Grove of the Patriarchs Trail

IMPORTANT STATUS NOTE: This trail has been closed since 2021 due to damage to the suspension bridge that connects to the island grove. Check with the park before planning a visit. When open, this is one of the easiest and most awe-inspiring walks in Mount Rainier National Park. The flat, well-maintained path winds through old-growth forest along the milky-blue Ohanapecosh River before reaching a suspension bridge to a small island where ancient western red cedars and Douglas-firs — some over a thousand years old — tower overhead like living skyscrapers. The trunks are so massive that four adults linking arms can't wrap around them. A short boardwalk loop circles through the grove, and the silence under that canopy feels almost cathedral-like. This trail is perfect for families, anyone with limited mobility who can handle a dirt path, and hikers who want maximum payoff for minimal effort.