Box Canyon to Longmire on the Wonderland Trail

A wet, cloudy day is good for a waterfall hike, so we headed up to Mt Rainier National Park to hike the short south portion of the Wonderland Trail. We left one car at Longmire and drove to Box Canyon to start our hike. Our route was about 13.5 - 14 miles with 2,000 ft of elevation gain. We saw 7 waterfalls, some nice fall colors, a variety of fungi and some ripe huckleberries! The distance I list are approximate, as my map, trail guides and the signage all disagreed.

Overlooking the southern end of Box Canyon from near the parking lot, panoramic view:

We began our hike by doing the short 0.3 mile loop hike around and over Box Canyon before joining the Wonderland Trail. We saw some nice fall colors here.

From the foot bridge over Box Canyon, looking down 115 ft:

We then hiked along the Wonderland Trail, which goes over the tunnel along the road, there was an overlook to the south.

  

This is a lovely forested hike, with ripe red huckleberries

About 1.2 miles from Box Canyon, there is a 0.7 mile side trail to the Box Canyon Picnic Area, we hiked 0.2 miles down this side trail to the river overlook

 Here there is an unnamed waterfall

 Peeking at the falls through the fallen trees

 Shortly after rejoining the Wonderland Trail, a bridge goes over a short unnamed waterfall along Stevens Creek.

 There was lots of water in Stevens Creek.

 The trail in this section is at about 2,700 ft in elevation. The leaves were just beginning to turn color. We also had some water on the trail today.

A beautiful trail

 About 1.2 miles from the Stevens Creek Bridge Crossing is Maple Creek Camp, with this fun double log crossing over Maple Creek. We did not see Maple Falls in the distance upstream, as the clouds hid them.

 There was some openings in the trees where we could see some interesting rock formations and more fall color.

 The trail then opened up, as we hiked upstream along Stevens Creek in Stevens Canyon.

So beautiful with a mixture of conifer and deciduous trees.

 As the trail gently climbs, we began to see more colors.

 We also found more portions of the trail covered in water.

 A little over a mile from Maple Creek is Sylvia Falls.

 Another look at Sylva Falls, so much water flowing today.

 The Wonderland Trail continues its gentle climb up Stevens Canyon

So spectacular in the fall, the Stevens Canyon Road is high up the opposite hillside:

 There is a portion of the trail where it is necessary to watch your footing as the trail had previously washed out here.

Looking back down Stevens Canyon.

 We continued to amble along the trail

 Where we saw so many types of fungi along the way.

 1 mile from Sylvia Falls, the Wonderland Trail crosses Unicorn Creek at Martha Falls.

 Another view of Martha Falls

 After passing Martha Falls, the Wonderland Trail climbs steeply for 0.7 miles up to the road above, before crossing towards Louise Lake.

 On our way to Louise Lake, we would see many small creeks,


















some crossing over the trail

and cascading over rocks.

 There continued to be fall colors in the shrubbery and

 more streams.

 We opted not to take the short spur trail to the shore of Louise Lake, but enjoyed the views from the trail.

 Another view of Louise Lake.

 Soon the Wonderland Trail joined the paved sidewalk at Reflection Lakes.  One of the smaller Reflection Lakes.

Pano of the larger Reflection Lakes, we sat and enjoyed our lunch here. Too cloudy for a view of Mt Rainier today.

 From crossing the Stevens Canyon Road below Louise Lake to where you cross the road again after Reflection Lakes is about 1.5 miles. After about 1.2 miles downhill, there is a side trail to Narada Falls.

 The Narada Falls viewpoint is 0.1 miles up this trail.

 The Wonderland Trail now travels down the Paradise Valley along the Paradise River.

Lots of water in the Paradise River, a bridge crosses the river about 1 mile from Narada Falls just after Paradise River Camp.

 About 0.5 mile later, you can see Madcap Falls

 Carter Falls is a short 0.2 miles down the trail.

 The trail continues another about another mile along the Paradise Valley. We could see more fall color along the hillside across the river.

 As it was getting darker in the forest, the sun would light up the bushes in the clearings

 More fall color.

 Shortly before the Paradise River joins the Nisqually River there is a log bridge crossing the Nisqually River (make sure this log is in place before doing this hike).

 View upstream of the Nisqually River from the log bridge.

 The Wonderland Trail continues on the other side of the Nisqually River for about 1.5 miles or so, before crossing the road to climb up to Rampart Ridge. Instead of crossing the road and continuing on the Wonderland Trail, we continued a short distance to Longmire and our trail end for today.

Some of the many fungi, berries and fall colors we saw today along the trail: