• COVID-19 Park and Trail Closures
  • Learn about the Six-Pack of Peaks Challenge
  • Shop
  •  

SoCal Hiker

  • Find a Hiking Trail
    • All Areas
    • Arizona
    • Colorado
    • Los Angeles
    • Orange County
    • Oregon
    • San Francisco Bay
    • Washington
  • Trail Guides
  • Six-Pack of Peaks
    • Colorado Six-Pack of Peaks
      • Bergen Peak
      • Rocky Mountain
      • Birthday Peak
      • Horseshoe Mountain
      • Grays Peak
    • New England Six-Pack of Peaks
    • NorCal Six-Pack of Peaks
      • Mount Umunhum
      • Mount Saint Helena
      • Mount Tamalpais
      • Mount Diablo
      • Mount Sizer
      • Rose Peak
    • Oregon Six-Pack of Peaks
      • Tumalo Mountain
      • Black Butte
      • Black Crater
      • Maiden Peak
      • Mount Bachelor
      • South Sister
    • SoCal Six-Pack of Peaks
      • Mt. Wilson
      • Cucamonga Peak
      • Mt. San Antonio (Mt Baldy)
      • San Bernardino Peak
      • San Jacinto Peak
      • San Gorgonio
  • Backpacking
    • High Sierra Trail
    • John Muir Trail
      • Overview of the John Muir Trail
      • Training
      • Day-by-Day Itinerary
      • Resupply Addresses
      • JMT Discussion Forum
    • Lost Coast Trail
    • North/South Lake Loop
    • Rae Lakes Loop
    • Red Peak Pass Loop
    • Theodore Solomons Trail
    • Trans-Catalina Trail
    • Wonderland Trail
  • Gear
  • Forums
    • Latest Topics
    • Ask a Question
    • Campfire
    • Trails
    • Trail Reports
    • Gear Wisdom
    • Classifieds
  • Login

Wonderland Trail Day 2: Devil’s Dream to North Puyallup River

August 6, 2019 By Jeff H Leave a Comment

Day Two on the Wonderland Trail was going to be a long one. Ideally, we would’ve stayed at Klaptache Park Camp, renown for views of both Mount Rainier to the east and sunsets to the west. It’s popularity also meant it was fully booked when we got our permit, so we would have to hike about three miles further and descend another 2,100 feet to North Puyallup River.

img
Day 2: North Puyallup River
Distance: 16.7 miles
Time: 12 hours
Difficulty: Strenuous
Elevation +/-: 3,927’/5,116′
It may have been long, but at least the weather was hot and humid.

As we were getting ready to break camp in the morning, a doe and two fawns wandered right through our camp, setting a great vibe for a tough day.

Deer at Devils Dream Camp
Deer at Devil’s Dream Camp
Backpacking the Wonderland Trail - Day 2
Approaching Squaw Lake

At about 1.5 miles you reach an area known as Indian Henry’s Hunting Ground, an area rich in history, fields of wildflowers and jaw-dropping views.

Indian Henry's Hunting Ground on the Wonderland Trail

The patrol cabin at Indian Henry’s Hunting Ground was built in 1915.

From here, we began a 1,200 foot descent to the Tahoma Creek Suspension Bridge, one of two suspension bridges on the Wonderland Trail, spanning 150 feet and towering 200 feet above the churning grey water of Tahoma Creek.

One person at a time on the Tahoma Creek Suspension Bridge
Looking north at the Tahoma Creek Suspension Bridge
Watching Jason cross the Tahoma Creek Suspension Bridge

Jason crossing the Tahoma Creek Suspension Bridge

It’s one person at a time across this span, which can get a little bouncy. The adrenaline rush from crossing the bridge gave us a boost for our next objective: Emerald Ridge. The ascent lasts about three miles, climbing 1,500 feet  to the ridgeline.

Climbing Emerald Ridge

Climbing to Emerald Ridge – Photo: Derek Loranger

When we reached the ridge, we stopped for a break to take in the views of Mount Rainier.

Rainier from Emerald Ridge

Rainier from Emerald Ridge. The Tahoma Glacier on the left is covered with rock and dirt.

 

Emerald Ridge

Is there any question why this was named Emerald Ridge?

From the ridge, the trail drops steeply down to South Puyallup River. Trekking poles came in handy, as sections of the trail had loose gravel looking for an opportunity to send you sliding. There’s a camp near the river, and though we had logged a lot of miles, we still had yet another ridge to climb.

At this point, in the day, it was heating up. Sitting in the shade would feel comfortable, but hiking exposed to the sun sapped our energy.

