Paradise Glacier — Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025

Bottom Line:

This is a great WINTER snowshoe (see link) but I had never done in late summer. WHOA! Amazingly beautiful, and lots to explore before and beyond the "end of maintained trail", of course staying on rock at all times to avoid tundra damage (CAUTION: Rockfall hazard, snow bridges, rushing COLD glacial water surrounded by crumbling slopes). This is the perfect hike when the upper mountain is shrouded in cloud as it was today, since once in the dead-end valley, you are in your own little world with Paradise and Steven's glaciers looming overhead, and countless waterfalls cascading down the surrounding headwalls. The flowing water adds splashes of color - green, yellow and oranges mosses with hardy alpine flowers (e.g. monkey flower) - to the otherwise moonlike landscape. There are some significant snowfields, many with water flowing underneath and visible bridges and ice caves, but you can ascend the slopes, watching for rockfall, to avoid them (at least as far as I went). I look forward to returning and trying to attain the end of the valley.

Stats:

• Distance: 6-3/4 miles
• Vertical: 1650 ft
• Duration: ~ 4 hours
• Road/Parking: Some challenges in this department, and I honestly felt bad about contributing to the crowds at Paradise afterwards. There is road work on both Hwy 123 (which will be closed outright in September) and Stevens Canyon Rd. Traffic is one-lane only, which can lead to lengthy delays (up to 30 minutes each). No reservations required for Paradise entrances. Reaching Paradise, parking was full up to the lodge, with some spots available on Paradise Valley Rd, which was fine, as the 4th Crossing Trailhead is down that road by the Paradise River bridge. The trail was very quiet once I took the junction to Paradise Glacier, but very busy up to that point, reflecting the crowded conditions that were immediately evident when trying to park. Best to manage expectations and leave time for delays... it is crowded for a reason, although the difference between Paradise and Sunrise this year (no reservations vs. reservations) is pretty dramatic.
• Weather: A mix of sun and cloud, with the upper mountain mostly shrouded in cloud. No bugs, light wind. 50-60Fs
• Water: There is flowing water for filtering the entire length of the trail, although the water can be more challenging to access up high. I did not carry water, although glacial silt DOES clog up the ol' filter!
• Flowers: The flowers are definitely past peak but still going strong (unlike Berkeley Park/Skyscaper over at Sunrise), with paintbrush, lupine, alpine aster and western pasqueflower putting on a show. Up high, near the waterfalls, plenty of monkey flower, with that area in general reminding me of the way to Panhandle Gap above Summerland. Low down, the flowers are similar to Pinnacle Saddle just over a week ago.
• Trail: I was transported to Iceland on this hike (having done some travel planning this summer). The landscape, the glaciers, the countless waterfalls - truly stunning. I started on the 4th Crossing Trail and used it to attain Mazama Ridge. Some muddy areas on the lower ascent. Heading up the ridge on Skyline Loop, there is a marked junction to "Paradise Glacier" - take the trail on the right. The maintained trail ends in 1-1/2 miles, but there is a boot path that goes much higher (I did not reach the end of it - I think, as there were large snowfields where I stopped). The lower trails were packed with people, but I did not see anyone else for hours after the turnoff. That trail is just a little rougher than Skyline Loop, but pretty moderate in the grand scheme of things. Beyond the "end of maintained trail" sign, there is another (old) sign indicating some of the hazards that lie ahead, including rockfall. Soon those hazards become evident, with large icefields ringed by ice caves, and high volumes of water flowing under the snow. There are spots where an uncontrolled slide on the snowfield would land you in a gushing glacial Paradise "Creek". In other spots, snow bridges or caves may collapse. Footage of this in the video.
• Takeaway: Having hiked alone, I came away saying to myself, "I need to come back with <insert your best hiking buddy>" - the trail is so incredibly scenic I immediately wanted to experience it with someone else! Next time, will try to hike higher - even more waterfalls, and I suspect a glacial tarn or two, still higher.

The attached video captured the entire trail, including some ice caves. The video, and the Instagram link below, have higher resolution pics.

More Information on this Trip Report

• https://www.instagram.com/wta_alpinewanderer/