The Wonderland Trail is a 93-mile loop circumnavigating Mount Rainier with 22,000 feet of total elevation gain — one of the most demanding and rewarding long-distance trails in the contiguous United States. The full loop passes through every major ecosystem on the mountain: old-growth rainforest in the Carbon River valley, wildflower meadows at Spray Park, the austere high route past Panhandle Gap at 6,800 feet, and the thermal springs at Longmire. Permits are competitive and require planning 4–5 months in advance. This guide gives you the real data to apply for and execute a successful thru-hike.
Wonderland Trail Basics
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Total distance | 93 miles (150 km) |
| Total elevation gain | ~22,000 ft (~6,700 m) |
| Highest point | Panhandle Gap — 6,800 ft (2,073 m) |
| Lowest point | Carbon River — ~1,700 ft (518 m) |
| Typical completion time | 10–14 days (backpacking) |
| Permit required | Yes — wilderness permit via Recreation.gov lottery |
| Permit fee | $8/person/night + $6 non-refundable reservation fee |
| Bear canister required | Yes — at all designated campsites |
| Best season | Late July through mid-September |
| Most common start | Longmire (clockwise) |
| Campsites on loop | 18 designated camps with tent pads |
The Permit System: How It Works
The Wonderland Trail uses a competitive lottery permit system on Recreation.gov. Here is the exact timeline and process for 2026:
- Application window (mid-February): Applications open in mid-February each year. You submit your preferred start trailhead, start date, party size (max 12 people), and your complete campsite itinerary in order. You must have the full route planned before you apply.
- Lottery runs (mid-March): Recreation.gov processes all applications. Results release by late March. If your primary dates are taken, Recreation.gov will try your alternative dates if you listed them.
- If you win: Your permit is confirmed and you pay at time of purchase ($8/person/night + $6 non-refundable fee per reservation). Park entrance fee ($35/vehicle) applies separately.
- If you don't win: Walk-up permits are available daily at wilderness information centers starting May 1. Longmire WIC opens at 7:30am. For peak dates (July–August weekends), walk-up competition is high. Off-peak shoulder dates (mid-September, weekdays) have much better walk-up availability.
- Itinerary changes: You can modify campsites by contacting the wilderness office before your trip starts, subject to availability. Major date or route changes are handled as new permits.
Campsite-by-Campsite Breakdown
The Wonderland Trail has 18 designated campsites. This is the clockwise order from Longmire:
| Campsite | Elevation | Tent Pads | Highlights / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pyramid Creek | 2,540 ft | 4 | Low elevation, forested, first camp from Longmire going south |
| Maple Creek | 2,720 ft | 3 | Small, quiet, near Maple Creek crossing; forested |
| Nickel Creek | 3,200 ft | 5 | Popular staging for Panhandle Gap the next day; creek water |
| Indian Bar ★ | 5,100 ft | 5 + shelter | Most spectacular site on the trail — high alpine bowl, historic stone shelter, direct Rainier views |
| Summerland ★ | 5,900 ft | 6 | Meadow setting, close glacier views, Frying Pan Creek area; best July wildflowers |
| Sunrise Camp | 6,100 ft | 5 | Highest-elevation camp, near Sunrise Day Lodge (resupply snacks); exposed |
| Mystic Lake ★ | 5,700 ft | 6 | Alpine lake setting, marmots, dramatic scenery; highly coveted |
| Dick Creek | 4,600 ft | 4 | Forest camp, transition between high and low terrain; reliable water |
| Carbon River Camp | 1,700 ft | 5 | Rainforest setting, suspension bridge crossing, lowest point on the loop |
| Ipsut Creek | 2,000 ft | 8 | Near the old Ipsut Creek campground; large site, good water |
| Mowich Lake | 4,929 ft | 10 | Road-accessible; car cache resupply point; lakeside setting |
| Spray Park ★ | 5,100 ft | 5 | Premier wildflower meadow on the northwest face; views of the Puyallup Glacier |
| South Mowich River | 2,400 ft | 4 | Valley floor, river crossing, forested; quick descent from Spray Park |
| North Puyallup River | 3,000 ft | 4 | Riverside camp, forested, bridge crossing nearby |
| St. Andrews Lake | 5,050 ft | 3 | Quiet alpine lake; less visited than Mystic or Mowich; good September camp |
| Klapatche Park | 5,100 ft | 3 | Remote, rarely visited; Aurora Lake nearby; sunset views of Rainier |
| South Puyallup River | 3,800 ft | 4 | Valley floor near the South Puyallup River; transition camp before Longmire push |
| Devils Dream | 5,000 ft | 4 | Meadow camp, good water, penultimate camp before Longmire finish |
★ = most coveted sites; apply for these first in the lottery. Not all 18 sites appear in every itinerary — you'll typically camp 10–13 of them on a complete thru-hike.
