back to the car, three big snowplows and trucks parked next to me. They were very friendly, but told me that they had temporarily closed the road at the Highway 12/123 intersection. I think they are widening the plowed area of 123. Just know that they might be closing the road occasionally (they said today it was just for a few hours). I was able to drive back to Highway 12, go around the "closed" sign, and head home. 

7.7mi total, 600ft elevation gain. Total time 3 hours, 20 minutes. Until the workers, I didn't see a single person - just a few chipmunks and birds.

Grateful to be out in the national park today.

Today I hiked the Silver Falls Trail from Ohanapecosh CG, and attempted to get to the Grove of the Patriarchs. Here are the THREE most important things you need to know:

THE SUSPENSION BRIDGE TO GROVE OF THE PATRIARCHS IS DAMAGED, UNSAFE, AND CLOSED (at least as of this morning). Two rangers inspected it before I got there, and they told me on the trail that it was closed for now. You can see in the photo that the water rose almost to the bridge (!!!) - they think a heavy log struck the bridge (you can see damage about halfway across), and they also noted that where the bridge attaches to the land, it has started to come loose. I probably would have foolishly tried to cross it, so a big THANKS to the rangers for their wisdom. 

SILVER FALLS IS A RAGING TORRENT, BE CAREFUL WHEN APPROACHING IT. I know conditions can quickly change, but as of this morning, it was like Niagara Falls. Holy cow. In the summer, my kids and I would (carefully) venture out onto the rocks by the falls. You can see in the photo that the water is raging over those rocks right now. It is also spraying a lot at the official viewpoint near the rocks - I got soaked trying to get a good photo. 

ALL OF THE BRIDGES ON THE SILVER FALLS LOOP ARE STILL UP. I felt safe hiking the entire loop, as well as on the trial from Silver Falls to Grove of the Patriarchs. There are a couple of bridges that have water backing up behind them, so I don't know how long they will last. A couple of short boardwalk sections are washed out, but those did not pose any danger.

If you want to see more pictures and a few short video clips, copy and paste this link - it's really hard to describe how much water is up there right now. 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/s3Mz3FfSaoAJP1aw8

Here is the longer narrative of my adventure this morning:

I am usually a sunny-day hiker, but today was the best day for me to hike, and so I ventured into the mountains, even though it called for rain, rain, and more rain. It was definitely wet, but I am really glad I tried it. I think I could get used to rainy-day hiking ... maybe.

I left Yakima at 6:15am, drove over White Pass, turned north on Highway 123. It rained the WHOLE TIME.

Quick bathroom update - the bathrooms at the scenic view just east of White Pass are still unlocked, I also saw a few porta-potties outside the Kracker Barrel at the top of the pass (and the bathrooms at Grove of the Patriarchs were unlocked as well). BYOTP of course! Ohanapecosh bathrooms were locked.

I was able to drive to the national park boundary - I parked at the closed gate, and walked the mile to Ohanapecosh. Did I mention it was raining? So. Much. Water. Every creek was a raging waterfall surging under the road, often both sides of the road had creeks going down them. A few places the water was crossing on TOP of the road, but never too deep. It was wet, green, and beautiful. 

I wore hiking pants with a base layer (both soaked by the end - maybe I need to invest in rain pants?), a short sleeve shirt and a raincoat. My upper body stayed mostly dry, though I walked that fine line between staying warm and sweating. It was 50 degrees the whole time, so not very cold. I also wore my baseball hat. On the road, I had my hood up, but once in the trees, my hat kept most of the drips off of me. 

I was glad to have waterproof boots and poles, a few times the water was up to my laces. But I'm sure you could trail run this thing in shorts and a t-shirt, knowing you would just be soaking wet the whole time. The smartest thing I did was line my day pack with a garbage bag, which kept everything dry. Highly recommend.

I dried out a bit at the visitor center covered porch, then walked to the bridge going over the river. I don't think I've ever seen that much water, even in the spring. In the photo looking south, the rocky point sticking out is where people jump off into the river - usually it's like an 8-foot drop. Not today!

I headed to Silver Falls (counter-clockwise around the loop). Still raining. The trail is often a creek, occasionally a waterfall, and sometimes a pond. Never too deep, but I did keep my eyes on the ground, navigating through all of the water features. All of the bridges are in, but the creeks are raging, and my usual thoughts of "if I fall off, I will get wet and be embarrassed" were replaced by "if I fall off, I will be immediately swept to my death." 

Like I said, Silver Falls is raging. If you stay on the trail, you will be fine. There's just a LOT of water, and a lot of spray, especially at the viewpoint.

I kept going to Grove of the Patriarchs - still raining, still lots of water on the trail. Lots of standing water off-trail in the woods, too. I reached the Stevens Canyon Road, crossed over, and kept going. This is where I met the two rangers who had just inspected the suspension bridge. They said it was fine to take photos, but to please not cross it. Maybe by now it is officially blocked off, I don't know. They didn't say when it would be fixed.

I took a few photos of the bridge, also noting that the Grove (what I could see, at least) looked flooded as well. I sometimes worry that weather events like this are signs of climate change, and that soon we will be talking about the days when we USED TO be able to hike to the Grove of the Patriarchs...a little unsettling.

Heading back, I took the west trail of the loop back to Ohanapecosh. Definitely less water on the trail on this part, maybe due to higher elevation and further from the river. Took a break at the visitor center again, then hoofed it down the road to the gate. It really started to pour for this last mile, Mt. Rainier's parting gift to me. I was so grateful to climb into the car, crank up the heater, and change into dry clothes. 

It was definitely a wet hike, but I have no regrets. I was surrounded by beauty, and the only creatures I saw were the two rangers and a few birds. I found it renewing, and the familiar trail was surprisingly new and different this time. 

Total of 8.8 miles, 1000ft elevation gain, just over three hours total time.

Conditions can quickly change, but this is what I experienced Friday morning, 11/12.