Paradise Meadows & Myrtle Falls, Rainier National Park
Submitted by HG on September 24, 2008 - 11:03pm.
Sep 2008
It was the last day of our Labor Day weekend trip to Olympic National Park and on a whim, we decided to go to the Paradise area of Rainier National Park on our way back to Seattle. We reached there just after lunch time. We had grabbed something to eat along and were ready to do a quick hike. The ranger in the visitor center suggested doing either the Nisqually Vista trail or the Myrtle Falls trail. We went with the latter one.
The paved trail starts outside the visitor center and goes past the new visitor center. Actually, there is a network of trails in that area and one can get onto the trails in many ways. The trails winds uphill – just follow signs for Myrtle Falls.
There were a lot of people on the trail. Not surprising considering that it is paved and provides easy access to the famous wildflower meadows of the Paradise area.
Myrtle Falls is less than a mile from the old visitor center. The paved trail peters out near the wooden bridge over the Falls. Beyond that, the dirt trail - the Skyline trail – climbs up. It would be nice to do the complete 5.5 mile hike once the kiddo can handle the distance.We went about half a mile ahead on the Skyline trail but turned back as we were running out of time. The flowers did not disappoint. We took way too many photos of the same views – and so did a lot of the other people on the trail.
This is a nice kid friendly hike and is totally recommended 
. Mount Rainier had been in the clouds all afternoon, but as we started back to Seattle, the weather gods smiled on us and we were able to see the mountain. A nice parting gift for our long weekend trip.
thanks!
thanks!
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