 |
 |
  |
|
|
|
|
Mount Rainier National Park
Palisades Lake Trail
|
|
|
|
|
| |
 |
|
| Map of the Palisades Lakes Trail from White River entrance. Click on the MAP for a larger printable map. Use of a topographic map of the area is recommended. |
|
|
Trail Description:
|
|
Distance, round-trip:
|
7 miles
|
|
Elevation gain:
|
1200 feet
|
|
Hiking time, round-trip:
|
4 hours
|
|
Wilderness camps:
|
Dick's Lake
Upper Palisades Lake
|
Drive 10.5 miles beyond the White River Entrance to the parking area at Sunrise Point. Find the trailhead at the point's east end.
After a steep .5 mile descent along a slope which holds snow into late July, hikers have the choice of taking a short spur trail to Sunrise Lake or continuing on the main trail toward the Palisades Lakes. The main trail goes up and down for the rest of its length, passing Clover Lake 1.5 miles from the trailhead. It continues past Tom, Dick and Harry Lakes and at 2.7 miles, a spur trail leads to Hidden Lake, one of the prettiest lakes in the park. No camping is permitted at Hidden Lake. The main trail ends at Upper Palisades Lake, one mile beyond this junction.
This trail was named for an interesting rock formation called "The Palisades" which towers over the lakes near the trail's end.
|
|
|
|
|
Along the Trail:
|
Although the Sourdough Mountains successfully block any view of Mount Rainier from this trail, hikers can easily spend all day enjoying the array of lakes, wildflowers or huckleberries in season. Look for pikas and marmots in the talus slopes. Elk can often be heard bugling during the rutting season of early autumn and can sometimes be seen in abundance along the trail.
|
|
Backpacking:
|
Camps are located at Dick Lake and Upper Palisades Lake. Both are popular and fill early. Treat water before drinking. Fires are prohibited. No pets on trails. Obtain a backcountry camping permit for overnight stays.
|
|
|
|
 Trail Conditions Planning a trip into the Mount Rainier backcountry? Find out what the trails are like before you go. more... | |  Wilderness Trip Planning: get the maps you need. Wilderness Trip Planning more... | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Did You Know?
At 14,410 feet Mount Rainier is the highest peak in the Cascade Range. From various locations around the park you can see four other Cascade volcanoes: Mount St. Helens, Mt Adams, Mt Baker, and Glacier Peak. On a clear day, you can see the tip of Mt Hood, in northern Oregon, from Paradise Meadows.
|
|
|
|
Last Updated: April 28, 2009 at 12:06 EST |