One Night Wilderness: Portland. Becky Ohlsen
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In one switchback the intermittently steep path ascends through forest and then across a hillside choked with elderberries, bluebells, salmonberries, cow parsnip, devil’s club, stinging nettle, 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, 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 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 Mount 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 campsite at the northern tip of Goat Lake at 3 miles. Although not spectacularly scenic, this long and narrow lake is 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 Mount 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 0.1 mile, and then turn right on an obvious path that goes downhill about 150 yards to an attractive camp on the east shore of Goat Lake.
In spring Lake Christine is surrounded by colorful wildflowers.
photo by Douglas Lorain
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 west of the route of this hike are superb, but you probably won’t notice them because your attention will be drawn to the east and the breathtaking view of the towering mass of nearby Mount 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.
| 5 | Indian Henry’s Hunting Ground and Pyramid Park |
| RATINGS | Scenery 9 Difficulty 9 Solitude 5 |
| ROUND-TRIP DISTANCE | 18 miles |
| ELEVATION GAIN | 4,900' |
| OPTIONAL MAP | Green Trails Mount Rainier West (No. 269) |
| USUALLY OPEN | Late July–October |
| BEST TIME | Late July–October |
| AGENCY | Mount Rainier National Park, nps.gov/mora |
| PERMIT | Required. All cars must also display an entry permit for the national park. Reservations are strongly advised: Mount Rainier National Park makes only 30% of its backcountry permits available on a first-come, first-serve basis. The rest are for hikers who made advance reservations. Because 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, through the online request system only; you cannot make a reservation by phone. Cost is $20 per group and is nonrefundable. To obtain a reservation form, go to nps.gov/mora/ planyourvisit/ wilderness-permit.htm. |
Highlights
Indian Henry’s 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 Mount 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 Henry’s along the Wonderland Trail from Longmire and spend the night at crowded Devils Dream Camp, a little over 1 mile south. But for adventuresome hikers who are willing to do some moderate cross-country hiking, there is a better and less crowded option. By hiking into Indian Henry’s Hunting Ground on the little-used Kautz Creek Trail and continuing up to spectacular but off-trail Pyramid Park, you can avoid the crowds and spend the night at an amazingly beautiful alpine retreat with a dramatic up-close look at the rugged west face of Mount Rainier.
Getting There
From I-5, 67 miles north of Vancouver, Washington, take Exit 68 and travel 31 miles east on US 12 to a junction at the town of Morton. Turn left on WA 7 and drive 17 miles to a junction with WA 706. Turn right (east), enter Mount Rainier National Park after 14 miles, and continue another 3.4 miles to the Kautz Creek Trailhead. The parking lot is on the right. To obtain a permit (or to pick up your reserved permit), you will need to continue driving another 3 miles to Longmire and stop at the wilderness information center.
GPS COORDINATES N46° 44.227' W121° 51.614'
Hiking It
The trail starts next to a small sign on the north side of the highway across from the parking lot. Initially the path takes you over the remains of a massive debris and mud flow that devastated this valley in October 1947. The flow was triggered by heavy rains, which caused a partial collapse of the Kautz Glacier. Landslide events like this are fairly common on Mount Rainier, although they are usually smaller in size—a major one can cause extensive damage to park roads and trails, even forcing closures, so be sure to check conditions before hiking this route. On the remains of the 1947 slide, trees now crowd the area (mostly western hemlocks and western red cedars), but in more open and sunny areas, deciduous trees—especially red alders—predominate. The dense undergrowth is mostly composed of salal, along with various ferns and mosses.
Initially the trail is gentle, wide, and strewn with gravel to accommodate tourists interested in exploring the geology of the mudflow. At 1 mile, however, the trail crosses silty Kautz Creek on a seasonally installed log bridge and becomes a wilderness trail. The much narrower path now enters an old-growth forest unaffected by the 1947 mudflow and begins a long, persistent, and at times moderately steep climb. The way is viewless but shady and pleasant throughout. Numerous short switchbacks help keep the climb from becoming overly steep. You cross a trickling creek at about 3 miles (the first reliable source of clear water) then continue climbing in a series of short, steep switchbacks. Still not done with the uphill section, you ascend at a gentler grade on a wide ridge and slowly enter more open high-elevation terrain. Mount Rainier is frequently in view, while closer at hand are rocky buttes and increasing numbers of heather, huckleberries, and various wildflowers. A final short, steep uphill leads to a high point on the southeast shoulder of Mount Ararat (a name that significantly overstates the size of this small butte), and then you descend about 150 feet to a junction at 5.7 miles with the Wonderland Trail.
You are now smack in the middle of Indian Henry’s Hunting Ground, a spectacular mountain meadow with acres of