6
Found a sneaky way to avoid the crowds on the Wonderland Trail loop
I was planning a late August trip around Mount Rainier and saw all the permits were gone for the classic clockwise route. Instead of giving up, I looked at the trailhead quotas and noticed the Sunrise entry had way more openings after noon. So I booked a spot starting at 2 PM, hiked a quick 5 miles to a lesser-known camp (Granite Creek, if you're curious), and had the whole place to myself. Has anyone else tried this kind of 'late start' strategy on other popular loops?
3 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In3 Comments
bethcarr6d ago
Granite Creek is nice but how were the bugs that late in the season?
7
fisher.mason2mo ago
Totally stealing this idea for my next trip... my usual plan of showing up at dawn and fighting for a spot is clearly not working out.
6
henryreed2mo ago
Man, I always thought you had to start those big loops at dawn. Did a late entry at the Enchantments last year and it was a total game changer. Got a permit for after 3 PM, hiked up to Colchuck, and had the lake shore almost to myself. That quiet evening light was way better than the midday rush.
4