Top Spots in and near Mount Rainier National Park
-
Ashford, Washington
4.0
5.13 mi
/ 778 ft gain
Starting out from the beautiful Mowich Lake (4,929 ft), this hike takes you through some of Mt. Rainier Nation Park's best scenery. Thanks to the 13 miles of dirt roads it takes to even get to the trailhead, this hike is also rarely crowded. At 5.5 miles roundtrip to Eunice Lake, this is a grea...
Read more
-
Ashford, Washington
No need to for an entire day hike to enjoy wonderful reflections, crystal clear water, and beautiful scenery a few hundred feet from the parking lot!
Park at the Mowich Lake Campground parking lot and follow signs for the Wonderland trail. You will begin your hike on the south side of the lake ...
Read more
-
Ashford, Washington
5.0
3.57 mi
/ 1312 ft gain
Located on Paradise Road along the south side of Mount Rainier, the Comet Falls Trail follows Van Trump Creek up to the magnificent Comet Falls. The hike is 3.8 miles round trip with 1250' of elevation gain.
The trail starts off at 3650' and soon crosses over a bridge above Christine Falls. It q...
Read more
-
Packwood, Washington
The Lakes Trail Loop can be accessed two ways. You can either start in Paradise and find one of the multiple points along the Skyline Trail or you can begin at Reflection Lake.
My recommendation for a nice day hike is to begin at Reflection Lake. If you arrive by 8am you should have an easy time...
Read more
-
Packwood, Washington
Reflection Lakes is located approximately 1 mile east of Inspiration Point just off Steven Canyons Road in the Paradise section of Mount Rainier National Park. Simply park in one of the pullouts at the lakes and enjoy the scenery. Reflection Lakes can also be accessed via the Wonderland Trail.T...
Read more
-
Packwood, Washington
4.8
2.84 mi
/ 1450.35 ft gain
This trailhead is easily accessed at the parking lot at Reflection Lakes in Mount Rainier National Park. A short but sweet hike (1.3 miles one way) that leads to beautiful views of Rainier, Mount Adams, Mount St. Helens, and if clear enough, Mt. Hood (Oregon).
Pinnacle itself can be climbed to ...
Read more
-
Ashford, Washington
4.5
5.73 mi
/ 1250 ft gain
Mount Rainier is spectacular to look at, but sometimes the best views aren't from on its slopes, but just a little ways away. Tucked in the seldom-visited northwest corner of Mount Rainier National Park, the Tolmie Peak fire lookout frames the mountain's rugged slopes with a pristine alpine lake ...
Read more
-
Packwood, Washington
3.8
2.12 mi
/ 427 ft gain
Snow Lake is a beautiful lake in Mount Rainier National Park in Washington. You can do the 2.6 mile roundtrip hike to the lake as either a day trip or as a backcountry camp. To camp at one of the two sites on the lake you must secure a permit from the permit office at Longmire.
The hike to the s...
Read more
-
Ashford, Washington
3.0
5.81 mi
/ 1434 ft gain
This hike starts off with a bang! The first thing you do is walk out into a rocky riverbed and get an amazing view of Mt. Rainier. From there, you'll cross a long log bridge to get over the river and head into the woods.
After 1.1 miles, you'll come across Carter Falls, and about 100 feet down t...
Read more
-
Lewis County, Washington
There are multiple ways to access Indian Bar. This one starts at Box Canyon.
From the parking area at Box Canyon walk across the road and follow the signs for Wonderland Trail.
Head up the Wonderland trail through the trees to the split with the Cowlitz trail. Continue on the Wonderland Trail...
Read more
-
Enumclaw, Washington
Prepare in advance to hold your jaw from dropping. Stunning views of Mt. Rainier await visitors of Grand Park. A quick jaunt through the forest via the trailhead leads first to Lake Eleanor. Well groomed campsites are available for overnight stays.Head past Lake Eleanor and you're on the way to G...
Read more
-
Enumclaw, Washington
Make sure you are going out on a clear day to catch the best views of the mountains, and bring your camera! From the summit, it’s possible to see six volcanoes spanning two states. Baker, Glacier, Adams, Rainier, St. Helens and Hood wait patiently for you to climb the more-than-moderately steep p...
Read more
-
Ashford, Washington
When heading to the adventure, stopped at the ranger station in Carbon to get your day pass ($5.00) and then continue on to the trailhead. Park on the road next to the Carbon river around. Start the hike down an old paved road that eventually leads through some trails and then to a gravel road. T...
Read more
-
Ashford, Washington
4.0
7.89 mi
/ 3287 ft gain
The Shriner Peak Lookout Trail is one of the more demanding day hikes in the Mount Rainier region — a relentless 7.89-mile out-and-back that gains over 3,200 feet of elevation to reach a restored fire lookout perched at the summit. The reward is proportional: unobstructed, panoramic views of Moun...
Read more
-
Enumclaw, Washington
Tipsoo Lake provides a great spot for capturing a sunset at Mount Rainier. There are two lakes at Tipsoo, with Upper Tipsoo Lake providing a better view of the Mountain. To access Upper Tipsoo Lake, drive past the main parking lot for Tipsoo Lake and park at the pullout around the bend on the sam...
Read more
-
Ashford, Washington
Starting at the Longmire Trailhead, cross the road and begin snowshoeing counter-clockwise on the Trail of Shadows. This first 0.5 miles begins the hike as a nice warm up where you can make sure your snowshoes are adjusted properly and stop from time to time to learn some facts from the interpre...
Read more