BrownFam22
New member
Hello All!
My wife and I are excitedly looking forward to our trip to Rainier and Olympic National Parks this coming September. I've done a good deal of research and put together the below itinerary. I'm looking for any and all feedback from those who know best! This will be our first trip there and we want to see as much as we can over the course of the trip. Of course jamming Rainier and Olympic into a week long trip means some trails will be sacrificed but that's a given.
If anyone has any tips or other recommendations, let us know!
Day 1 - Travel day with flights from TX to SEA. Supply up and get checked into hotel.
Day 2 – September 1 - Mount Rainier National Park
Travel From lodging to Carbon River Area (~2hours)
Hikes: Tolmie Peak Fire Lookout, 5.6miles, moderate to strenuous, 1,600ft, 2.5 to 4 hours.
Trying to be done trail by 12:00PM - 1:00PM
Travel to Paradise Area
Hikes: Skyline Trail Loop to Panorama Point, 6.2 miles, strenuous, 3-5 hours.
Myrtyle Falls Viewpoint 0.8 miles, easy, 30 min.
Lodging: Check into Paradise Inn
Day 3 – September 2 - Mount Rainier National Park
Hikes in Paradise Are: Camp Muir, 8.4 miles, Very strenuous, 8-10 hours, 4,606 ft gain
Optional Hike (Sunrise): Sourdough Ridge Trail Frozen Lake, 3 miles, moderate, 500ft ascent, 1.5-2hours.
Lodging: Second night at the Paradise Inn
Day 4 – September 3 – Mount Rainier & Olympic
Travel: Checkout early and head to Ohanapecosh Area
Hikes in Ohanapecosh Area: Grove of the Patriarchs 1.5miles, easy, 1-hour CHECK IF STILL CLOSED - do alternative hike or skip. Get there early - Can be challenging to get a parking spot during summer months, midday.
Silver Falls Loop 3.4 miles, easy, 1.5 – 3 hours. Ohanapecosh Visitor Center parking, wonderful short hike
Try to finish hikes around 12PM
Travel - Olympic NP From Ohanapecosh to Staircase Area is ~3 hours, targeting 4:00PM arrival
Hikes in Staircase Area: Staircase Rapid Loop, 2.8 miles, easy, 1.5 – 2 hours. Minimal others on trail.
IF more time due to arriving early in Olympic, could do Mt. Ellinor instead and then head to Northern Region on Day 5.
Day 5 – September 4 – Olympic National Park
Morning Hikes: Option1 - Mount Ellinor (if not day before), 3.2 – 6.2 miles, Strenuous, 3-5 hours.
2 routes, 1 incredibly steep but shorter and one longer but gradual.
Option 2- Head to the Northern Region instead Travel to Northern Region
Hikes in Northern Region: Klahhane Ridge Trail to Mt. Angeles, 6.5 miles, strenuous, 4-6 hours.
Marymere Falls 1.8 miles, easy, 1-hour
Mount Storm King, 4.65 miles, strenuous, 3-5 hours, 2,076 ft gain
Lodging Lake Crescent Lodge
Day 6 – September 5 – Olympic National Park
Travel to Pacific Coastline Checkout of lodging in Northern Region and head to Pacific Coastline, early/mid AM
Hikes in Pacific Coastline: Cape Flattery, 1.5 Mile round trip hike, northern most pacific coast of continental US
Shi Shi Beach, 6-10 miles, Easy, 4-6 hours.
Rialto Beach, Hole-in-the-wall, 3.5mile hike, easy, 1.5 -2.5 hours.
Lodging Town Motel in Forks, WA
Day 7 – September 6 – Olympic National Park
Hikes in Pacific Coastline: Third Beach to Strawberry Point, 3 miles, easy, 1-2 hours.
La Push Beaches, 3rd is the most remote and includes hiking through a forest.
Travel to Hoh Rainforest
Hikes in Hoh Rainforest: Hall of Mosses, 0.8 miles, easy, 30 minutes.
Spruce Nature Trail, 1.2 miles, easy, 45 min.
