Rampart Ridge trail provides an amazing workout, fresh air, and picturesque views. Recently, I was able to experience it for myself on a warm April day.
Trail Info:
The hike starts in the Longmire section of Mt. Rainier National park, which is a couple hour drive from Seattle. In total, the hike is about 3.5 miles or 4.9 miles, if you do the entire loop. With a consistent elevation gain for the vast majority of the hike. Which includes countless switchbacks.
Even though the weather was in the high 60's, there was still snow at the start of the hike. It only increased with elevation. Some of the trails in Mt. Rainier can stay snowy through the summer, so make sure you have the right clothing and gear.
I used my hiking poles that I have had for about a year now, and they were a lifesaver on this hike. I also wore waterproof jacket, pants, and boots. I was eventually carrying my jacket, and fleece in my pack because the intense elevation gain and warm sunny weather combined to provide plenty of heat.
The hike starts a short walk from the Longmire visitor center, and on a clear day you are able to get a glimpse of Mt. Rainier. Thankfully it was a clear, sunny day for us, and we were very thankful.
The Washington Trails Association has described the hike very accurately in their article:
"This short loop out of Longmire makes for a great, quick way to get some elevation gain, some forest views, and a fantastic vista of Mount Rainier, all in less than five miles!
Begin across the road from the Longmire building complex, which includes restrooms, a museum, a hotel, and myriad other interesting historical tidbits about the park. Follow signs to arrive at the Trail of the Shadows, a short, informative loop trail that begins your trek.
After a short amble through enormous trees and swampy areas full of skunk cabbage and horsetails, you’ll arrive at a junction where the Trail of the Shadows rolls out in front of you, and the Rampart Ridge trail begins switchbacking upwards to your left.
Take the left trail, and begin the steady, somewhat steep climb up. The trail is well-made, but the moderately steep grade may slow you down a bit. That’s OK – take the time to look all around you at the forest as the trail brings your eye level from the base, to higher and higher on the trunks of the trees. There are several interesting spots to stop for photos, including a fascinating wooden arch; a tree that seems to be growing back into the ground.
Continue climbing, then come to a junction just shy of the high point of your hike. A 200-foot, signed spur trail to your right takes you to an overlook of the Longmire building complex. Just 1.2 miles ago, you were way down there!
Head back to the main trail and continue uphill just a bit more, to where the trail crests the ridge and heads over to the other side. You’re greeted here by an in-your-face view of Mount Rainier, with the Kautz and other glaciers straight ahead. Enjoy this viewpoint – it’s the best one you’ll have of Rainier on this hike, before continuing to traverse the ridge, this time on a gentle downhill grade." (1)
The View:
This was our beautiful view of Mt. Rainier! It happened to have a Lenticular Cloud above it at the time which made it feel even more spectacular.
At this point in the hike, there was 3+ feet of snow all around, so the going was extremely tough. Also, in the picture of me and my partner, we are standing on a field of boulders. With the snow covering the boulders, if you made one wrong step you would fall 5+ feet without warning. It was due to seeing others fall, luckily uninjured, that we decided to hike back the way we came rather than complete the entire loop.
We did take advantage of this view by setting up a small place to have a picnic. I had brought along hard boiled eggs, bison jerky, fruits, nuts, applesauce, and veggie juice. It weighed pretty heavy on my back on the way up, but was 100% worth it to replenish spent energy.
Going Down:
The trek back down the ridge was actually very exciting. The tough slushy/muddy conditions that hampered our ascent made the decent very similar to skiing. With our poles, we were able to move quickly, and skii/slide down parts of the hill. If you are hiking this trail, and there is any chance of snow, then please bring poles! Also, there is a fee/pass required to enter Mt. Rainier National Park.
The image below is a graphic, displayed in Longmire, that explains how the ridge came to be. Lava from Mt. Rainier poured between the two existing glaciers, and pooled to match their height. Over time, the lava cooled, and solidified. Eventually, the glaciers melted away and left behind Rampart Ridge.
This was one of my favorite hikes in the Pacific Northwest! It was a great workout, and it led to a gorgeous view. There were also plenty of birds that were enjoyable to interact with. I would definitely recommend this hike if you head out to Mt. Rainier!
(1) Credit to WTA: https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/rampart-ridge-loop
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