Visiting Mount Rainier National Park: what to see and do
A trip to Washington state would not be complete without a visit to the beautiful Mount Rainier National Park. It is a fantastic spot for scenic drives, nature photography, hiking, and mountain climbing, as well as for skiing and other winter activities.
We visited in summer, an especially lovely time to be there and the most popular – for good reasons. Summer is when Mount Rainier National Park really shines with the rich beauty of wildflowers and waterfalls.
Hanging out on Crystal Mountain after taking the gondola ride to the summit (see below).
But Mount Rainier does have much to offer in other seasons - gorgeous foliage in fall and glistening snowfalls in winter that beckon skiers, snowboarders, and snowshoers. Snow can last a long time on Mt. Rainier - from mid-autumn through late spring and even mid-summer! The best time for fall foliage is usually the last week of September through mid-October, as the first snowfall usually comes in November.
As the tallest mountain in Washington state, the 14,400-foot (4,390 meter) peak - which is actually an active volcano (!) - towers over everything near and far. You can see its stately presence, ghostly white due to its glaciers, from Seattle and other Washington cities, and from as far away as Vancouver. On clear days, it can be seen all the way to Victoria in British Columbia, which is 300 miles away.
I can now totally understand why its image is everywhere; on license plates, official signs, and product labels - the majestic mountain really does dominate and oversee the landscape. We saw it from the sky as we approached Sea-Tac Airport.
Black and white photo of a cloudy day at Mount Rainier.
That picturesque image of Mt. Rainier makes it as attractive to photographers and artists as it is to hikers and outdoor enthusiasts. Naturalist and environmental pioneer John Muir, who climbed Mount Rainier himself in 1888 and advocated for its protection, said that it was best appreciated from below.
In 1899, the mountain and its surrounding area was established as the country’s fifth National Park.
You can do a lot or do a little - the beauty of Mount Rainier is that even just a bit of exploring can be a rich experience. Whether you are daytripping or planning on spending a few days, here are some great things to do while visiting Mount Rainier National Park.
Table of Contents
How to get to Mount Rainier National Park
As with most national parks in the United States, driving is really the only way to get there. Considering the size of the park, having your own vehicle is the only way to get around. Unfortunately, there is no public transportation that directly accesses Mount Rainier National Park and no shuttle buses operating within the park.
Mount Rainier National Park is located in west-central Washington state, 60 miles southeast of Seattle in the Cascade Mountain Range. It is about a 2 hour drive from Seattle and about 2 ½ hours from Portland, Oregon. The closest town to Mount Rainier National Park is Ashford, Washington.
Mount Rainier - the mountain itself - is located in the center of the national park, and due to its size and terrain, no roads cut through the center. The main roads will take you around the perimeter of the mountain and shorter access roads will take you in closer to Mount Rainier.
Debbie and John take in the view.
There are four entrances into the park:
Nisqually entrance - SW
Stevens Canyon entrance - SE
White River entrance - NE
Carbon River entrance - NW
Always check the park’s road status page before hitting the road for your visit. Unexpected road closures may occur at any time due to the dynamic nature of Mount Rainier.
We visited Mount Rainier as the first stop of our Washington trip, and it took us about an hour and 40 minutes from Sea-Tac.
The entrance fee to Mount Rainier is $30 per private vehicle.
Tip: The America the Beautiful Pass will give you access to all National Parks in the United States for a year.
NOTICE: In 2024, a portion of Stevens Canyon Road will be closed for a road construction project. Check the Mount Rainier National Park website before your visit for up-to-date information.
The view from Mount Rainier’s Sunrise Visitor Center.
Layout of the Regions of Mount Rainier National Park
The two most popular and most accessible areas of the park for visitors are Paradise, on the southern side of the mountain, and Sunrise, on the northeast side. Each offers a unique view of the glaciers and different perspectives on the terrain.
There are five main areas of Mount Rainier National Park:
Sunrise: Located on the northeastern side of Mount Rainier, Sunrise is the highest point that can be reached by vehicle at the park, at an elevation of 6,400 feet. The high-elevation trails offer stunning views of the surrounding peaks of Mount Rainier but can be a little challenging. It is one of the most popular areas of the park and offers a visitor center and picnic area.
Sunrise is only open in summer, however, as these higher elevations are prone to earlier snow conditions.
Ohanapecosh: Located in the southeastern part of the park, Ohanapecosh is a forested area offering wooded trails, hot springs, and a visitor center and top-rated campground.
Paradise: Moving westward is Paradise, the most popular region in Mount Rainier National Park. The scenery at Paradise features stunning wildflower meadows and vistas of glaciers and waterfalls, seen from very popular trails such as the Skyline Trail.
