Several Hikes and Walks in Eatonville, WA

Washington

Exploring Eatonville, WA

In June, rain at low altitudes, as in Eatonville, WA, means snow-covered or slippery roads at Mount Rainier National Park’s high-altitude location. So, on the rainy days, we stayed in the area and visited some must-see or must-do local attractions.

Millpond Park, Eatonville

While walking in Millpond Park in Eatonville, we were caught in a heavy rain shower. Luckily, we could shelter under the roof outside the 1889 cabin of T.C. Van Eaton, the town’s founder. This historic cabin, now known as the Stage Stop Museum, helped to keep us dry and wait out the storm before we headed to the nearby Bud Blancher Trailhead.

Little Mashel River Waterfalls

At the Bud Blancher Trailhead, we started our hike to the Little Mashel Falls Trail. The Little Mashel River Waterfalls trail is a popular hiking trail through a sparkling green forest to three separate waterfalls, the Lower, Middle, and Upper Falls, ranging in height from 25 to 125 feet. Even on this rainy day, I loved seeing the serene falls, which still had enough water in late Spring. The most scenic fall was the Middle Falls, the tallest of the three falls.

Hugo Peak Trail

A day later, the weather forecast predicted snow in Mount Rainier National Park again. Therefore, we spend the day hiking the Hugo Peak Trail. This was a challenging alternative because from the start, we had to climb up through the forest. After gaining 800 feet, we reached the summit. The challenging but rewarding two-mile climb was definitely worth the stunning view of the area.

Around The Airbnb

We also enjoyed walking near the Airbnb early in the morning along a quiet road with hardly any traffic. The views were stunning here as well. And we also had a nice workout climbing the steep hilly road 🙂

An Unobstructed Sunset View of Mount Rainier

Even though I was tired from our long day hiking in Mount Rainier National Park, we decided to return to Dog Wood Park in Eatonville, WA, along the Clear Lake Highway, around sunset on Wednesday, June 21, 2023.

After hiding behind the clouds all week, we finally saw why this spot is so popular with photographers. The unobstructed view of Mount Rainier was absolutely breathtaking, especially with the warm light of the sunset. I was so happy that I didn’t let my tiredness get the best of me that evening!

And The Travels Continued ...

Before we knew it, it was time to load the car again and continue our travels through the States. We enjoyed our ten days here, but we believe Hemmes was ready to go. Dogs are obviously not his favorite animals.

Just before 11 am, we drove off to our next destination, the “Gateway to the North Cascades,” also known as Sedro-Woolley.