10-Day vs 12-Day Itinerary Options
10-Day Itinerary (Clockwise from Longmire, avg 9.3 mi/day)
| Day | Route | Miles | Gain | Camp |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Longmire → Nickel Creek | 10.3 | 1,900 ft | Nickel Creek |
| 2 | Nickel Creek → Indian Bar (via Panhandle Gap 6,800 ft) | 8.0 | 3,600 ft | Indian Bar ★ |
| 3 | Indian Bar → Summerland | 7.4 | 2,100 ft | Summerland ★ |
| 4 | Summerland → Mystic Lake (via Sunrise Camp + WTA) | 11.5 | 2,800 ft | Mystic Lake ★ |
| 5 | Mystic Lake → Carbon River (long descent) | 9.6 | 4,000 ft loss | Carbon River Camp |
| 6 | Carbon River → Mowich Lake (resupply) | 7.7 | 3,200 ft | Mowich Lake (cache) |
| 7 | Mowich Lake → Spray Park | 7.3 | 1,800 ft | Spray Park ★ |
| 8 | Spray Park → North Puyallup | 10.5 | 2,200 ft | North Puyallup River |
| 9 | North Puyallup → South Puyallup → Klapatche | 9.1 | 2,600 ft | Klapatche Park |
| 10 | Klapatche → Devils Dream → Longmire (finish) | 12.0 | 1,200 ft | Longmire finish |
12-Day Itinerary (adds rest/buffer days at Indian Bar and Mystic Lake)
The 12-day version splits Day 4 into two days (overnight at Sunrise Camp, then Mystic Lake) and adds a true rest day at Indian Bar. This is the better choice for first-time Wonderland hikers or anyone who wants time to enjoy the most coveted sites rather than just move through them. Daily mileage averages 7.7 miles, which is manageable even after a hard previous day.
Resupply Strategy
The three-cache approach works best for most hikers:
- Cache 1 — Longmire General Store (or ship to yourself): Ship food via USPS to: Your Name, General Delivery, Longmire, WA 98397. The Longmire WIC / NPS will hold USPS packages; check in advance for UPS/FedEx. The General Store carries limited freeze-dried meals, snacks, and fuel canisters — supplementary, not a full resupply. Pick this up midway on a clockwise hike, approximately Days 4–5 of a 10-day itinerary.
- Cache 2 — Mowich Lake (car cache): A friend or return car cache at Mowich Lake. The NPS ranger station can hold boxes by arrangement. This is roughly Day 6 of a 10-day clockwise hike. Mowich is road-accessible, so this is the easiest self-supported cache.
- Cache 3 — Sunrise Day Lodge: Sunrise has a snack bar with bars, chips, and drinks. Limited but useful for a calorie top-off. Day 4 on the 10-day clockwise itinerary passes through Sunrise (or near it).
Fuel canister tip: carry two small canisters and cache the second at Mowich Lake. Canister fuel isn't mailable (USPS/UPS/FedEx prohibit it), so pre-place or buy locally. Whittaker Mountaineering in Ashford stocks MSR and JetBoil canisters.
Gear for the Wonderland Trail
Target base weight is under 15 lbs for a comfortable thru-hike. Total starting weight (with food and water) should be under 35 lbs to keep the daily mileage manageable on the steep sections.
- Bear canister (required): BearVault BV500 or similar. The NPS requires bear canisters at all Wonderland Trail camps — hanging food is not sufficient. The BV500 holds 7–10 days of food with careful packing. Pack more calorie-dense food to reduce volume.
- Shelter: A 3-season tent under 3 lbs is ideal. All campsites have tent pads, so a footprint isn't strictly necessary. Indian Bar has a historic stone shelter (first-come, first-served for shelter use — not reservable).
- Sleep system: 30°F-rated sleeping bag for July–August; 20°F if hiking September. A synthetic bag is more tolerant of the inevitable damp days on the trail.
- Rain gear: Non-negotiable. The northwest face (Carbon River, Mowich) gets significantly more precipitation than the east side (Summerland, Panhandle Gap). A full waterproof shell jacket and pants.
- Trekking poles: Strongly recommended. The steep descent from Panhandle Gap to Indian Bar and the long descent from Mystic Lake to Carbon River are hard on knees without poles. Refresh House's gear library has trekking poles for guests to borrow before the trip.
- Water treatment: Filter recommended over tablets for the volume of water needed. The Sawyer Squeeze is the standard choice. Most campsites have creek water nearby; Sunrise Camp requires a longer walk for water.
- Navigation: Download the complete Wonderland Trail on Gaia GPS or AllTrails before leaving Ashford — cell service is unavailable throughout most of the park. A paper topo map is a solid backup. The NPS sells a dedicated Wonderland Trail map at the Longmire WIC.
Logistics: Before Your Start Day
Staying in Ashford the night before your start is strongly recommended. You pick up your permit at the Longmire Wilderness Information Center (WIC) the morning of your start. The WIC opens at 7:30am and is 20 minutes from Ashford. This is also where you leave your car if starting at Longmire — the long-term trailhead parking lot at the Longmire WIC is designated for Wonderland Trail hikers.
Refresh House is 6 miles from the Longmire entrance — a 10-minute drive. The night before a Wonderland start, you can lay out your kit, weigh your pack, and sleep in a real bed before 10+ days on the ground. On return, the hot tub and cold plunge after 93 miles are legitimately therapeutic. See our complete packing list for a season-by-season gear breakdown.
Base Camp Before (and After) the Wonderland
10 minutes from the Longmire WIC · Hot tub + cold plunge for recovery · Gear library includes trekking poles, bear canister, and laminated trail maps
The obvious choice for the night-before-start logistics and the recovery night after you finish.
Join the WaitlistMore planning: Rainier backcountry permit guide · current trail conditions · day hike options while you wait for permits · complete packing list by season