It is also home to the lodge Paradise Inn, designated as one of the “Great Lodges of the West” and a nice spot for lunch.
Paradise is open year-round.
Longmire: Just below Paradise in the southwestern part of the park, Longmire is an historic district featuring the Longmire Museum and easy scenic trails near the Nisqually Entrance.
This was the original entrance to the park and the museum once housed the park headquarters when it first became a National Park.
Carbon River / Mowich: This is the most remote area of the park, located on the northwest side of Mount Rainier. Getting there requires navigating a 20-mile unpaved road. This area is less crowded than the rest of the park, but I would consider it an area for serious campers and hikers.
Trails extending from the Sunrise Visitor Center (left).
When is the best time to visit Mount Rainier?
For the best weather, plan to go to Mount Rainier in late July to September. Believe it or not, there can be snow on the roads through mid-July! Once the snow has melted, roads should be clear.
Of course, this is the most popular time so it can be crowded. Arriving at the park either before 10 am or after 2:30 pm can help avoid delays getting in.
Summer is a great time for wildflowers and wildlife, so that was particularly attractive to me. We aren’t skiers or snowboarders, so a winter trip to Mount Rainier wasn’t really a consideration for us. Although the ranger-led snowshoe treks sound pretty amazing!
Honestly, unless you are a serious outdoors person, summer just seems to offer the most things to do there.
Day Trip or Stay Trip - Should I stay at Mount Rainier National Park?
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While it certainly is possible to see some highlights of Mount Rainier National Park in one day on a day trip from Seattle, we wanted to spend a couple of days there enjoying nature before venturing onto Seattle and the surrounding area, and this worked out very well.
Spending at least two days is a good idea. This gives you an opportunity to visit both the popular areas of the park, Paradise and Sunrise, and maybe explore historic Longmire as well. And a few days in mountain air is good for the soul!
Plus, it is a rather large park with unique terrain that makes it a little hard to get around easily. So staying a few days will definitely make it an easier visit.
That being said, if a day is all you have, then plan on an early start. Entering the park before 10:00am can help avoid wasting time waiting in line during the popular summer months and nice weather seasons. Visit mid-week if you can as the weekends can get very busy.
If you are only spending a day, you will have to decide if you want to see Paradise or Sunrise, because navigating between the two is really not that easy.
Hiking trails near the the Sunrise Visitor Center.
Exploring the hiking trails of Mount Rainier
Do stop at the Visitor’s Center at Paradise or Sunrise, whichever area you choose, to get information on trails and goings-on in the park. Rangers are happy to answer your questions and are extremely knowledgeable.
Rangers update whiteboards with info on wildflowers and wildlife to look for, weather and trail conditions every day.
You might be surprised to learn that you don’t have to wander too far down any trail to get some truly breathtaking views. There are many short, relatively easy trails that offer gorgeous views of Mount Rainier.
The Skyline Trail in Paradise is iconic, and really a must-do for any visitor to the park. Hiking the Skyline Trail to Panorama Point is considered to be one of the best hikes in the park.
Shorter, easier trails include the Alta Vista Trail and the Nisqually Vista Trail. These are only a little over a mile and take you up to good viewpoints.
Mount Rainier is also known for its beautiful waterfalls and lakes, many of which are accessible by short paved trails. Ask your ranger how to access Myrtle Falls and Reflection Lake for easy views. Some of the other waterfalls may require a little rock scrambling if you don’t mind that!
There are many trails at Sunrise as well. For beginners or casual explorers, the Sunrise Nature Trail is a good start, stretching 1.5 miles from the upper end of the Sunrise picnic area, in a self-guided loop tour through subalpine meadows and offering breathtaking views of Mount Rainier and the Cascades.
Download the new NPS App before arriving at the park for helpful information and to make the most of your visit. Since Mount Rainier National Park has very limited cell coverage, best planning would be to save the Mount Rainier National Park section of the app before your visit so that you can use the app offline while in the park.
The Wonderland Trail at Mount Rainier
For east-coasters like us, the Wonderland Trail at Mount Rainier brings to mind the Appalachian Trail in the east. Like the AT, the Wonderland Trail is a strenuous trail, where through-trekkers attempt the entire trail with planning, and day trekkers may do just a little bit of it.
The approximately 93-mile (150 km) hiking trail circumnavigates Mount Rainier, passing through all the major life zones and terrains of the park. Many of the other trails connect to it.
This is more of a “hard core” hiking experience and not for beginners or casual hikers. The trail is always climbing or descending the ridges of the mountain.
