Glacier View Trail

Mount Rainier from Glacier View

Volunteer for 1, 2 or 3 days! The Glacier View Trail (#267) follows a ridge at an elevation of about 5,000 ft for approximately 2.7 miles before ending at Lake West. The route passes meadows with wildflowers, views of Mt. Rainier and a short spur trail to a view point that greets the hiker with a 360 degree view including Mt. Adams, Mt St. Helens and Puget Sound. WTA volunteers completed one section of tread reconstruction in 2009, and again in 2011 but the job is not done yet.

If you want a spectacular view of the western slopes of Mount Rainier, here is the place to come. The trail starts in an old clear cut, but the vegetation is not the reason for taking this hike. The trail climbs to the summit of Glacier View, once the location of a fire lookout. From here, the views are well worth the 4 mile round trip hike and 1,100 feet of elevation gain. To extend your trip continue another 1.3 miles to Lake Helen, or drop down .5 miles to Lake West.

Driving directions:
From the Seattle area drive south on I-5. At Lakewood, in the south part of Tacoma, take the exit for Highway 512, going east toward Puyallup. At Parkland, approximately 5 miles, turn right off of Highway 512 and then onto Highway 7, proceeding south. Continue on Highway 7 to Elbe, then proceed east on Highway 706 through Ashford. From Ashford go east for 3 miles and turn left (north) onto the Copper Creek Road which is Forest Service Road #59. (If you cross Copper Creek, you have gone too far.) Proceed 9.1 miles on FSR 59 to the trailhead. (Driving time from Seattle: approximately 2.5 hours.)----- From the South take I-5 to exit 68. Follow Hwy 12 to Morton, then take Hwy 7 north to Elbe. Turn right (east) and continue on to Ashford. (Driving Time from Vancouver, approx. 2 hrs, 45 min.)