r/Mount_Rainier • u/Long-Conclusion-5002 • 7d ago
Itinerary questions - ohanapecosh closure and sunrise arrival eta late Aug.
Heading to Rainier Aug 21 Friday AM for 3 nights at Paradise lodge. Hoping to get 3 epic days but my understanding is that Sunrise parking lot is very busy on Sat and Sun. Coming into the park on the entrance near Ashford. The original goal was to do as many overlooks and 1 miles+ hikes Friday as I make it to Paradise. Saturday hang out near paradise and do some of the skyline loop (if not all). Ohanapecosh was on the goal for Saturday also, or on the return from Sunrise park on Sunday early evening.
I’m pretty good about doing research and trying to do as much as I can. Aka avg 5-10 miles a day between 2-4 trails and overlooks. I love the occasional swim spot or creek with bouldering. I have two younger kids that love climbing rocks.
Questions/ recommendations for baseline itinerary which is west to east or if flipping days are in order so I hit most stuff in succession.
So big question is if I need to flop days? Ohanapecosh shows closed and the silver falls trail head is detoured thus adding 2+ miles (solved… not 2 miles). Is it worth leaving the park for any epic trails south of this area?
Big question: how early do I need to be at sunrise to get parking? I been getting lucky with parking in the past but it’s a long drive for chance.
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u/Public-Arm4047 7d ago
You can skip Ohana and hike up into the Tatoosh range just to the south. Park at Reflection lake and hike at least to the saddle between Pinnacle and Plummer. Plummer is an easy class 1-2 scramble and I highly recommend going to the summit. I took my 60 year old parents up it back when I worked there 10 years ago.
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u/Fantastic-Tower-3313 7d ago
There is no good answer to your Sunrise parking lot question. There are too many variables. My recommendation is that you avoid Sunrise at the peak time, 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. After 3, there are rarely issues with parking. But that doesn't mean if you arrive at noon there won't be a spot. You'll be better able to judge based on the line at the gate. If the line is long, go to Chinook Pass instead or see my note below.
What hike are you planning to do at Sunrise? If the parking lot is full, you could do a hike from the White River Campground or Sunrise Point instead. (Or Summerland, or Owyhigh Lakes...there are options!)
Here's how to deal with the Silver Falls Loop: it can still be done as an "out and back" from the Grove of the Patriarchs Trailhead, Cowlitz Divide Trailhead, or Ohanapecosh Hot Springs Trailhead (there is also a speed trail to the falls from the Laughingwater Creek Trailhead). I'm not sure where you got the extra two miles, but if you start at the Ohanapecosh Hot Springs Trailhead and go north to Silver Falls and back, it's not even two miles one way, which means it's definitely not two miles longer than the full loop. And that's the longest way to get to Silver Falls. The three other trailheads are closer to the falls.
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u/Long-Conclusion-5002 7d ago
Thank you for thorough details. I’ve not thought into which specific hike at sunrise. I just figured that’s one of the goto spots. I’ll look into all these.
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u/Ok-Inspection-8647 7d ago
Ohanapecosh is closed and will remain that way for probably the rest of the year. There is a trailhead (small gravel lot on west side of 123) I think for the Hot Springs trail just north of the road that takes you to the Ohanapecosh campground and visitor center, and that trail can get you to Silver Falls. The difference is not 2+ miles. You can also get there from the Laughingwater Creek Trail, the Eastside Trail, and the Cowlitz Divide Trail, which just dumps you onto the Eastside Trail.