3 — The majority of hikers give themselves 10 or more days to finish the Wonderland.
4 — Backpackers are allowed a maximum of 15 days (14 nights) to hike the trail.
5 — The best part of the Wonderland Trail is a nap on the bank of Mystic Lake.
6 — Rainier suspended reservation requests this spring after receiving a record 2,600 backcountry permit requests, a 225 percent increase from pre-2013 averages.
7 — In April, park officials blamed media coverage for the sudden dramatic increase in permit requests.
8 — While reservations for overnight Wonderland trips are suspended, walk-up reservations, which can be secured not earlier than a day before departure, are still available.
9 — The Wonderland has been designated a National Recreation Trail.
10 — The park holds about 30 percent of backcountry space for walk-up permits and distributes them on a first come, first served basis.
11 — If you’re planning ahead to next summer, the permitting process starts March 15.
12 — All permits received March 15-April 1 are treated equally.
13 — If you can’t get a permit, sections of the Wonderland make ideal day trips. Permits aren’t required for day trips.
14 — When in doubt about how long you’ll need for the hike, give yourself extra time.
15 — A loop on the Wonderland means climbing more than 22,000 feet, equivalent to about 2 ½ trips from Paradise to the Summit of Mount Rainier.
16 — Glacier-fed creeks are perfect for soaking tired feet.
17 — The Dick Creek vault toilet has a view even more powerful than its smell.
18 — In 1973, park superintendent Daniel Tobin announced a backcountry management plan that forbade the use of horses and campfires along the trail and required permits for multi-day trips.
19 — The Wonderland offers a vast variety of views of Rainier, some so different it’s hard to believe it’s the same mountain.
20 — Hiking counterclockwise instead of clockwise could slightly increase your odds of scoring a permit.
21 — However, counterclockwise means slightly steeper uphill stretches.
22 — Tami Asars, author of “Hiking the Wonderland Trail” (The Mountaineers Books, $21.95), says clockwise is “the lesser of two evils” and recommends it for newbies.
23 — Whichever direction you go, starting from the White River Campground allows you to get a big climb out of the way while your legs are fresh.
24 — In 2012, Okanogan’s Jason Vaughan reportedly traveled the trail twice, once in each direction, in less than 90 hours.
25 — If you have a friend on the trail, you can deliver an Overload Burger from Elbe’s Scaleburgers to the Longmire Trailhead in less than 30 minutes.
26 — Never cut switchbacks. It might shave a few steps off your hike, but it can damage vegetation and change the way water flows (causing trail damage) when it rains in the area.
27 — The section on the west side of the mountain tends to offer the longest stretches without seeing other hikers.
28 — If you go, don’t skimp on socks.
29 — Focus on hydration as you plan. Make note of water sources along the trail and consider packing electrolyte mix or tablets to add to your water. Also pack a water purification system.
30 — The best part of the Wonderland Trail is eating lunch at the snout of the Carbon Glacier.
31 — A Wonderland permit is $20 for a party of up to 12 people.
32 — Starting your trip on a Friday isn’t recommended. Most people request Friday starting dates increasing competition for permits.
33 — Chances of landing a permit increase later in the season.
34 — Hikers have two route options in the northwest corner of the park: Going high over Spray Park or following Ipsut Creek over Ipsut Pass.
35 — The Spray Park and Ipsut Pass options have about the same mileage, but Spray Park adds more climbing.
36 — The best part of the Wonderland Trail is the berries along the trail.
37 — On Sept. 11, 2003, a former Western Washington University student, Skye Thompson, set what was believed to be a record by completing the trail in 25 hours, 45 minutes. His run was filmed for the 2005 TV documentary “The Wonderland Project.”
38 — The next day, John Stamstad of Seattle ran the trail in 24:01.
39 — Canadian Gary Robbins ran the trail July 1-2 in 18:52 and is believed to be the current record holder.
40 — Local trail runners often complete the trail in three or four days.
41 — Don’t bury toilet paper unless you use the natural kind (moss, grass, pine cones, etc.).
42 — The more you eat the lighter your pack.
43 — Don’t worry, it’s almost impossible to gain weight hiking the Wonderland.
44 — Trekking poles are ideal hiking partners for the Wonderland. A 1999 study in the Journal of Sports Medicine says using poles on 25-degree downhill grade lessens the compressive force on knees 12-25 percent.
45 — The trail was an important tool for monitoring forest fires before park fire lookouts were constructed in the early 1930s.
46 — The best part of the Wonderland Trail is swapping stories with the ranger at the Golden Lakes ranger station.
47 — The lighter your pack, the easier the hike. Scrutinize everything you take.
48 — The smaller your belly, the easier the hike. Definitely get in shape before taking on the Wonderland. There’s no shortage of training trails around Southwest Washington.
49 — Spam tastes better than you’d think after a 14-mile day.
50 —If you have a friend on the trail, you can deliver a Cruiser’s Special from Packwood’s Cruiser’s Pizza to the Box Canyon Trailhead in less than 35 minutes.