Route guide · Mount Rainier National Park, Washington

Wonderland Trail

A 93-mile circumnavigation of Mount Rainier that gains and loses over 22,000 ft as it drops into forested river valleys and climbs back to subalpine parkland, over and over. Camps are assigned wilderness sites, so the itinerary is fixed the day your permit is — build the plan around the camps you can actually get.

Length: 85.6 mi
Duration: 8–11 days
Gain: +25,090 ft
Season: mid-Jul – Sep

loophigh point 6,815 ftstrenuous — long with major climbsno cell — carry offline mapsno dogs

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permit required · we track who booked what · the whole crew on one page

25 campsites

Expand map ↓

Permit required — NPS wilderness permit with assigned camps — early-access lottery in spring, walk-up permits are scarce. Official info

The shape of the trail

Route profile · camps

campelevation

Day by day

A reference itinerary, from real camps

Camps below are mapped campsites spaced to balance the daily miles — the same planner that builds a Trailmix trip. Your dates, pace and direction reshape it live.

Total85.6 mi · 9 nights

Days on trail

Day 1 · 7.5 mi · +1,790 ft
Trailhead → Dick Creek Camp
From a trailhead like Longmire, this leg is a moderate climb through forest to reach Dick Creek Camp.
forested valley walk
passes Ipsut Creek Campground (3.4 mi)
Day 2 · 7.4 mi · +3,440 ft · hardest
Dick Creek Camp → Granite Creek Camp
From Dick Creek, the trail climbs steadily through subalpine terrain towards Granite Creek, passing beautiful Mystic Lake along the way.
past Mystic Lake
passes Mystic Camp (11.1 mi)
Day 3 · 7.4 mi · +1,390 ft
Granite Creek Camp → White River Campground
From Granite Creek Camp, it's a relatively short and mostly downhill hike to the White River Campground.
mostly descending
passes unnamed site (19.0 mi)
Day 4 · 10.9 mi · +3,410 ft
White River Campground → Indian Bar Camp
From the White River Campground, this leg is a sustained climb through forest and then glorious subalpine meadows to the unique shelter at Indian Bar.
destination camp
passes unnamed site (28.6 mi) · unnamed site (28.7 mi) · unnamed site (28.8 mi)
Day 5 · 9.4 mi · +1,680 ft
Indian Bar Camp → Maple Creek Camp
From Indian Bar, the trail descends steeply into Stevens Canyon before arriving at the forested Maple Creek Camp.
steep descent
passes Nickel Creek (39.3 mi)
Day 6 · 8.4 mi · +2,280 ft
Maple Creek Camp → Cougar Rock Campground
From Maple Creek, this section involves a significant climb out of Stevens Canyon before dropping down to Cougar Rock Campground.
big canyon climb
passes Paradise River Camp (49.0 mi)
Day 7 · 6.5 mi · +2,400 ft
Cougar Rock Campground → Site 1
Leaving the frontcountry Cougar Rock Campground, the trail climbs steadily to reach the meadows around Devil's Dream and Indian Henry's Hunting Ground.
campground to backcountry
passes unnamed site (55.3 mi)
Day 8 · 10 mi · +4,010 ft
Site 1 → 4
From the meadows of Indian Henry's Hunting Ground, this leg crosses the stunning Emerald Ridge and then descends steeply to Klapatche Park.
classic westside views
passes South Puyallup River Camp (63.8 mi)
Day 9 · 7.2 mi · +1,850 ft
4 → Golden Lakes Camp
passes North Puyallup River Group Camp (69.9 mi) · North Puyallup River Camp (70.1 mi)
Day 10 · 10.9 mi · +2,750 ft
Golden Lakes Camp → Back to trailhead
passes South Mowich River Camp (80.3 mi) · unnamed site (84.1 mi)

Conditions at the trailhead

Mount Rainier National Park, Washington · updated daily

SAT 08·22

62° / 47°

cloud · 11%

SUN 08·23

55° / 45°

showers · 11%

MON 08·24

73° / 50°

cloud · 1%

TUE 08·25

77° / 55°

cloud · 2%

WED 08·26

67° / 45°

cloud · 14%

RIVER CROSSINGS — Glacial rivers can swell dramatically in the afternoon from snowmelt. Plan to cross early in the day and always check current trail conditions, as bridges are frequently washed out.

SUBALPINE EXPOSURE — The trail frequently climbs out of forested valleys into exposed subalpine and alpine terrain where weather can change rapidly. Be prepared for sun, wind, and cold.

Know before you go

hikingtahoma.com · cleverhiker.com · nps.gov · erinexploring.com

Best months

share of dry days · Open-Meteo Archive (ERA5), 10-year normals at the trailhead

TRAILHEADS

Most hikers start the loop at Longmire, but White River, Mowich Lake, and Sunrise are also common access points.

NPS

WATER

Water is generally available from streams and lakes, but some high-elevation camp sources can dry up late in the season; all water should be treated.

NPS

FOOD STORAGE

All designated camps have bear poles for food storage, making bear canisters unnecessary during the main season.

NPS

CAMPING FEE

A wilderness permit fee of $12 per person per night is required, plus a non-refundable $6 reservation fee.

NPS

RESUPPLY

Hikers can mail or drop off food caches at the Longmire Wilderness Information Center and the White River Campground.

NPS

RIVER CROSSINGS

Many glacial rivers must be crossed; while major ones have bridges, log bridges can wash out, requiring potentially hazardous fords.

NPS

Asked around the fire (about this trail)

Do I need a permit for the Wonderland Trail?

Yes. NPS wilderness permit with assigned camps — early-access lottery in spring, walk-up permits are scarce.

How many days does the Wonderland Trail take?

Most groups take 8–11 days. The reference itinerary here plans 9 nights, camp to camp.

When is the best time to hike the Wonderland Trail?

mid-July – September. Outside that window expect snow, storm damage or closures to change the plan.

How do I resupply food on the trail?

You can mail or hand-deliver up to five 5-gallon rodent-proof containers to cache locations at Longmire and White River Campground to avoid carrying food for the entire trip.

How difficult is it to get a permit?

Permits are extremely competitive. Most are awarded through an early-access lottery in the spring. A small number of first-come, first-served permits are available daily, but securing a full loop itinerary this way is rare.

When is the best time to hike the Wonderland Trail?

The primary season is from late July through September. Hiking earlier may require crossing steep, dangerous snowfields and fording high, fast-moving rivers.

Get the Wonderland Trail in the bag.

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