Northern Loop Trail

From Sourdough Ridge Trailhead at Sunrise, the Northern Loop is a strenuous, 36.5-mile backpacking circuit across Mount Rainier’s north side. It joins the Wonderland Trail for the high western leg, then returns by the Northern Loop through Windy Gap, Lake James, Grand Park and Berkeley Park. Plan four to five days. A Carbon River start is listed at 45 miles because it adds the former roadbed to Ipsut Creek and a Wonderland Trail approach; use the distance for your chosen start, not a blend of the two.

Begin north of the upper parking lot and follow Sourdough Ridge west past Frozen Lake, then stay on the Wonderland Trail toward Skyscraper Pass. The early miles are open and high, and the scenery changes noticeably at the pass: the rocky, sparsely vegetated Sunrise side gives way to greener slopes on the west. The pass is about four miles from the Sunrise access. Around Sunrise, wildflowers are usually strongest in mid-to-late July, with fall color beginning in September.

From Skyscraper Pass, the trail drops past Granite Creek Camp, crosses Winthrop Creek, then climbs across the north side of the mountain to Mystic Lake. The lake sits in a high basin below the surrounding ridges. On the descent toward the West Fork White River, the route passes close to Winthrop Glacier and follows its moraine, where the ice feels much larger than it does from a distant overlook. The trail bends around the south side of Mystic Lake, then drops through Moraine Park. That forested stretch is mostly gentle until the steeper section near Dick Creek Camp, before the Carbon River bridge.

After the bridge, switchbacks gain about 3,000 feet over roughly three and a half miles. The climb starts in cool forest and rises beneath Yellowstone Cliffs, with views opening toward Tyee Peak and the cliffs as you reach higher ground. This is a sustained effort with a full pack; the river valley is low, and the route climbs back into open country before it is done.

Windy Gap is the next high point, followed by a steep descent of about 1,400 feet in two miles to Lake James. A separate, unmaintained side path toward Natural Bridge adds 1.75 miles round trip; it is not part of the loop. From Lake James the route drops to the West Fork of the White River, then climbs again toward Fire Creek and Grand Park. The second major river crossing and the climb that follows make this section a real backcountry commitment.

The trail reaches the Grand Park junction before continuing through Berkeley Park, where subalpine meadow and streams replace the forest. After about a mile through the meadows, rejoin the Wonderland Trail and head east past Frozen Lake to close the loop at Sunrise. Take time in the open sections to look back across the route: Windy Gap gives views toward Tyee Peak and Yellowstone Cliffs, while the high meadows open toward the ridges around Old Desolate.

This is a wilderness backpacking trip. Overnight camps require a backcountry permit, including the camps at Ipsut Creek, Carbon River, Dick Creek, Mystic Lake, Granite Creek, Berkeley Park, Fire Creek, Lake James and Yellowstone Cliffs. There is no confirmed potable-water service along the route; treat natural water. Fires are prohibited in the wilderness, and pets are not allowed on trails. The Sunrise trailhead has restrooms, a day lodge and a visitor center, but food service is not a dependable trail supply.