The Wonderland Trail is a 93-mile trail that forms a ring around Mount Rainier in Mount Rainier National Park. The trail goes over several ridges of Mount Rainier for a cumulative 23,000 feet of elevation gain. An estimated 5000 people a year complete the entire trail with several thousand others doing shorter sections of it. The entire trail trip is usually completed in one to two weeks.
The trail passes through major life zones of the park, from lowland forests to subalpine meadows of wildflowers. As the trail circles the mountain, hikers see different faces of Mount Rainier, carved by 25 named glaciers.
The main hiking season is summer, which is often dry and sunny. However, Mount Rainier's high elevation and proximity to the Pacific Ocean can also bring moisture as rain or snow to the trail. In many years, the Wonderland Trail is still mostly snow-covered during June and early July.
Camping along the Wonderland Trail are extremely popular throughout the summer and Wilderness Camping Reservations are often required. Eighteen trailside camps, 3 to 7 miles (5 to 11 km) apart, are located along the Wonderland Trail. Each camp has 1 to 8 sites for 1 to 5 persons per site. These sites will hold at most 2 tents. Parties requiring space for 3 or more tents must camp in a group site. Group sites are available at certain camps for parties of 6 to 12 persons. These sites typically hold 3-5 tents. Each camp has cleared tent sites, a pit or composting toilet and nearby water source.
For complete trail descriptions refer to:
- Adventure Guide to Mount Rainier by Jeff Smoot ISBN 0934641404
- Discovering the Wonders of the Wonderland Trail by Bette Filley ISBN 1880405091
- 50 Hikes in Mount Rainier National Park by Ira Spring and Harvey Manning ISBN 0898861756
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