The Palisades Lakes Trail runs 3.55 miles from Sunrise Point to Upper Palisades Lake in the Sourdough Range of Mount Rainier National Park. It passes through subalpine parklands to Surprise Lake, Clover Lake, and the Tom-Dick-Harry Lakes en route to UPL. A .6 mile trail branches off the PLT to Hidden Lake, and continues on a cross-country route to Green Park Saddle.

Hidden Lake (5,915') is accessible by a short, steep spur off the main trail; a good path continues around and above this deceptively large and shapely lake to Green Park Saddle under Marcus Peak (6,962')

After a 490' drop from Sunrise Point to a low point on the valley floor, travel moderates on rolling grades to Clover Lake (5,732')

Upper Palisades Lake (5,827') lies in a steep-walled bowl topped by the eponymous formations, and surrounded on 3 sides by flower-covered slopes

Subalpine parklands cover about 23% of the Park; these meadows fall into two groups which are shaped and defined by snow depth and duration

High, north-facing slopes (like the ones right under Sunrise Point leading to Surprise Lake) can hold snow well into July and be impassable without technical gear

Subalpine parklands ring Mount Rainier from 5,000' - 7,000', an airy ecosystem between forest line and treeline characterized by clustered tree stands and herbaceous meadows

Lupine is a flowering perennial plant from the legume family; the seeds are edible, but many species contain alkaloids that are toxic to livestock

The trail's many lakes, ponds and damp meadows are a bastion for mosquitoes - long sleeves and repellant are recommended

Extreme climatic and elevation variations in a relatively small space account in part for Rainier's ecological diversity, which alone counts over 890 vascular plant/tree species

A short segment along Sunrise Ridge offers good views of Rainier (west) and Mount Adams (south)

Paintbrush is in the genus 'Castilleja', named for 18th century Spanish botanist Domingo Castillejo

Clover Lake is one of at least 6 lakes east of the Sourdough crest that form the headwaters of Surprise Creek, which drains into the White River in the NE corner of the Park

A long open meadow leading to Upper Palisades Lake opens to good views of the eponymous rock formations

The Palisades meadows are known to attract elk during the autumn rut

The Tom, Dick and Harry Lakes are small, tree-ringed ponds just off trail; camping is permitted at Dick Lake

Yellow Cedar trees have shallow root systems that require substantial snow cover to insulate them from freezing temperatures