The trail to the Grove of the Patriarchs and the suspension bridge that leads into it begins at the Stevens Canyon entrance to Mount Rainier National Park. There are rest rooms, water, and ample parking just beyond the gate.

It is an easy, half mile trail, through a forest of large trees and following above the Ohanapecosh River.

The smallest and easiest to reach of the pedestrian suspension bridges, it is a good one to see whether you like walking across a flexing bridge. For a small structure, this one has plenty of movement. The Ohanapecosh River is not glacier fed as the water under the other suspension bridges, so it is crystal clear.

Doreen and Kim make the crossing to an island in the center of the river. The isolation has protected the trees from fire and allowed them to grow to a size that makes those on the approaching trail seem small.

Your first hint of what's to come is an uprooted giant along the trail.

Boardwalks lead you through the Grove while protecting the fragile ecosystems that support these big trees.

You can't cycle the trails at Mt Rainier, but a descent down the Stevens Canyon Road to the trailhead makes an exhilirating complement to your visit to the Grove of the Patriarchs.