Climbing to St Andrews Park

Views en route to St Andrews Park

The trail to St Andrews Park climbed 1,800 feet, and by the time we reached St Andrews Lake, we were grateful for a break.

St Andrews Lake on the Wonderland Trail

St Andrews Lake

We were tired, and still had miles to cover. Thankfully, we were done with the climbing. We wandered down the trail to scenic Klapatche Park and wished we had our camp there.

Klapatche Park

Klapatche Park

From Klapatche Park we descended nearly 2,000 feet over two miles to North Puyallup River, our camp for the night.  The trail down to to North Puyallup was a grind. The group site is on the south side of the river, where the remains of a road are being reclaimed by the forest. On the north side are four campsites. They are not particularly beautiful, but we didn’t care. We setup camp, ate and crashed for the night.

That is, except for Jason. He got up in the wee hours of the morning and setup his tripod at the bridge over North Puyallup River to capture this nighttime photo of the waterfall.

North Puyallup Falls at 4am

North Puyallup Falls at night. Photo: Jason Fitzpatrick

Thankfully, our next day was going to be easier as we headed to Golden Lakes.

Devil’s Dream to North Puyallup River Map and Elevation Profile

© OpenStreetMap contributors
Download file: day-2-devils-dream-to-north-puyallup-8619-80150am(cleaned).gpx

Originally hiked on August 6, 2019 with Derek and Jason.

Back to Day 1  |  Continue to Day 3, North Puyallup River to Golden Lakes

 

Filed Under: Trail Guides, Wonderland Trail Tagged With: Backpacking, Devil's Dream, Mount Rainier National Park, North Puyallup River, strenuous, Wonderland Trail

Like what you found here at SoCal Hiker? This site is a labor of love. Share your support for the site and help us development of new trail guides and expanded coverage -- make your next outdoor equipment purchase through our advertisers.

You can also subscribe to our weekly newsletter and follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

Jeff H

About Jeff H

I'm an avid hiker and backpacker. My wife Joan and I are on the trails every weekend. I started SoCal Hiker to share my passion for outdoor adventure.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Planning Your Wonderland Trail Hike

  • Overview of the Wonderland Trail
  • Essential Wonderland Trail Resources
  • Wonderland Trail Discussion Forum
  • Mushrooms of the Wonderland Trail

Day-By-Day on the Wonderland Trail

Longmire to Mowich Lake

  • Day 1: Devil’s Dream
  • Day 2: North Puyallup River
  • Day 3: Golden Lakes
  • Day 4: South Mowich River
  • Day 5: Mowich Lake (Eagle’s Roost)


Mowich Lake to Sunrise

  • Day 6: Dick Creek
  • Day 7: Mystic Camp
  • Day 8: Granite Creek
  • Day 9: Sunrise


Sunrise to Longmire

  • Day 10: Summerland
  • Day 11: Indian Bar
  • Day 12: Maple Creek
  • Day 13: Longmire

Latest Posts

  • Backpacking the Grand Canyon of Tuolumne Loop in Yosemite National Park March 24, 2023
  • Hiking Belknap Crater in the Mountain Washington Wilderness October 20, 2022
  • Hiking to the Simpson Reef Overlook on the Oregon Coast Trail August 25, 2022
  • Join Team SoCalHiker at the Climb for Heroes August 23, 2022
  • Hiking the Welch-Dickey Loop in the White Mountain National Forest August 18, 2022

Recent Forum Topics

  • Lost Coast Trail
  • How to deal with accidents while hiking in the winter?
  • Warm Tips for your hiking in winter
  • Some tips for hiking.
  • Keep your body warm in the winter hiking

The Six-Pack of Peaks Challenge Series

Six-Pack of Peaks Challenge SeriesThe Six-Pack of Peaks Challenge Series gives you an opportunity to explore your world while supporting a great cause. There are eleven challenges around the country. Hike or run them at your own schedule.

Flex your adventure muscles!

Learn more here.

 

Search

Tags

3-6 miles 6-8 miles 8-10 miles 11+ miles Arizona Backpacking coastal dog-friendly easy family-friendly High Sierra Trail hiking Hiking The John Muir Trail hipster inspiration JMT John Muir John Muir Trail Kings Canyon National Park LA County moderate Mount Rainier National Park Muir Monday National Park Orange County Oregon out of bounds Pacific Crest Trail peak peakbagging quote scenic Sequoia National Park Sierra Nevada Six-Pack of Peaks State Park strenuous Thru-hiking Utah vista Washington waterfall wilderness Wonderland Trail Yosemite

Copyright © 2023 SoCalHiker.net · Metro Theme on Genesis Framework with WPEngine Hosting · Contact SoCal Hiker · Sitemap · Privacy Policy

 

Loading Comments...