Grove of the Patriarchs

An easy 1.5 mile loop across a short and stable suspension bridge leads to a small island and an excellent example of old-growth forest. You'll see ancient stands of gigantic Douglas-firs, western hemlock and western red cedar, some estimated to be over 1,000 years old.

This is, perhaps, one of the easiest hikes in Mount Rainier National Park, but one of the most memorable because it’s like entering a magical kingdom. This is rare, even in a region with so many really big trees. Think about it. Doesn’t “the grove of the patriarchs” have that special ring to it? Like a Tolkien ring? You’ll walk through a forest of old growth trees, some a thousand years old, onto an island in the middle of the Ohanapecosh River. Better than some new world created for a virtual reality game, it’s all there for you to enjoy again and again.