Ohanapecosh Walking Tour: River

At this stop a low rock wall sits between the trail and the incline down to the Ohanapecosh river.

NPS/M. Meitle Photo

Quick Facts

Location:

Ohanapecosh

Amenities

1 listed

Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits

Close your eyes and listen, do you hear moving water? The Ohanapecosh River, flows nearby. Ohanapecosh is the Taidnapam word for "standing at the edge" and this stop might evoke a bit of that feeling. You can catch a glimpse of the river down the hill to your right, through the trees. The Ohanapecosh River is a vibrant turquoise. Other rivers on the mountain are impacted by glaciers and are characterized by their milky color. As glacial ice grinds down the rocky slopes of Mount Rainier, Takhoma (Cowlitz tribal word for Mount Rainier), it accumulates silt. But unlike these rivers, the Ohanapecosh flows fairly clear due to the recession of the Ohanapecosh Glacier, which has retreated far enough into the high country to effectively eliminate the glacial sediment seen in larger, glacier-fed rivers.