Randle is a small town that's literally at the crossroads of adventures in southern Washington. From Randle, the Ohanapecosh (southern) entrance to Mount Rainier NP is just a few minutes away on Hwy 12. Or you can drive FS 25 to the east side of Mt. St. Helens and further south to hike the Ape Caves. FS Road 23 will take you to Trout Lake and the Mt. Adams Wilderness.
Closer to Randle, just six miles away, you'll find one of the most significant archaeological sites in western Washington - Layser Cave. The cave was discovered relatively recently (1982), and is only about 60x40 ft in size. But animal bones and stone tools found here have allowed archeologists to trace the Native American presence back nearly 7,000 years.
The Layser Cave interpretive trail is only 1/4-mile round trip and provides a nice immersion into the human history of the area. The cache is along the trail. About 200 feet from the trailhead, you will come to a Y in the trail. Stay to the right and it will lead you to the cave entrance and the cache. After visiting the cave, follow the trail another 100 feet to a viewpoint of the valley.
Getting to Layser Cave: From Randle, take FS Road 23 towards Trout Lake and watch for signs to Layser Cave. Just past the six-mile marker on FS 23, you will turn left onto a small narrow gravel road. Drive 1.5 miles to the parking area. This road is well-maintained, and any car should be able to drive it.
2016 was the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service, and to celebrate, Visit Rainier and WSGA hosted the Visit Rainier Centennial GeoTour - 100 caches placed in and around Mount Rainier National Park. The geocaches highlighted the rich history, scenic wonders, quaint communities, and hidden gems of the Rainier region. Participants received geocoin and pathtag prizes for finding all the caches.
