Type of Hike
Day hike
My Dad and I worked on this trail back in 2009, and we finally got the opportunity/energy to head back and see the final result.
The new part of the trail is in absolutely beautiful condition. Wonderful tread, wide path, and smooth grade. The bridges were well-crafted, and the sections supported by rock walls were very nice. The work on this trail really paid off!
The trees break a few times to offer some nice views, though admittedly there is often a mountain or two in the way of Mt. Rainier. The aesthetic quality of the riverbed also varies - sometimes it's really nice (there's a great place that I saw a few people wading in), but sometimes there's a lot of dirt or dead wood lying around.
Past the wooded section are alpine meadows, where the wildflowers are out in full force! This was an excellent time to go for flowers.
The elevation gain is overall very manageable, although it picks up noticeably about two miles in. My parents felt the hills, and I begrudgingly admit that they pushed me a little bit. One has to hike a bit further than the end of the maintained trail in order to get to the glacier itself, and the elevation doesn't let up.
Our pace was relatively leisurely, since we had a group member who hikes less than the rest of us. With breaks and lunch and photo ops, the hike took us about five hours for about eight miles.
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