Super fun overnight trip to Berkeley Park camp, and a great way to get a sampler of everything Mount Rainier has to offer. With the new reservation system park entry at 10:30 was a breeze and plenty of parking in the backpacker’s gravel section.
Sunrise was warm and breezy; we were soon packed and a slow climb up to the top of Sourdough Ridge got most of the grunt work out of the way quickly. Crowds were mild all the way to the always busy intersection at Frozen Lake and then non-existent for the rest of the first day. The views were super clear and stupendous, the plants that turn red in the fall were all on fire, such dramatic scenery. We dropped down first on the Wonderland trail then on the Northern Loop just enjoying the easy ride. We pushed the pace a little to get to camp for lunch. There is some discrepancy in mileage on this section and the camp was further than I thought so lunch was late, but the trail down through the park is gorgeous. Berkeley Park camp is a bit meh. There was already a large number of tents in the group site and site one was just a satellite to them, creek access is between these two. Fortunately, we scoped it out a bit and found the more private site two a few more paces down the main trail. Once set up and fed we set off again with much lighter loads on to our prize for the day - Grand Park.
Again the trail map distances were off but now in our favor as after only an hour or so hiking we were standing at the junction with Grand Park. The trail between the parks is down then up with some decent elevation gain balanced by some really flat walking as you approach the junction. We carried on the half mile or so down the Northern Loop trail to the drop-dead view at the overlook then back tracked and headed down Grand Park. If you've never been here before it's fun to hike down a little ways then turn around to get the full-on in your face mountain view. We went down as far as the first set of trees at about a half mile then stopped for late afternoon snacks. Gorgeous time to be there with the back light, and we did not have to share. After our gawk fest we headed back. No flowers now but the tawny colors shine in their own right, and the trail side beargrass leaves makes the trail seem fluffy in a Dr Seuss kind of way.
Back late to camp it was all about resting our tired legs with ten plus miles for the day. Don’t stay in the forested camp all evening though or you will miss the sunset’s changing light on the valley sides, spectacular. The night at camp was cold as it’s in a low spot and it was still damp from recent rain. Down everything for the win.
Day two was all about the slow road home. We set off in warm jackets and ten minutes later shed everything as the sun found us on its way to the 70s. The trail follows the creek up the valley, and we stopped often just to admire everything, still some flowers especially near the creek and we took a break with bouquets of monkey flowers decorated with butterflies where the trail finally leaves the creek for good. The last spot for water so fill up here. We dragged our feet some more and took a short turn further west on the Wonderland Trail for lunch on some rocks watching hikers with large packs plod by on their big climb for the day. Once back at Frozen Lake we dropped down on the trail to Shadow Lake for a quiet return to Sunrise, the only crowds here are the late summer asters covered in butterflies. The climb up from the lake was summer hot as it’s sheltered but we managed to add on a short distance on the Silver Forest trail to the big view of the mountain with the aquamarine tarn nestled at the base. Like Pokémon, got to catch them all.
Total miles for day two was around six, so between 16-18 for the whole trip, all very doable ones. The only disappointment was finding the day lodge did not sell ice cream, but we toughed out the drive back and stopped at Wapati Outdoors for a winning consolation.
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