Naches Peak Loop

 We drove up to Chinook Pass on Highway 410 to hike the Naches Peak Loop Trail, about 3.5 miles with 600 ft gain. We started by parking at the Tipsoo Lake parking area in Mt Rainier National Park. It was lovely to see the wildflowers from the beginning of the trail. We started around 7:30 and the trail was not crowded the whole time we were hiking.

Wildflowers along the small pond near Tipsoo Lake

saxifrage seedpods

Naches Peak across the highway from Tipsoo Lake

lots of wildflowers at Tipsoo Lake and only one other person on the trail around the lake

View of Mt Rainier

Yakima Peak

Mt Rainier see reflecting in Tipsoo Lake

large meadow filled with wildflowers below Yakima Peak

We choose to do the loop trail clockwise, most of the wildflowers were on the side of the loop along the PCT trail in the William O Douglas Wilderness

some of the dried stream beds, had monkeyflowers in bloom along with foam flowers

We took this side of the loop very slowly, soaking in all the flowers.

looking up another dry drainage towards Naches Peak

so beautiful!

The lupine gave off a delightful aroma

pasqueflower seedheads

wide angle view of the tarn on the east side of the loop, Naches Peak reflecting in the tarn

view of the tarn from further down the trail

lots of paintbrush in bloom

arnica and lupine

so wonderful to hike during wildflower season

Looking down at Dewey Lake, after this, the PCT trail continues down to Dewey Lake and the loop trail reenters Mt Rainier National Park.

The south and west sides of the loop didn't have as many wildflowers, but had views of Mt Rainier

tarn on the west side of the loop

the trail leads us closer to Mt Rainer

to the south is Mt Adams in the distance and Shriner Peak in the center 

another view of Mt Rainier along the trail

lovely wildflowers as we drop down towards the highway

view of Mt Rainier and Upper Tipsoo Lake

Upper Tipsoo Lake

back near Tipsoo Lake and the abundant wildflowers

the little pond near Tipsoo Lake later in the morning