Wonderland Trail hiking guide: route map, stages & where to stay

The Wonderland Trail is the classic long walk of the Pacific Northwest. It makes a full circle around Mount Rainier (4,392 m / 14,410 ft), the most glaciated peak in the lower 48 states, and never leaves Mount Rainier National Park. NPS gives the length as about 150 km (93 mi) with about 8,230 m (27,000 ft) of gain and the same of loss. You climb out of deep old-growth valleys to subalpine meadows and ridges again and again, crossing glacial rivers on log bridges and suspension bridges. There are no huts or inns on the way: you camp every night at a designated wilderness camp booked on your permit, and carry everything except the food you cache.

2026 trail status

In August 2026 wildfires broke out in the north of the park. As of mid-October 2026 the trail is closed from the Carbon River suspension bridge to Frozen Lake near Sunrise, with Dick Creek, Mystic and Granite Creek camps, and NPS is issuing no full-circuit permits until further notice. Since April 2025 the SR 165 Fairfax Bridge outside the park has been closed, so there is no road to Mowich Lake or Carbon River: you can reach them only on foot along the trail, and there is no food cache there. Check the NPS conditions and fire pages before you plan.

The route

Most hikers start at Longmire and walk clockwise. The first days lead west past Indian Henry's Hunting Ground and Klapatche Park to Golden Lakes and down to the South Mowich River, then up to Mowich Lake. From there the main route crosses Ipsut Pass and drops into the rainforest of the Carbon River; the higher Spray Park alternate is a famous detour. The north side climbs beside the Carbon Glacier to Mystic Lake, Granite Creek and Skyscraper Pass to Sunrise, the highest camp at 1,908 m (6,256 ft). After White River the trail climbs to Summerland and crosses Panhandle Gap, the high point at about 2,060 m (6,750 ft), often on snow. The east and south sides follow Indian Bar, the Cowlitz Divide, Box Canyon and Stevens Canyon, then Reflection Lakes, Narada Falls and the Paradise River back to Longmire.

This guide follows the route mapped on OpenStreetMap, 139 km on our line, and splits it into 11 stages of about 12.6 km each: the common 11-day plan at standard camps. Many hikers do it in 9 or 10 days with longer days, or 12 to 14 days with short ones; your plan depends on which camps you can book.

Highlights

• Indian Henry's Hunting Ground and Klapatche Park: wildflower meadows and small lakes with Rainier in front
• Spray Park: one of the finest meadows in the park, on the alternate route from Mowich Lake
• Carbon Glacier: one of the lowest-reaching glaciers in the lower 48, right beside the trail, with a suspension bridge over the Carbon River
• Sunrise and Skyscraper Pass: the north-east face of the mountain and the Emmons Glacier
• Summerland and Panhandle Gap: alpine meadows, mountain goats and the highest point of the loop
• Indian Bar and Stevens Canyon: a meadow bowl with a stone shelter, then waterfalls on the way to Paradise

When to go

The trail is usually mostly snow-free from mid-July to the end of September. Before that, snow lies on the high passes and you need navigation and ice-axe skills. August is the busiest and warmest month and has the longest days; September is quieter, with autumn colour, but brings early snow and shorter days. Bear poles come down in early October, after which you must carry a bear canister. Rain, fog and storms are possible in any month, and wildfire smoke has become a common late-summer problem.

How hard is it?

Hard. The days are not long in distance, but you climb and descend 600 to 1,200 m (2,000 to 4,000 ft) most days on a rough trail, with a full pack. Glacial rivers rise in the afternoon and footlogs wash out; cross early in the day and turn back if a crossing looks unsafe. Recreation.gov will not book camps more than 17.5 mi (28 km) apart. Plan for 1.5 to 2 mph (2.5 to 3 km/h).

Permits and booking

A wilderness permit is required for every night. In 2026 it costs $12 per person per night (15 and under free) plus $6 per trip. About two thirds of summer sites are reservable on Recreation.gov. Full-loop trips are hard to get: apply for the Early Access Lottery in February; winners get a time slot in March or April to book one itinerary, and remaining sites go on sale on April 25. About 600 full-loop trips can be reserved each summer, and about 300 more are walk-up permits issued in person a day ahead. Full-loop hikers must stay in designated camps; groups of 6 to 12 need camps with a group site. Activate the permit in person at the Longmire, Paradise or White River Wilderness Information Center by noon on your start day. The park entrance fee is extra ($30 per vehicle for 7 days, or an annual pass), and the park is cashless.

Food caches and supplies

You can cache food from July to September at the Longmire Wilderness Information Center and at White River Campground, in labelled rodent-proof buckets. Mail caches at least two weeks ahead (UPS or FedEx only to Longmire) or drop them off in person; fuel cannot be mailed. The only places to buy supplies in the park are the Longmire General Store and the Sunrise Day Lodge when it is open.

Getting there and away

Longmire is about 10 km (6 mi) inside the Nisqually Entrance; Ashford, just outside it, is 85 mi (137 km) by road from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. NPS lists no public bus to the park, so most hikers drive or arrange a ride. Ashford has motels and a small store, and the National Park Inn at Longmire is open all year. Other trailheads on the loop are White River, Box Canyon, Reflection Lakes and Narada Falls.

Money and phone signal

The park is cashless: bring a card for fees, permits and the inns. NPS warns that most of the park has no cell coverage. Carry a personal locator beacon or a satellite messenger and paper maps.

What to pack

A light tent, sleeping bag rated near freezing, stove (no wood fires), water filter, full rain gear and warm layers, trekking poles for river crossings, 50 ft of cord or a bear canister, and the ten essentials.

Safety

In an emergency call 911, but expect no signal; NPS rangers run search and rescue. Tell someone your itinerary. Watch for black bears, mountain lions and mountain goats, and never feed wildlife. Weather on Rainier changes fast: in fog, snow or lightning, stay put or turn back. The nearest emergency departments are in Morton, Puyallup and Enumclaw, one to two hours by road.