Depending upon the time of day you visit the Sunrise area of Mount Rainier National Park in Washington state, you may encounter heavy crowds on popular hikes such as the Fremont Lookout, Dege Peak, and Burroughs Mountain trails. If you are looking for a less-congested spot to wander, where you can listen to birdsong, admire meadows filled with colorful wildflowers, spot a ground squirrel, or even a fox while enjoying eye-popping views of Mount Rainier along a fairly level, well-maintained trail, then the Silver Forest Trail is just for you. Perfect for families, people just getting started with hiking, and those who prefer a little more solitude and a less strenuous stride, Silver Forest Trail is a route which you might have all to yourself for the better part of a morning or late afternoon, encountering very few other hikers during the hours in between.

Begin your 2.4-mile roundtrip wander at the south end of the Sunrise parking area. As you walk the trail, you’ll pass by the Emmons Vista 1 and Emmons Vista 2 overlook areas. Take time to stop and read the informational plaques while admiring views of “The Mountain” and Emmons Glacier. For you photographers, Emmons Vista 1 is a great spot for sunrise shots and a place you might have all to yourself for the better part of an early morning.

The Emmons Vista overlooks are not the only places to view the in-your-face splendor of Mount Rainier. All along Silver Forest Trail are perfect photo op spots to capture views of "The Mountain," Emmons Glacier, and the White River.

As you walk along the level-to-gently-undulating trail, take time to admire the budding trees and the many wildflowers popping up in early July and hitting their peak during the middle of the month. You’ll spot pasqueflower, lupine, spreading phlox, small-flowered penstemon, magenta paintbrush, alpine aster, and more. A mid-July visit will find the meadows awash with bright scarlet paintbrush.

There’s wildlife too, and it’s quite likely you’ll spot ground squirrels scurrying to and fro, popping up from their burrows to pose for a photo, as well as birds including juncos and maybe even a house finch with its bright red pate and pinkish back and breast. A volunteer returning from his hike along that trail told me he’d even seen a fox about a half mile into the hike.

Speaking of volunteers, you’ll probably encounter one or more of them on the trail and in the parking lot. Remember to show them a little appreciation. These hardy souls from all walks of life have a passion for the park and enjoy meeting people and passing on their storehouse of park knowledge to the public. They also help remind hikers to stick to the trails, stay a safe distance from the wildlife, and keep on drinking that water. During my hike, I met a Meadow Rover Volunteer named Pierce along the trail with his camera during his day off. While talking about camera lenses and Sunrise trails, Pierce told me both he and his wife volunteer as Meadow Rovers. When not acting in his Meadow Rover capacity, Pierce also volunteers with the park’s search and rescue. Mount Rainier National Park volunteers wear many hats.

Before you know it, you’ll have reached trail’s end (sort of) marked by a metal sign indicating the terminus of the trail’s maintained portion. From there, you can turn around and retrace your steps back to the parking lot or continue your hike along that unmaintained part that beckons hikers to continue their wandering.

Note: Mount Rainier’s website, Facebook, and Instagram posts advising the best times to arrive at the park are spot on. IMO, the best time of day to begin your exploration of the Sunrise area (or any other area of Mount Rainier) is very early in the morning – especially if you want to get in as much hiking and exploring as possible. The Sunrise parking lot is full by noon (if not earlier) and you may find yourself behind a very long line of vehicles idling on the road, all waiting to pass through the Sunrise entrance booth.