Wonderlan Trail - Washington, USA
The Wonderland trail circles Mount Rainer, the highest peak in the Cascade Range of the Pacific Northwest. The trail is located in Mount Rainer National Park in Washington, USA.
A minimum of 10 days is required to complete the trek, although we recommend a minimum of 12 days. In total it is a hike of about 150 km.
The trail is very easily accessible. There are four starting points from the road: Longmire, Isput Creek, Mowich and Sunrise. There are other entrances in the vicinity but these are for day trips.
Practical guide for hikers
The trail has a single route for most of the time. However at Mowich Lake, hikers can choose whether to continue from Wonderlan to Ipsut Creek or to Spray Park. The mileage of both routes is similar, it is the scenery that changes. Spray Park consists of large meadows, whereas Ipsut Creek is woodland full of trees.
When it comes to sleeping, it's not possible to camp just anywhere. That's why there are 18 campsites along the route, but off the Wonderland slopes and two on the Spray Park Route. Each campsite has a composting toilet and a water fountain. Within the track it is possible to camp at three sites. All have running water, showers, electricity and a usage fee. There is also a camping area within the camp. Here you are allowed to select a camping space within an area.
As it is an area surrounded by mountains, snow is visible practically all 12 months of the year. It is recommended to do this route in the spring and summer months.
The route allows you to see all kinds of landscapes, from forests to meadows, glaciers and snowfields. One of the ways to do the route differently is to do it at night. Although it is not possible to enjoy the scenery, the starry sky can be a good companion on the route.
Most of the section of the route is done alone. The number of hikers is spread out over the different routes. Some of the routes on the Eonderland Trail tend to be more crowded, but it is generally a solo route.
As the route consists of going around the mountain, it is possible to see it in 360º. in 360º.
A permit is required in order to be able to do the route. Permit applications usually begin in April. If you do not apply for a permit in advance, it is recommended that you go to Longmire, Isput Creek or Sunrise to have a ranger help you create a route.
Advice for hikers
It should be borne in mind that the route will be done on foot. Although the route is not complicated in any way, people who have problems going up and down slopes should take great care.
The route is surrounded by high altitude mountains, which is why the snow will be a companion for most of the trip. It is advisable to make use of thermal clothing or those that help to keep you warm during the trip. Shoes should be waterproof, help to keep your feet warm and be able to withstand any type of ground. If the route is done in spring or summer, the snow is not as abundant but the nights are equally cold. During these months it is advisable to wear thinner clothing during the day but include warm clothes for the night. Never forget a rucksack that includes all the items you will need during the day.
It is important to plan every detail of the route. Although the route is not very complicated, it is long and it is necessary to calculate where you are going to spend the night in each place in order to have time to make the necessary deviations. In the event that one day you want to camp in the designated areas, it will be necessary to have all the camping equipment and enough food to spend the night and have breakfast in the morning.
One of the most recommended points is to take the Spray Park Road. As mentioned above at Lake Mowich it is possible to make use of two variations: Ipsut Creek or Spray Park. The latter is recommended as the surrounding scenery is much more spectacular.
Another mention that has been made before is that there are many campsites on offer along the way. It is recommended to go to the Bar Campo Indio campsite. Most hikers usually go there and say that it is the best camp of all the campsites.
As it is a very long route, it might be difficult to do it all in a row. Although 10 days is not a long time, the fatigue is accumulating, the body is getting weaker and weaker and the options for eating and sleeping are different from what we are used to in our day to day life. That is why one of the most recommended options is to do the route in different sections. You can do part of the route one year or one month and leave another part for another time of the year. This also allows you to walk the route at a slower pace and enjoy the surrounding landscape more. A route that could be done in one or two days can be done in three or four. This also makes it possible to take people on the route who may not be in such good physical shape, but still want to take part in the trip.
