Washington · National Park trail

Sunrise Nature Trail Stop 4

in Washington · centroid 58 mi from Seattle

The whitebark pine is one of the most hardy subalpine trees. Mature cones on these trees do not fall from the tree, and the cone scales do not open far enough for the large seeds to fall out. So, how do these pines disperse their seeds?

They depend on Clark’s nutcrackers and other members of the crow, xúxux (Yakama tribal word for crow) family. These birds use their strong beaks to pry the seeds from the cones. They cache the seeds, one at a time, by poking them about an inch deep in the soil.

New pine seedlings can then sprout from any seeds the nutcrackers fail to eat. Watch for more clumps of these hardy pines as you continue up the trail.

States: Washington
Trail type: National Park trail
Centroid nearest city: Seattle, WA · 58 mi · ~1.7 hr drive
Centroid coords: 46.9177°, -121.6422°

About Mount Rainier National Park

National Park

This trail is inside Mount Rainier National Park, a national park managed by the U.S. National Park Service. Conditions, road status, trail closures, and reservation requirements are published on the park's NPS page — check it before driving in, especially in winter or during major weather events.

Entrance fee: $30 per vehicle (verify current rate on the park page). An America the Beautiful annual pass ($80) covers entrance to all NPS units.

Official NPS trail page: https://www.nps.gov/places/sunrise-nature-trail-stop-4.htm

Park homepage: https://www.nps.gov/mora/index.htm

Plan your hike

Practical notes

Maps + permits: long-distance trails like this often require permits for through-hiking, backcountry camping, or specific sections (especially in National Parks). Check with the maintaining organisation listed above and the relevant land manager before booking travel.

Water + supplies: water sources vary seasonally on most U.S. trails. Carry a filter and consult current trail-condition reports — through-hiker journals (PCT-L, AT Reddit, etc.) and the maintaining organisation publish regular updates.

When to go: hiking seasons vary widely with elevation, latitude, and snowpack. Through-hikers traditionally start the AT in March-April (Springer northbound) and the PCT in late April (Campo northbound). High-elevation western trails (CDT, JMT, Wonderland) generally aren't passable until July.

If you've hiked Sunrise Nature Trail Stop 4 and have current notes (water sources, trail closures, permit changes), tell us at /contact — we update pages as we learn.

Stay nearby

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Driving in? The nearest documented metro is Seattle, WA — 58 miles away (~1.7 hr drive). See accommodation in Seattle on Booking.com → RoamFound earns a small commission if you book through this link, at no extra cost to you. How we handle affiliate links.