This is the story of our June 2024 hike. My wife and I decided to take our first hike together at Mount Rainier National Park, which offers plenty of hiking trails. It was a beautiful, sunny day. We don’t get much sun in Washington, but the last few summers have been sunny and hot.
We packed our bags and started driving to the park, planning to hike at Sunrise Trail. However, when we arrived, we discovered that the trail was closed. Fortunately, we found another trail called Silver Falls. That hike turned out to be the best one we’ve ever done!
It was one of the best scenic drives we ever took. When we tried to go to Mount Rainier National Park, it was full, so we chose the Silver Falls Trail.
Scenic Route : A beautiful drive to the Silver Falls
Our journey started from Bonney Lake on Highway 410, which leads directly to Mount Rainier. It was approximately 70 miles from my home, making it about a 1- and 30-minute drive. Our first stop was at the side of the road near a river. It was incredibly calming and peaceful.
We began our journey once more in June when the temperature hovered around 73 degrees. Surprisingly, there was ice alongside the road, even though we were not very high up on the mountain.
Silver Falls : Campground and Hiking Trails
Finally, we reached our destination around 1 PM. It was a campground. There were a lot of people there, but most of them were camping.
We grabbed our backpacks and started hiking. The starting point was really nice; there was a river with clear water. The difficulty of the trail was not too high, just a 400 ft elevation gain and a total of 3 miles.
While walking on the trail, we could still hear the sounds of water from the river we passed. It was a very peaceful hike, surrounded by the natural sounds of nature and far from civilization. Since it was a weekday, only a few people were hiking that day.
It was a deep forest, yet there were no warning signs of wildlife. Unlike other trails that typically post alerts for bears or cougars, this one provided a sense of peace of mind. The trail was quite easy, making it accessible for families hiking with their children.
Even though the trail was easy, it was still exhausting. There were a few sections where the hill was steep. We had to drink plenty of water because it was hot. I used Liquid IV electrolytes for energy. It tasted really good and helped us maintain our energy levels.
As we hiked closer to Silver Falls, we could hear the sound of falling water. We were 0.2 miles from the trail, and there was a sign for other trails.
- Wonderland Tr. JCT. 4.3 Miles
- Box Canyon 7.1 Miles
- Indian Bar 8.9 Miles
- Olallie Creek CMP. 3.1 Miles
We decided not to take any of the trails because we weren’t prepared for them, and some of them were quite long. Instead, we continued our hike. After a few minutes, we arrived at the waterfall. It was truly amazing—one of the most beautiful falls I have ever seen.
We spent an hour there, eating snacks and taking photos. The mist of water touched our faces and felt really good.
I highly recommend this trail if you ever plan to visit Mount Rainier. You must add it to your bucket list. Even the campground offers Wi-Fi since there is no cell service.
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