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WHIDBEY ISLAND  WASHINGTON  USA

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     At one time this was one of the most awesome day hikes in the Park.  Now it is an arduous three to six day pack trip.  What made the change?  Tahoma Creek, that’s what.  A few years ago Tahoma Creek flooded and washed away part of the Westside Road...again.  Rather than be continually repairing the frequently washed away road the Park Service decided to abandon it.  I have mixed feelings about that decision.  While some argue that closing the road has also closed a large portion of the Park to the casual visitor, others argue that the closure has improved the wilderness experience for those who have the extra time needed to visit.  I have found myself on both sides of the argument but generally settle on the wilderness side.  It will be years before the old roadbed ever qualifies as a trail so I would not recommend walking it.  The Wonderland Trail roughly parallels the course of the road so that would always be the recommended route.  The Westside is a wondrous place though, so maybe taking a bit longer to visit is not such a bad thing after all. 
     To approach Golden Lakes you have three choices.  The shortest and now most frequent choice would be from Mowich Lake in the northwest corner of the Park.  From Mowich, the trail drops four miles to the crossing of Mowich River then climbs back out of the canyon and follows the ridge for another two miles, then drops into Sunset Park and the lakes. Total distance from the road at Mowich Lake, about 10 miles.
     The second approach is made by following on foot, the old road from the point of closure near Fish Creek, to the road’s end at North Puyallup River, then following the Wonderland Trail to Sunset Park.  On the trail that is about 5.5 miles and on the old road, about 12 miles.  Total distance from the car: 17.5 miles.  That is a very long hike for one day so plan on taking two days to get there.
     The third way is the most preferred but also the most time consuming choice.  I would recommend a minimum of 3 days one way.  Park at the road closure on the Westside Road, and then continue up the road on foot another mile to the Emerald Ridge Trail.  Follow the trail up and over Emerald Ridge, taking the time to explore the fabulous gardens along the way.  The trail is never steep but it is steady.  Drink a lot of water, particularly if the weather is warm.  Descend the other side of Emerald Ridge to the camp on the South Puyallup River, or you may wish to climb into St. Andrews Park for the night. 
     Continue on the Wonderland into Klapatche Park, taking the time to visit St. Andrews and Aurora Lakes, and maybe even drop off the ridge a couple miles to visit Denman Falls.  It is an easy round trip back to the Wonderland Trail but the elevation loss, (and regain) is significant.  From Klapatche Park, drop steeply into the North Puyallup camp for the second night.  From the North Puyallup, the sunset can be most dramatic.  There the Puyallup Glacier hangs precipitously from the cliffs with Tokaloo Rock jutting upward from the cliff face.  Bathed in the warm glow of sunset, it is a truly dramatic scene.
      The third morning, hike the easy trail through an old burn to the top of Sunset Park and the Golden Lakes Basin.  The view back toward Mount Rainier from here is virtually unobstructed.  The Colonnade is a marvelous bit of geology worth the time and effort of close examination.  Be careful however, the cliffs are crumbling basalt and are extremely high and steep.  My only success at fishing inside the Park has been at the largest of the Golden Lakes.  But it was quite a success.  Four of us limited out and that evening back at camp we had a fabulous fish fry fit for fine feasting.  Say that three times, uhhh…fast.
     If transportation has been arranged continue on out to Mowich Lake.  If not, then enjoy the trip back the way you came in, or maybe walk the road back.  Either way, you just can’t go wrong in Mount Rainier’s Backcountry.  Enjoy!