Four Itchy Feet

June 18, 2025. Packwood, Washington. Day 28 of 170

Today, we hiked the Mount Rainier East Side Trail, which is about half a mile from the Stevens Entrance on the park’s east side. While we only hiked 6.4 miles, the East Side Trail is ideal for backpacking around the volcano. It’s a 33.3-mile route with roughly 8,000 feet of elevation change, and there’s plenty of water from the Ohanapecosh River along the way. A permit is required to backpack this trail.

Our short hike on this section of the trail took us through a heavily wooded forest. The trail is lined with towering Western Hemlocks, Western Red Cedars, and Douglas Firs. These magnificent trees are characteristic of the Pacific Northwest’s old-growth forests. Western Hemlocks, known for their graceful, drooping leaders, are the most common hemlock in the region and can live for hundreds of years. Western Red Cedars are famous for their massive, buttressed trunks and fragrant, rot-resistant wood, often reaching immense sizes and ages. Douglas Firs, one of the tallest conifers in the world, are also prominent, recognized by their distinctive cones with trident-like bracts. These particular trees must be hundreds of years old; their circumferences were so vast that it would take all four of us to join hands around them. We found several waterfalls along the way and chose one as our lunch spot.

This is a great trail for anyone visiting the park for the first time. We picked it because snow still covered the higher-elevation trails. Although it lacks the breathtaking panoramic views of other hikes in Mount Rainier National Park, this trail was well-maintained, relatively flat, and manageable for anyone, regardless of age or health. The trail also offers access to the Grove of the Patriarchs Loop, but that loop is currently closed for bridge repairs. If you appreciate the majesty of old, large trees and luscious forest environments, this trail is for you.