Hike the Summit Lake Trail, Day trip from Seattle with views of Mount Rainier

Join a certified mountain guide for this incredibly picturesque and fun 1-day hiking trip along Summit Lake Trail. Pass through forest and mountain meadows en route to the lake, with the option of continuing up to the peak's summit. Enjoy incredible views throughout the hike.

Group

Cascade Range

1 Day

Jun - Sep

Intermediate

All levels

Highlights

Enjoy the stunning scenery of Summit Lake Trail.
Get spectacular views of Mount Rainier from the top.
Have the chance to see local wildlife, such as bear, deer, marmot and elk.

Description

Situated just under two hours away from Seattle, the Summit Lake Trail is the perfect place to head for a scenic and fun day out in the woods.

After meeting at your accommodation in Seattle in the morning, we will drive to the trailhead and get right out into nature.

Our 6.1 mile roundtrip hike begins with an ascent through young fir and hemlock trees, which were only planted recently, before heading up a series of switchbacks and passing through more mature stands of the trees.

After about one mile, we reach a junction in the trail and continue on toward Twin Lake, which strangely lacks a twin. From here, we will continue on toward summit lake, heading up a steep section of trail, which follows the ridgeline.

After about 2.5 miles of hiking, we emerge from the tree line and into the grassy meadows that surround Summit Lake. If you are interested in continuing, we can head around the shore of the lake and ascend up to Summit Lake Peak.

The trail up to the top of the mountain is narrow, rough and steep, but the views from the summit, especially those of Mount Rainier, are immaculate and will leave you mesmerized until it is time for us to return.

So what are you waiting for? Book now for this incredibly fun and picturesque 1-day hike along Summit Lake Trail, just outside of Seattle!

If you like the look of this trip then I think you will also enjoy my 1-day hike up Burroughs Mountain, in Mount Rainier National Park!

Price includes

Guiding fee
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Transportation start and back
Permit and entrance fees
Drinks

Equipment you will need to bring

Water bottle

Backpack

Sunglasses

About the guide

Adventures

Tour Operator

My name is Sophia. I started my own adventure company Adventures In Seattle and we focus on small private and semi-private hikes for adventuring souls. We focus on hikes off the beaten path and away from the crowds. We look to ignite the fire of adventure in others to find out how far we all can really go.

Either myself or Kevin lead each hike. We are both experienced, professional outdoor guides with Wilderness First Responder certifications. We love to share our wonderful world with other adventure seeking individuals who feel the wanderlust and the tug of the mountains. Because the mountains are calling, and we must go...

My annual quest for adventure has taken me on the Longest Horse Race in Mongolia, on a rescue mission on horseback to Lesotho, to the ends of the earth in Patagonia and to a remote reindeer tribe in Mongolia. But the truth is - I can find adventure right here in my backyard and on the flanks of beautiful Mount Rainier.

I have so many favorite trips to choose from, but my all time favorite is the Three Burroughs Hike on Mount Rainier. There is no other place on the mountain that gets you so close that you feel you can reach out and touch it! Second favorite trip is Summit Lake. It's a bit of a challenge to get to and we need a 4x4 vehicle due to the rough road but the hike itself is easy to moderate and ends with a pristine, deep blue mountain lake and views of Mount Rainier, the Olympic Mountain Range and the Cascades. Least, but not last is Blanca Lake. This hike is hard but the reward of Blanca Lake makes it well worth it in the end. The waters are unlike any I have seen anywhere on earth and it feels like a magical wonderland.

Contact me and I will take you on a unique adventure in the mountains!

Languages

English

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