mt. rainier

We visited this national park in the fall of 2024 and were greeted with sunny, clear skies, wildflowers, butterflies, and were surrounded with greenery, glacier lakes, and waterfalls! This is an epic destination for hiking!

Washington, USA

SEE/ DO

Reflection Lakes viewpoint
Hike Skyline Trail Loop (5.8 mi, 1400ft elevation gain, moderate difficulty)
- Myrtle Falls Viewpoint is only 0.7mi in and is gorgeous!
Paddleboard/ Kayak at Mowich Lake (long gravel road and need your own gear, but serene and epic!)
Mt. Rainier Gondola Ride to the summit (beautiful views!)
Northwest Trek Wildlife Park Keeper Adventure Tour (a nature preserve with elk, moose, bison, mountain goats, caribou, etc.)

EAT

Ashford

Paradise Village Restaurant (best food we had on this trip for breakfast and dinner - authentic Ukrainian)
Base Camp Grill (casual outdoor seating for burgers, sandwiches, salads)

Mt. Rainier Summit

Summit House (great views from the top of the mountain with some fresh and healthy options)

STAY

We enjoyed a cute dog-friendly cabin in Ashford, which was near the Paradise (South) entrance of the park.
The Airbnb options seemed to be nicer than the resorts in this area.

Tips

Mt. Rainier National Park is large and requires significant driving to explore different areas of the park
Hikes within the park are not dog-friendly
Cell reception is very poor
Hiking poles would have been useful for the hikes with a lot of elevation gain
Parking can be tricky when the park is busy - perhaps plan on visiting the Paradise entrance mid-week