Highlights
The tiny Glacier View Wilderness, which borders the west side of Mount Rainier National Park, includes similar scenery to the park, but avoids that more famous preserve’s traffic jams and crowds. Long-distance hiking is limited by the small size of the wilderness, so most people who come here are dayhikers. The area is large enough, however, for a wonderful one-night outing to quiet Goat Lake with access to a spectacular view of Mt. Rainier from Gobblers Knob.
Getting There
Leave Interstate 5 north of Vancouver at Exit 68 and travel 31 miles east on U.S. Highway 12 to a junction at the town of Morton. Turn left on State Highway 7 and drive 17 miles to a junction with Highway 706. Turn right (east), proceed 11.1 miles to an unsigned junction near Milepost 11, and then turn left on gravel Forest Road 59. After climbing for 4.3 miles, turn sharply right on Road 5920 and slowly drive 1.6 miles on this rough and rocky road to the road-end trailhead.
Hiking It
The Lake Christine Trail starts in an ancient clear-cut now populated with 40-foot-tall Douglas firs and Pacific silver firs growing above a tangled mix of thimbleberry bushes, Sitka alders, fireweed, pearly everlastings, and various other shrubs, wildflowers, and grasses. The rocky path climbs very steeply for 0.1 mile, and then becomes more moderate when it enters uncut forest. In one switchback the intermittently steep path ascends through forest, and then across a hillside choked with elderberries, bluebells, salmonberries, cow parsnips, devils clubs, stinging nettles, and various other moisture-loving flowers and shrubs. At the top of the ascent, 0.8 mile from the trailhead, you arrive at the forested bowl holding tiny and rather shallow Lake Christine. Backed by a rugged but unnamed ridge to the east, this pretty little lake has nice views and features plenty of heather and other colorful wildflowers around its shore.
The trail circles to the right around the lake’s south and east shores before reaching a pair of nice campsites just after a log bridge over the tiny inlet creek. From here the path pulls away from the lake and slowly climbs a meadowy ravine that is alive with midsummer wildflowers such as bistort, aster, wild carrot, Sitka valerian, arnica, groundsel, and pink heather. At 1.2 miles is a signed junction with a spur trail to the viewpoint atop Mt. Beljica. This makes a good side trip, although better views will come later in the hike.
Go right at the junction, pass through a forested saddle, and then make a winding descent to a junction with Puyallup Trail at 1.8 miles. Turn right on this gently rolling trail as it rounds the north end of a ridge and then gradually descends to a nice campsite at the northern tip of Goat Lake at 3 miles. Although not spectacularly scenic, this long and narrow lake is very lovely, surrounded by stately forest with a narrow strip of grasses and flowers along the shore. The only views are of the long ridge of Mt. Wow rising to the southeast. For a larger and better campsite, continue on the trail that goes east and a bit uphill from Goat Lake for 0.1 mile, and then turn right on an obvious path that goes downhill for about 150 yards to an attractive camp on the east shore of Goat Lake.
So far the scenery on this hike has been pleasant, but not particularly dramatic. For a big scenic payoff, set up camp at Goat Lake and spend the afternoon on a side trip to the top of Gobblers Knob. From the junction with the access trail to the camp on Goat Lake’s east shore, take the main trail, which steadily ascends a forested hillside and enters Mount Rainier National Park after about 0.5 mile. Firearms, livestock, and pets are prohibited beyond this point. The trail then continues uphill, now mostly over open slopes, to a minor saddle at the top of a ridge. Just 100 yards down the other side of the ridge is a junction. Veer left (uphill) on the Gobblers Knob Trail and in 0.4 mile ascend 10 well-graded switchbacks to the staffed lookout building perched atop the rocky summit.
The views of the route of this hike to the west are superb, but you probably won’t notice them since your attention will be drawn to the east and the breathtaking view of the towering mass of nearby Mt. Rainier. Huge Tahoma Glacier tumbles down in an awesome display of white, while below that is a mantle of alpine meadows, rocky ridges, and forested valleys. This is one of the best views of the mountain anywhere. After plenty of time spent staring in awe, return the way you came.
Lake Christine, Glacier View Wilderness
5 Indian Henrys Hunting Ground and Pyramid Park
| RATINGS | Scenery 9 Difficulty 9 Solitude 5 | |
| ROUND-TRIP DISTANCE | 18 miles | |
| ELEVATION GAIN | 4900 feet | |
| OPTIONAL MAP | Green Trails: Mount Rainier West | |
| USUALLY OPEN | Late July to October | |
| BEST TIMES | Late July to October | |
| AGENCY | Mount Rainier National Park | |
| PERMIT | Required. Reservations are strongly advised. All cars must also display an entry permit for the national park. | |
| INFORMATIONRESERVATION | Mount Rainier National Park sets aside only 40 percent of its available backcountry permits on a first-come, first-served basis. The remaining permits are given to hikers who made advance reservations. Since obtaining a permit for popular areas, especially on summer weekends, is extremely difficult, it is highly recommended that you reserve a permit in advance. Reservations are accepted starting on March 15 by mail, fax, or in person at the Longmire Wilderness Information Center. You cannot make a reservation over the phone. The cost is $20 per group and is nonrefundable. To obtain a reservation form and for further information, go to www.nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/wilderness-reservation-information.htm. |
Highlights
Indian Henrys Hunting Ground is one of the most famous backcountry beauty spots in Mount Rainier National Park. This glorious meadow, with its bonanza of wildflowers, scenic ponds, and drop-dead-gorgeous views of Mt. Rainier certainly deserves the fame, but all that popularity has forced the park to protect this fragile area by closing the meadow to camping. Most hikers approach Indian Henrys along the Wonderland Trail from Longmire and spend the night at crowded Devils Dream Camp, a little over 1 mile to the south. But for adventuresome hikers who are willing to do some moderate cross-country hiking, there is a better