Have you ever woke up feeling suffocated and craving the fresh air on your face with nothing more than the sounds of nature to be your soundtrack?
Well, we woke up this weekend and that was exactly how we felt! I had been indoors working, the girls were going a little stir crazy, and Mama had a particularly rough week at work. As we started our day I was scrolling through Instagram and saw this great picture of a place called the Grove of the Patriarchs Trail and I knew a visit there would be just the ticket for a Saturday Quest!
Grove of the Patriarchs Trail is arguably one of the most family-friendly hikes we have ever been on. It was an easy hike that and can be done by people of all ages and hiking experience, even as young as preschool-aged children.
We have visited Mt. Rainier many times, but this was our first time traveling on Hwy 123, and we found ourselves gasping at the beautiful landscape around every corner.
*A word of caution: If you have never driven on mountainous/hilly two-lane highways with either no guard rails or minimal guard rails have someone you trust to drive. I love the view from above, but I am equally terrified of heights especially when driving.
After stopping almost every 2 miles or so to take photos we arrived at the Stevens Canyon entrance, paid the Mount Rainier National Park entrance fee.
*If you or a family member traveling with you have a Disability be sure to apply for an America the Beautiful – National Parks & Federal Recreational Lands Access Pass. It is a free, lifetime pass for U.S. citizens who have a permanent disability. It provides admittance to more than 2,000 recreation sites!
Once you find a parking spot (which may be a challenge on busy Summer days), make sure to stop at the restroom facilities because that is your last opportunity before the trail starts.
The trail follows the Ohanapecosh River upstream, and there are a couple of opportunities to veer off the trail and skip some rocks in the icy cold river. The temperatures were pretty warm the day we visited, so the flowing river was a nice respite from the heat.
We continued following the trail, feeling like ants among the towering red cedar trees.
The path led us to a suspension bridge that passes over the Ohanapecosh River to the Grove.
Once you cross the river, the path leads you to a wooden boardwalk where you can get up close and personal with these ancient giants.
Along the boardwalk are signs that describe habitat, the trees, and approximately how old they are. Some reaching over 1,000 years old, more than 300 feet tall and nearly 40 feet in diameter.
Even though the trailhead was bustling we didn’t feel the least bit crowded throughout our hike. This allowed us to take our time soaking in the majestic sights and sounds of nature. We spent about an hour meandering through the trail and playing in the river before we made the hike back to our car.
Thinking about heading to Grove of the Patriarchs? Here are a few tips:
Bring water shoes or shoes you don’t mind getting dirty. The trail is really dusty and our shoes were covered in a thick film of it after we got back to the car.
Bring your hydration backpack or a large bottle of water. Even though this is an easy hike, it is a hike nonetheless and you want to stay well hydrated.
If you are hiking with a baby, leave the stroller, bring your carrier. We saw a couple of strollers abandoned by the side of trail halfway through and I am not surprised. I read online that strollers are okay to bring, but there are a lot of roots and even the best jogging stroller may have a tough time traversing the trail.
If you are traveling with a child on the autism spectrum pay close attention to them as they walk and have them stay as close to the forest wall as possible. The trail goes downhill on the way to the Grove, and there are no guardrails. We had a few heart-stopping moments where Roo was distracted and got entirely too close to the dropoff. 
Bring your camera! If your family loved this hike as much as we did you will be talking about this trip for a long time, and having those pictures will help you remember just how gigantic those Western Red Cedars, Douglas firs, Western Hemlocks really were. If you are getting familiar with a DSLR this is a great landscape to play around in Manual mode, as there are variations of lighting.
Have you ever visited the Grove of the Patriarchs? What was your favorite part? If you aren’t from the Pacific Northwest, what is your favorite easy family-friendly hike?
