I have done the hike to Sheep Lake twice before but this was my first time up to Sourdough Gap. Arrived at the parking lot around 3:20 and there were a few spots available. Bugs were the worst at the trailhead and were quick to get you when you got out of your vehicle.

The trail to sheep lake was great and ran into very few parties, but there was a good handful of people at the lake. Once on the trail up to the gap it got a little windy but the views were beautiful! At the gap the wind was very strong and again, the views were amazing. Beautiful hike on a beautiful day!

STUNNING views from every direction, the entire way up (and back down!) the mountain.

We got to the trailhead on this slightly cool (65-72°) Monday right around 945am and the lot was just barely starting to fill up, but not full until later in the day.

It was warm enough for us to wade and my 11 year old to Cold Plunge, so we did on the way up!

There were TONS of glorious wildflowers blooming. No animal sightings, as it was a little late in the day, but we definitely saw some fresh ish coyote scat with an entire raccoon paw in it! Fun identification with the kids ;)

The views down are different than the views at the top. Look up, look around, and don't skip this beautiful, not-too-long hike!

Enjoyed a gorgeous hike today; Sheep Lake to Sourdough Gap to Upper Crystal Lake.

Parking lot was almost full when I arrived at 6:15; I suspected it was a lot of overnight folks and this was confirmed as I had the trail mostly to myself until I arrived at Sheep Lake and saw a dozen tents all around the lake (well within the 100 foot restriction).

Most people were just waking up though so I continued in semi-solitude up to Sourdough Gap and, since I was feeling good, kept going into Mt Rainier NP. Note that the winds are strong up here; secure your hat and anything else you don’t want blown away!

I strongly urge any other hikers who have made it as far as the Gap to keep going. They’ll be rewarded with lush, verdant meadows, a glimpse or two of the resident marmots, and some real peace and quiet at Crystal Lake.

Traffic picked upon the way back; if crowded trails bother you this one is a doozy if you don’t hit the trail early.

Note: 2 of the 4 restrooms at the trailhead parking lot were out of order.

Highlights: this hike offered numerous snow-capped peaks, interesting rock formations, two beautiful lakes, and vibrant wildflowers. Doing an out and back from the Sheep Lake/Sourdough Gap trailhead to the Upper Crystal Lake waters, the hike was just under 8 miles and 2000 ft of total elevation gain.

Since I was passing through this area on my way home today, I looked for a hike I could do later in the day. Thanks to the recent trip report from Outside Nancy, I decided to give this one a shot and very glad I did. Although I couldn’t hit the trail until 4pm, it was such a clear day that even at the end of it I was still able to see the far away top of Mt Hood from the gap, along with a very noticeable Mt Adams and distant Mt St Helens. After the gap I continued from the PCT onto the Crystal Lakes Trail. It’s not very long before you turn a corner and see the top of Mt Rainier. At around the 3.3 mile point are wonderful views of that snowy peak with the upper Crystal Lake below. Then if you’re interested, it’s another .6 of a mile to get down to the lake itself. This entire section of the Crystal Lakes Trail had many interesting rock formations, including rocky peaks, hoodoos or columns, and even an arch. So make sure to take breaks from looking down at colorful flowers to look up around you as well.

Little bonus tip: just down the road south of this trailhead is a wonderful viewpoint of the entire Mt Rainier with Tipsoo Lake below.

Good Hike.