Mildred Point Trail

Mildred Point is a strenuous 6.6-mile out-and-back from Comet Falls Trailhead, climbing beside Van Trump Creek, past two waterfalls and through upper meadows to a rocky bluff above Kautz Creek Valley. The payoff is a close view of Mount Rainier and Kautz Glacier from the far side of the valley. The park lists 2,850 feet of elevation gain and five to six hours; other measurements of this same route come in around seven miles, so leave room for a long day and a slow return.

Start at the Comet Falls Trailhead, about four miles east of Longmire on Paradise Road. Its lot is small, often full, and has no nearby overflow parking; arriving early is the best way to avoid adding a roadside walk. Pets are not allowed on park trails. If you want a shorter day, Comet Falls is a worthwhile turnaround at about 3.8 miles round trip. The longer connection from Mildred Point down Rampart Ridge to Longmire is a different, one-way hike.

The trail starts over a stout bridge, then follows Van Trump Creek through a narrow, steep-sided forest gorge. Cascades keep appearing along the way. At about 1.6 miles, Bloucher Falls drops in three tiers beside the path. Comet Falls comes soon after; the viewing spur is a natural place to pause, but wet rocks nearby can be slick. The park explains the name by the waterfall's comet-tail shape.

The path keeps climbing past Comet Falls to an upper junction. One branch opens into Van Trump Park's green meadow, where Rainier begins to show above the trees. The Mildred route continues through another junction, drops roughly 200 feet to a log crossing of Van Trump Creek, then passes above Upper Comet Falls before turning toward the point. Keep track of those junctions: the meadows, waterfall branches and Rampart Ridge connection lead to different outings.

The final climb is narrow, steep, rutted and sometimes overgrown, with wildflowers along the slope. Recent hikers also describe loose sand that can slide underfoot. The upper junction can hold several feet of snow into July, so this is a poor early-season hike; the steep grade and return climb make it a demanding choice even when the route is clear.

The trail ends on a bluff near 5,900 feet, looking across the rocky Kautz Creek Valley toward Rainier and its glaciers. Gray volcanic rock contrasts with the green of Van Trump Park, and the open slopes give views south toward Mount Adams and Mount St. Helens. For a photograph, include some of the broken valley below Rainier; it gives the mountain a sense of scale that a tight summit shot loses.

Marmots, pikas and mountain goats use the rocky open slopes, though sightings are never guaranteed. The nearby meadows and the point's volcanic shapes make a noticeable change from the creekside forest below. Van Trump Park commemorates P. B. Van Trump, who with Hazard Stevens is credited with an 1870 ascent of Rainier. That recorded climbing story is part of a much longer Indigenous history of this mountain.