We arrived to Mount Rainier National Park early, as we heard the entrance could get crowded. I was doubtful it would be crowded this time of year! Half of the park was still closed for the winter. At the lower elevations, though, the sun was shining and everything was GREEN! We parked at the Wilderness Information Center at the Longmire Entrance to the park. We asked one of the Rangers what hike would be best to do, and she suggested the Rampart Ridge Trail, which was connected to the Trail of Shadows. Trail of Shadows was an easy little hike through the forest around a pristine meadow, which offered a…