North Puyallup River Trail

North Puyallup River Trail is a 5.4-mile out-and-back between Klapatche Point and North Puyallup River Group Camp, following a mostly gentle old roadbed through forest to the Wonderland Trail. Allow about three hours for the named trail. The catch is getting to the start: Klapatche Point is 9.2 miles from Dry Creek along Westside Road. Walking that approach both ways turns the outing into about 23.8 miles total; a bicycle can shorten the road portion, but must stay at the rack because bikes are not allowed on park trails. This is a quiet river-camp spur for visitors already planning around Westside Road or a backcountry route.

From Klapatche Point the path heads east across forested Klapatche Ridge on an unfinished road grade. In places the tread is narrow and partly overgrown, and moss has taken hold on stone retaining walls. It loses elevation gently, passes several feeder streams, then rises again as it turns north toward the river. Expect a quiet woods walk with occasional river-valley openings rather than a continuous viewpoint route.

The route ends at the group camp on the old roadbed, beside the river gorge and close to the Wonderland Trail junction. Stonework from the unfinished road and the bridge abutment are the clearest reminders that this line was meant to continue farther. The standout view is Tokaloo Rock beyond the rocky river channel; include that channel in a photo to show the scale of the setting. Turn back at camp if this is your destination; continuing follows the Wonderland Trail and becomes a different trip.

The small Dry Creek parking area is south of a barricade; do not park beyond it because of rockfall danger. Past Dry Creek, Westside Road is closed to vehicles, and access is usually seasonal from May through November, so check current conditions before traveling. There are no restrooms along Westside Road and no food or potable-water service at Klapatche Point; carry what you need. Pets are prohibited on Mount Rainier trails.