Home › Washington › Enumclaw › Crystal Peak Trailhead
Crystal Peak Trailhead
4.7 ★★★★★ 81 Google reviews · Running trail in Enumclaw, Washington · Open 24 hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Natural surface
- Distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Open 24 hours
Confirmed from Crystal Peak Trailhead's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
Hiking area offering kid-friendly trails, views of Mount Rainier, and lakes.
What runners say about Crystal Peak Trailhead
“You can stop at Sheep Lake, or, if your fit enough, climb up and threw Sour Dough Gap and get a great view of Crystal Lake.”
It's 3.5 miles one way, with a 2000ft elevation gain. So you are climbing up the entire time. Bring plenty of water and start early in the morning. As you want to be heading back down before high noon when the bugs come out. Your basically just doing switchbacks up the side of the mountain the entire time.
This is a excellent trailhead. There is parking for about a dozen vehicles. There are no restroom facilities. There is a trail map and good signage. The trail is dirt single track. It follows a cascading stream. Crystal Mountain is 4 miles and 3000 vertical feet from the trailhead.
Great trail, but be prepared for lots of up. The creek at the start is neat, but you won't see water again until the lakes at the top. A couple views of Rainier on the way up, but it is not visible from either lake. Perhaps if you continue on or take the other fork.
Great hike to the lakes. Not for the faint of heart. Lots of up hill switchbacks. But definitely worth the work to get to the upper lake.
Trail conditions & character
“Great wildflowers on the way up and really nice shaded Forest bathing for 90% of the hike with amazing view of the lake and mountain peaks surrounding it at the top.”
“Roadside parking with direct access to Crystal Peak Trail, but no services”
“The trail can be steep and rocky in spots, but it’s not technical.”
“The trail can be steep and rocky in spots, but it’s not technical.”
“The trail is smooth and level for most of the hike.”
Plan your run at Crystal Peak Trailhead
The practical stuff
- AccessOpen 24 hours — no gate to beat, so a 5am or a 10pm run both work
- SurfaceNatural surface — easiest on the joints and the most fun, but expect roots, rocks and mud after rain
- DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- At the trailheadparking, restrooms — reported by runners
Hours
| Monday | Open 24 hours |
| Tuesday | Open 24 hours |
| Wednesday | Open 24 hours |
| Thursday | Open 24 hours |
| Friday | Open 24 hours |
| Saturday | Open 24 hours |
| Sunday | Open 24 hours |
Running trails near Enumclaw
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
Glacier Basin Trailhead
4.7 ★★★★★ 87 reviews
Family-friendly hiking area with views of Mount Rainier and nearby glaciers, as well as a campground.
Snoquera Falls
4.6 ★★★★★ 98 reviews
Hiking area featuring a waterfall, and boulders.
Greenwater Lakes Trailhead
4.8 ★★★★★ 151 reviews
Family-friendly lake, river and stream hike boasting a campground and a couple of bridges.
Federation Forest State Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 512 reviews
Small park with interpretive trails and old-growth forests, plus views.