The Wildflowers and Wildlife of Mount Rainier
The environment of Mount Rainier National Park includes lowland forests, wetlands, alpine tundra, and the most glaciated mountain in the contiguous United States. This makes for a very diverse community of plant and animal life. There are over 1000 species coexisting at Mt. Rainier, several of which are federally listed threatened or endangered species.
Both Paradise and Sunrise are well-known for their wildflower meadows, so either choice is a good one!
In most years, Mt. Rainier’s famous wildflowers bloom by mid-July, and by the beginning of August the lush meadows should be full and impressive to see. But weather conditions affect this schedule greatly so it’s hard to predict a “peak” time for wildflowers. Frost can occur as early as late August, but after the flowers come seed pods and autumnal leaf color change which can be equally as beautiful.
Park rangers draw the flowers in bloom at the Sunrise Visitor Center.
It is well known that being in nature is good for the body and soul. Mt. Rainier is a good place to immerse oneself in nature and refresh the mind. In the spirit of this philosophy, I may have gotten a little too obsessive about finding and identifying wildflowers during my hikes in Mt. Rainier, but it really does draw one in. I find it therapeutic to engage myself in the experience this way.
I bought myself a couple of those laminated Mac’s Field Guides, one for plants and one for birds & wildlife, from one of the Ranger Stations and was armed and ready. (If you frequent national parks, you know the ones I mean! Aren’t those guides just the greatest thing? I have quite a collection from over the years!)
Luckily the park’s website keeps an up-to-date Wildflower Guide, so you can check out what’s blooming during your visit if you aren’t the laminated field guide type! ;)
As in all national parks, please remember to practice the principles of Leave No Trace. Do not pick wildflowers or collect any other samples.
Wildflowers along a trail at Mount Rainier.
The Leave No Trace Seven Principles:
Plan ahead and prepare.
Travel and camp on durable surfaces.
Dispose of waste properly.
Leave what you find.
Minimize campfire impacts (be careful with fire).
Respect wildlife.
Be considerate of other visitors.
View from a Mount Rainier hiking trail.
Weather at Mount Rainier
Mount Rainier encompasses a wide diversity of environments, from glaciers and volcanic peaks, to river valleys and old growth forest. Conditions in such a setting can change rapidly.
Before heading to the park, check weather, trail conditions and road closing information by going to the official National Park Service website at Alerts & Conditions - Mount Rainier National Park (U.S. National Park Service)
You can also Follow @MountRainierNPS on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and YouTube.
Note that some trails, ranger stations or other facilities may be closed in winter.
Crystal Mountain Resort and Scenic Gondola Ride to the top of Crystal Mountain.
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The Crystal Mountain Resort and Scenic Gondola Ride
We stayed at the Crystal Mountain Resort, which serves skiers in winter but is just a nice place to stay in summer!
We aren’t skiers, but we really enjoyed the alpine atmosphere and quaint surroundings. Our room was basic but cozy and we enjoyed the relaxed, natural feel of the place.
Even in July, at this elevation, it was quite chilly, so sitting around an outdoor fire was delicious and cozy. And the warm, festive lights of the resort against the mountains at sunset made me feel like I was in a European Christmas village of sorts.
I think the most memorable thing we did at Mt. Rainier was the Scenic Gondola Ride, located at the resort. I am a fan of these types of things - as you might have gathered from some of my other posts about gondola rides and cable cars - and this one was particularly memorable.
The ear-popping ride up 2,400 vertical feet to the summit was great fun. Once we got to the top, the views of Mt. Rainier and the Cascade Range were just stunning! I literally felt as if I was floating in the clouds as we sat in lounge chairs looking over the edge. The temperature drops quickly up there so wear a jacket even in summer.
There are snacks as well as a nice restaurant, The Summit House, up top.
If you want to check it out, you can purchase tickets here.
Debbie enjoys the view after a ride in the Crystal Mountain Gondola.
Where to stay at Mount Rainier National Park
As mentioned above we stayed at the Crystal Mountain Resort and completely enjoyed it.
There are numerous other privately owned lodgings in the area. Here’s a link to learn more about Mount Rainier lodging.
While we enjoyed the Crystal Mountain Resort we have also enjoyed staying inside National Parks. Mount Rainier offers two choices inside the park - National Park Inn and Paradise Inn.
The National Park Inn is open year-round and offers 25 guest rooms, a full-service dining room, and a general store. The Paradise Inn has 121 guest rooms, a gift shop, a post office, a café, and a full-service dining room.
Just keep in mind that many of the lodging options inside National Parks tends to be more rustic than you might be used to. For example, there is no wifi at the Paradise Inn.
But what these lodgings sometimes lack in amenities they more than make up for in character and unforgettable experiences.
This post was researched and written by Debbie of the Empty Nest Explorers. You can learn more about the Empty Nest Explorers here.
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