Washington Cascades - Washington, Oregon and the Pacific Northwest - page 347

Sunrise Lodge Cafeteria CAFETERIA$
( 360-569-2425; snacks $5-7; 10am-7pm Jun 30-Sep 16) As the only eating joint in a
30-mile radius, Sunrise's posthike chili can look deceptively appetizing. There's not a lot
else here apart from the ubiquitous hot dogs and hamburgers, and there's no overnight
accommodation.
Information
Sunrise Visitors Center ( 10am-6pm early Jul-early Sep)
Wilderness Information Center ( 7.30am-4.30pm) At the White River entrance; dis-
penses backcountry permits and hiking information.
Carbon River Entrance
The park's northwestern entrance is its most isolated and undeveloped corner, with two
unpaved (and unconnected) roads and little in the way of facilities, save a lone ranger
station and the very basic Ipsut Creek Campground. But while the tourist traffic might be
thin on the ground, the landscape lacks nothing in magnificence or serendipity.
Named for its coal deposits, Carbon River is the park's wettest region and protects one
of the few remaining examples of inland temperate rainforest in the contiguous USA.
Dense, green and cloaked in moss, this verdant wilderness can be penetrated by a handful
of interpretive trails that fan off the Carbon River Rd.
For close-up mountain views head for Mowich Lake on a separate road which
branches off a few miles outside the park entrance. This is Rainier's largest and deepest
lake and a starting point for various wilderness hikes. In close proximity to Mowich is
the Carbon Glacier, the nation's lowest glacier; its snout touches an elevation of 3520ft.
Activities
To experience the rare thrill of walking inside a thick canopied temperate rainforest, ven-
ture out on the 0.3-mile Rainforest Trail , just inside the park entrance. The trail loops via
a raised boardwalk past huge-leafed ferns and giant dripping trees.
The 3520ft snout of the Carbon Glacier can be accessed via a trail from the Ipsut
Creek Campground, which proceeds southeast for 3.5 miles to a constructed overlook.
Hikers are warned not to approach the glacier, as rockfall from its surface is unpredict-
able and dangerous. This hike is technically part of the longer Wonderland Trail.