Of the many easy trails that radiate outward from the Sunrise Visitor Center, this one is the least travelled. Unlike the trails heading west from Sunrise, it does not lie along the way to multiple other popular destinations. And unlike Dege Peak from Sunrise, it 'only' offers stunning views in a couple of directions rather than all possible directions. You're unlikely to find true solitude here unless you arrive crazy early like I did, but can expect great views plus reduced crowds.

Just 0.1 miles in, Emmons Vista provides a glorious overlook of the Emmons Glacier, lateral moraine, meltwater lake, and the mountain behind it. Further along, a sign warns that you have reached the end of the maintained trail. The path continues past this point, gradually petering out to nothing. Turn around whenever you've had enough.

"Silver Forest" refers to the skeletons of dead trees, killed by a long ago fire and then bleached by the elements. There are fewer of these still standing today than back when the trail was named, however, and regrowth has colored the subalpine forest more green than white.

Historical maps show that before the road to Sunrise was built in 1931, what is now the Silver Forest Trail used to be the upper end of a route that accessed Sunrise (which at that time was called Yakima Park) from the White River valley.