Trip Report
Day Hike - Indian Henry's Hunting Ground
Day hike to Indian Henry's and Mirror Lake, via the Kautz Creek trail. This was the graduation hike for students in Tacoma's Conditioning Hiking Series class.
Marilyn Thompson
- Sat, Oct 3, 2020
- Day Hike - Indian Henry's Hunting Ground
- Kautz Creek
- Day Hiking
- Successful
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- Road suitable for all vehicles
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The trail was in good condition all the way to Indian Henry's patrol cabin. The side trail to Mirror Lake (.7 miles) is not as well maintained, but easy to follow.
Great views as you reach the higher elevations, looking west to Gobbler's Knob, south to Mt. Adams and Mt. Hood, and south east to the Tatoosh and Paradise.
Access is straightforward, with paved roads all the way in Mt. Rainier National Park, and ample parking at Kautz Creek. We had beautiful fall weather for the day. Sunny skies, warm temps, and fall color as we reached the upper meadows. We reached the patrol cabin at Indian Henry's in about 3-1/2 hours, and then went on an extra mile to Mirror Lake for our lunch stop. Roundtrip mileage was 13.5 miles.
This hike has a lot of elevation gain (3,400 ft.), but the trail is in good condition and the grade is fairly steady. There are just a few really steep sections with steps. All members of the group were well-prepared and able to maintain a good hiking pace. It was a fun day, with great people, wonderful views, and a lot of good exercise!