Parking
Use the small trailhead area on the south side of Stevens Canyon Road, 1.5 miles east of Reflection Lakes parking. Do not use overflow parking that impedes traffic.
Overview
About Bench and Snow Lake Trail
Why go
- Two distinct subalpine lakes and Rainier views on a short half-day route.
- Bench Lake offers a supported shorter turn-around before the steeper continuation.
Heads up
- Frequent short climbs make the mileage feel harder than it looks.
- The Bench Lake shore spur is steep and eroded, and the full route includes a rock-hop creek crossing.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Mount Rainier map
Full mapElevation4,546–4,721 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
7 active Mount Rainier alerts
- ClosureWildfire closures in the northern parkGrand Park 2 and Wonderland Complex fire closures affect trails, backcountry camps, and Sunrise access; stay out of closed areas.Official details
- ClosureSR 165 bridge closed: no public access to Carbon River or Mowich LakeThe SR 165 Carbon River/Fairfax Bridge is closed to vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians; there is no public access or alternate route to Carbon River or Mowich Lake.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Mount Rainier Tour Guide
Your drive to Bench and Snow Lake Trail, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Mount Rainier National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Mount Rainier audio tourRecorded for this trailhead
Bench and Snow Lakes: Two Hours on Foot0:00 / 0:25
“You're approaching the Bench and Snow Lake trailhead, for a two-and-a-half-mile round trip to two small lakes beneath the Tatoosh Range.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Mount Rainier Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Martha Falls: The View Across the Canyon
- A Marmot’s Short Summer
- Reflection Lakes: A Quick Mountain View
- A Night Beside the Steam Vents
- 77 audio storiesacross Mount Rainier’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Mountain Goat, Black Bear, Wolverine, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 99 trails, 87 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Bench and Snow Lake Trail
A two-lake hike with real ups and downsThe Bench and Snow Lake Trail is a 2.
The Bench and Snow Lake Trail is a 2.5-mile out-and-back from Stevens Canyon Road: Bench Lake comes first, then Snow Lake after another half mile, and you return the same way. Allow about two hours; the park lists 700 feet of gain. Instead of one long ascent, the trail repeatedly dips and climbs over low ridges. Two small subalpine lakes and open views toward Rainier and the Tatoosh Range make the effort worthwhile without taking over your day.
Start on the south side of Stevens Canyon RoadThe trailhead is 1.5 miles east of Reflection Lakes parking.
The trailhead is 1.5 miles east of Reflection Lakes parking. The path climbs quickly on log steps, then rolls through shrubs and small trees. Expect roots, rocks and sandy sections underfoot. Summer visitors often run into biting insects around Bench Lake, so repellent is useful. Park trails are closed to pets. A wilderness permit is required for overnight camping at Snow Lake.
Bench Lake is a good shorter turn-aroundAt about half a mile, a rock outcrop on the left opens a partial view of Rainier and looks…
At about half a mile, a rock outcrop on the left opens a partial view of Rainier and looks toward the northwest end of Bench Lake. The park places Bench Lake about 0.75 mile from the start. A short spur drops steeply to the shore over badly eroded, uneven steps; there is no path around the lake. If that is enough, turn back from Bench for an outing of about 1.5 miles round trip, leaving the steeper continuation to Snow Lake for another day.
Push on to Snow LakeReturn from Bench to the main path, descend to a small creek and rock-hop across, then climb a…
Return from Bench to the main path, descend to a small creek and rock-hop across, then climb a ridge, drop again and make the final climb toward Snow Lake. The maintained day-hike path ends at the shallow lake inlet beneath rocky talus. A short side walk toward the Snow Lake campsites and bridge gives a different lakeside view, but it is optional. The lake sits under the Tatoosh Range, with Unicorn Peak visible above the basin.
Snowmelt, old fire and fall colorMost years, snow remains around the lakes until late July and the trail can stay muddy during…
Most years, snow remains around the lakes until late July and the trail can stay muddy during melt. Mid-summer brings wildflowers and bear grass; mountain ash and huckleberries add color in fall. Silver snags from an older fire still stand along the route. “Snow Lake” may refer to meltwater from the Tatoosh snowfields or to snow that can ring the lake into summer; the name’s origin is uncertain.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Mount Rainier
466 sightingsMountain GoatMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
383 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
10 sightingsWolverineMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
58 sightingsElkMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
574 sightingsMule DeerMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
1,853 sightingsHoary MarmotMost seen around 6 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Mount Rainier. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
