Parking
Use the Box Canyon parking area east of the road bridge on Stevens Canyon Road. The picnic area west of the tunnel is a separate stop.
Overview
About Box Canyon Loop Trail
Why go
- A very short loop pairs two canyon-rim views with a wooden footbridge.
- Glacial striations are visible on rounded bedrock beside the path.
Heads up
- Steps on the west side interrupt the otherwise paved walk.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Mount Rainier map
Full mapElevation3,007–3,042 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 Box Canyon Loop 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
Box Canyon: A River in a Narrow Crack0:00 / 0:34
“Box Canyon is coming up beside Stevens Canyon Road. Make this stop for a look straight down into a remarkably narrow gorge: the river squeezes through a slot just thirteen feet wide at its tightest point.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Mount Rainier Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- The Songbird Under the Water
- Lilies at the Snow Line
- A Night Beside the Steam Vents
- Ohanapecosh's Long Human History
- 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 Box Canyon Loop Trail
Walk the loopThis 0.
This 0.5-mile loop starts east of Box Canyon Bridge, follows one canyon rim, crosses a wooden footbridge and returns along the opposite side. Allow about 30 minutes for the circuit and stops. The paths are paved, with steps on the west side.
Look into the canyonThe Muddy Fork of the Cowlitz runs through a narrow rock slot about 180 feet below the road…
The Muddy Fork of the Cowlitz runs through a narrow rock slot about 180 feet below the road bridge. The loop gives views down into the gorge from both sides.
Bridge and bedrockThe 160-foot stone-faced arch bridge dates to 1950–52.
The 160-foot stone-faced arch bridge dates to 1950–52. Rounded bedrock beside the east side of the loop bears fine glacial scratches. A separate paved path from the parking area descends steeply to a lower bridge overlook; it is not part of the loop.
AccessThe trail begins at the main parking area east of the bridge on Stevens Canyon Road.
The trail begins at the main parking area east of the bridge on Stevens Canyon Road. Road access is seasonal, so check its current status before driving in. Pets are not allowed on park trails.
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.
