box canyon loop

This is a half mile round trip if that much. One side of the road is a overlook and the other side has the start of a trail. It starts out in the open but crosses over the canyon and into woods. You come back down the road to the parking lot. From the road also also has nice shots into the canyon.I love narrow canyons and this does not disappoint.

Most travelers driving up the Stevens Canyon Road to Paradise even give Box Canyon a glance as they pass by. Big Mistake! If you get out and walk this very short (less than a mile) loop trail, you will be rewarded by a spectacular view of a deep and incredibly narrow gorge, cut by the Cowlitz River. There is a bridge that spans the canyon, and you will be amazed at the sculpted rock walls and rounded shapes that you can see from there. Even if you don't want to walk the loop trail, you should at least park and get out to walk onto the bridge right next to the parking lot. That too will give you a great view of this canyon.

Don't miss this hike when you are in Mt Rainier National Park. It is less than a mile and takes you up a short hill where you see Mt. Rainier in the background with large, smooth rocks covered with a deep green moss in the foreground. Takes your breath away! You then walk toward a bridge that crosses the river deep within the box canyon.

Most people only go to the viewpoint/interpretive part by the parking lot. If you just stroll across the road and go in 1/4 mile there is an excellent example of glacier scouring, a wonderful view of Rainier on clear days and a bridge that allows you to look right over in the canyon gorge.

We stopped here twice during our visit to Rainier. It's just the perfect place to get out of the car and take a little walk. There's something about all that misty, cool air rising up out of that deep canyon that makes you feel super.

A quick and easy walk to an overlook. The muddy fork of the Cowlitz river has carved this gorge. The sheer force and volume of water is incredible. Well worth the 15 to 20 minutes.

This is one of my favorite parts of the park. It is easy to find. After you get there and park you car, walk half way across the bridge and look down. It is simply amazing.

This trail takes you to many areas that have rushing water coming off the mountain. There are several trails within this one that make for a very pleasant experience in the woods.

Short loop trail along a sharp chasm. Fun little break in driving and unique views. Very pretty area.

The box Canyon Loop is a short hike around the box canyon ravine that is nice with good views, but not good views of the mountain. It is worth the stop because of the unusual depth of the narrow slice of a canyon wall that you cross. Also I liked the nearby tunnel cut out of shear rock.

Another pleasant surprise in Mt Rainier National Park. So interesting to see where the retreating glacier etches the stone. Cool vegetation that seems to grow right out of the rocks. Awesome rushing water, it's hard to resist the urge to toss your sunhat in....

This is a short easy walk, it will take you 10 minutes at the most with stopping taking pictures and looking around. You walk across this very narrow, but high canyon. It's quite breathtaking and surprising since it's just off the road. Once you do the loop, make sure you cross the road back to the parking lot and walk to the short overlook to see the other side. This makes for a nice easy 10-15 minute stop while exploring the park.

Short loop to see the amazing canyon and the power of water. Worth the short hike and not many people on the trail.

Look at al sides it is worth the drive. Nice road side stop by a tunnel and bridge. One of the highlights of the long drive

Most people go from the parking lot to the overlook and fail to cross the street to see the lovely glacier scoured rocks sporting new moss and the fabulous view straight down into the gorge pulsing with rapids. Loop back to the road and under the rock archway. Kids love it and guys just have to spit off that bridge. (Physics folk can calculate the distance.)You can also trek off toward Nickel Creek and up the Cowlitz Divide from here. Killer up of switchback after switchback to the Wonderland Trail portion of Indian Bar. Once you are up there you are king of the world!