Parking
The mapped start is Carbon River Entrance. The former road continues five miles to Ipsut Creek Campground and is closed to motor vehicles; parking layout and current fees were not found.
Overview
About Lake James Trail
Why go
- Open, boulder-strewn meadows and small tarns at Windy Gap.
- Mountain goats frequent the nearby Tyee Peak and Crescent Mountain area.
Heads up
- About 26 miles round trip with steep climbing; plan for a very long day or an overnight.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Mount Rainier map
Full mapElevation1,818–5,787 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
7 active Mount Rainier alerts
- ClosureSR 165 bridge closed: no public access to Carbon River or Mowich LakeMentions Carbon River, referenced in this guideThe 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
- 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
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Mount Rainier Tour Guide
Your drive to Lake James 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 area
An Alder's Underground Helpers0:00 / 0:30
“Red alders can get a start on rocky river margins where many other trees struggle. Part of their advantage is underground.”
Plays on the road 0.2 mi from the trailhead in the Parkwolf Mount Rainier Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- A Small Wren's Big Song
- Carbon River Ranger Station: The Farmhouse Desk
- The Bee That Shakes the Flower
- Tolmie's Botanical Journey
- 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 Lake James Trail
A remote lake for a very long dayLake James Trail is a backcountry out-and-back from Carbon River Entrance, following the former…
Lake James Trail is a backcountry out-and-back from Carbon River Entrance, following the former Carbon River road, the Wonderland Trail and Northern Loop Trail to Lake James. The mapped corridor is about 12.95 miles one way, making the full walk about 25.9 miles round trip. Published mileages vary, so plan for the longer mapped route. With steep climbing and long forest stretches, budget about 14 hours of walking, plus stops. A 19-mile round-trip turnaround at Windy Gap is shorter but still a big day; a permitted overnight is a more comfortable way to reach the lake.
The river approach and climbThe first five miles follow the old Carbon River road through rainforest to Ipsut Creek…
The first five miles follow the old Carbon River road through rainforest to Ipsut Creek Campground. A connector reaches the Wonderland Trail, which climbs gently for about two miles to the Northern Loop junction. You cross the Carbon River on a log bridge, then the character changes: the Northern Loop climbs steeply on switchbacks through drier, more open forest toward Yellowstone Cliffs.
Windy Gap and the lakeSubalpine meadows open around Yellowstone Cliffs.
Subalpine meadows open around Yellowstone Cliffs. Another mile of climbing brings you to Windy Gap's boulder-strewn meadows, small tarns and mountain views; Mount Rainier itself is not in the view. Mountain goats frequent the Tyee Peak and Crescent Mountain area nearby, so binoculars are useful. Beyond the gap, the trail descends about 1.5 miles into forest to Lake James. A short, unmaintained spur about a mile west of Windy Gap reaches the rock arch called Natural Bridge; it is a side trip, not part of this mapped route.
The name behind the destinationThe Mountaineers named Lake James in 1912 for park ranger Thomas O'Farrell's son, James.
The Mountaineers named Lake James in 1912 for park ranger Thomas O'Farrell's son, James. The destination is a remote lake reached after a long climb and descent, rather than a quick lakeshore stroll.
Make it an overnightWilderness camps lie at Yellowstone Cliffs and Lake James Ranger Cabin; camping requires a…
Wilderness camps lie at Yellowstone Cliffs and Lake James Ranger Cabin; camping requires a permit. The former road is closed to motor vehicles, and bicycles may use it only as far as Ipsut Creek Campground; the trails beyond are foot only. No food service is identified along the route, so carry what you need. Treat water before drinking, and leave pets at home.
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.
