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Mount Rainier over Indian Henrys Hunting Ground, Mount Rainier National Forest

You are now smack in the middle of Indian Henrys Hunting Ground, a spectacular mountain meadow with acres of colorful wildflowers, several tiny ponds, a small ranger cabin, and some of the most photogenic views of Mt. Rainier in the entire park. You turn left at the junction, almost immediately pass a spur trail to the ranger cabin, and 0.2 mile later come to a junction with the Mirror Lakes Trail. Turn right and gradually ascend 0.7 mile in rolling, wildflower-filled meadows to shallow Mirror Lake. Asahel Curtis made this view famous when he painted it for a postage stamp commemorating the national park in 1934. The scene is just as impressive today.

The trail rounds the right side of the tiny lake, and then goes 100 yards to a sign saying END OF MAINTAINED TRAIL. Despite its now unofficial status, the trail remains very good and easy to follow as it climbs for 0.4 mile, and then descends a bit to a meadow-filled saddle with a great view of aptly-named Pyramid Peak to the northeast. From here the trail continues to the top of Pyramid Peak, where you’ll enjoy an absolutely out-of-this-world view of nearby Mt. Rainier.