Travel to Seattle ~ 4 hours from Hoh Rainforest to the city of Seattle
My wife and I are excitedly looking forward to our trip to Rainier and Olympic National Parks this coming September. I've done a good deal of research and put together the below itinerary. I'm looking for any and all feedback from those who know best! This will be our first trip there and we want to see as much as we can over the course of the trip. Of course jamming Rainier and Olympic into a week long trip means some trails will be sacrificed but that's a given.
If anyone has any tips or other recommendations, let us know!
Day 1 - Travel day with flights from TX to SEA. Supply up and get checked into hotel.
Day 2 – September 1 - Mount Rainier National Park
Travel From lodging to Carbon River Area (~2hours)
Hikes: Tolmie Peak Fire Lookout, 5.6miles, moderate to strenuous, 1,600ft, 2.5 to 4 hours.
Trying to be done trail by 12:00PM - 1:00PM
Travel to Paradise Area
Hikes: Skyline Trail Loop to Panorama Point, 6.2 miles, strenuous, 3-5 hours.
Myrtyle Falls Viewpoint 0.8 miles, easy, 30 min.
Lodging: Check into Paradise Inn
Day 3 – September 2 - Mount Rainier National Park
Hikes in Paradise Are: Camp Muir, 8.4 miles, Very strenuous, 8-10 hours, 4,606 ft gain
Optional Hike (Sunrise): Sourdough Ridge Trail Frozen Lake, 3 miles, moderate, 500ft ascent, 1.5-2hours.
Lodging: Second night at the Paradise Inn
Day 4 – September 3 – Mount Rainier & Olympic
Travel: Checkout early and head to Ohanapecosh Area
Hikes in Ohanapecosh Area: Grove of the Patriarchs 1.5miles, easy, 1-hour CHECK IF STILL CLOSED - do alternative hike or skip. Get there early - Can be challenging to get a parking spot during summer months, midday.
Silver Falls Loop 3.4 miles, easy, 1.5 – 3 hours. Ohanapecosh Visitor Center parking, wonderful short hike
Try to finish hikes around 12PM
Travel - Olympic NP From Ohanapecosh to Staircase Area is ~3 hours, targeting 4:00PM arrival
Hikes in Staircase Area: Staircase Rapid Loop, 2.8 miles, easy, 1.5 – 2 hours. Minimal others on trail.
IF more time due to arriving early in Olympic, could do Mt. Ellinor instead and then head to Northern Region on Day 5.
Day 5 – September 4 – Olympic National Park
Morning Hikes: Option1 - Mount Ellinor (if not day before), 3.2 – 6.2 miles, Strenuous, 3-5 hours.
2 routes, 1 incredibly steep but shorter and one longer but gradual.
Option 2- Head to the Northern Region instead Travel to Northern Region
Hikes in Northern Region: Klahhane Ridge Trail to Mt. Angeles, 6.5 miles, strenuous, 4-6 hours.
Marymere Falls 1.8 miles, easy, 1-hour
Mount Storm King, 4.65 miles, strenuous, 3-5 hours, 2,076 ft gain
Lodging Lake Crescent Lodge
Day 6 – September 5 – Olympic National Park
Travel to Pacific Coastline Checkout of lodging in Northern Region and head to Pacific Coastline, early/mid AM
Hikes in Pacific Coastline: Cape Flattery, 1.5 Mile round trip hike, northern most pacific coast of continental US
Shi Shi Beach, 6-10 miles, Easy, 4-6 hours.
Rialto Beach, Hole-in-the-wall, 3.5mile hike, easy, 1.5 -2.5 hours.
Lodging Town Motel in Forks, WA
Day 7 – September 6 – Olympic National Park
Hikes in Pacific Coastline: Third Beach to Strawberry Point, 3 miles, easy, 1-2 hours.
La Push Beaches, 3rd is the most remote and includes hiking through a forest.
Travel to Hoh Rainforest
Hikes in Hoh Rainforest: Hall of Mosses, 0.8 miles, easy, 30 minutes.
Spruce Nature Trail, 1.2 miles, easy, 45 min.
Travel to Seattle ~ 4 hours from Hoh Rainforest to the city of Seattle
