Mount Rainier, Washington

Looking for the best photography in Mount Rainier? We've got you covered with the top trails, trips, hiking, backpacking, camping and more around Mount Rainier. The detailed guides, photos, and reviews are all submitted by the Outbound community.

Top Photography Spots in and near Mount Rainier

  • Packwood, Washington

    Castle Peak

    4.0
    6.68 mi / 2385 ft gain
    Start this route at the Narada Falls Parking lot. This route starts by following Stevens Canyon Road until you arrive at Reflection Lakes after 1.5 miles. About halfway along the lakeshore a path breaks off to the right into the forest. This is a popular route so there is often a snowshoe path be...
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  • Packwood, Washington

    Ski Tour to The Castle & Pinnacle Peak

    4 mi / 1200 ft gain
    Enter Mount Rainier National Park via the Nisqually Entrance outside of Ashford. Drive past Longmire and continue heading up towards Paradise. Parking for this trip can be found at Narada Falls. From the Narada Falls parking lot you will head up to the closed for the winter portion of Stevens Ca...
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  • Packwood, Washington

    Wonderland Trail

    4.8
    86.53 mi / 24062 ft gain
    NOTE: The northwest section of the Wonderland Trail is currently inaccessible due to the permanent closure of the Carbon River entrance and Fairfax Bridge. Hikers should plan alternate start and end points, such as Sunrise or Longmire, to avoid the closed area. Possibly one of the greatest loop ...
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  • Packwood, Washington

    Narada Falls

    0.3 mi / 75 ft gain
    Narada Falls is a stunning 188-foot cascading waterfall located in Mount Rainier National Park, Washington. Situated along Paradise Road, this picturesque waterfall offers visitors a breathtaking view of water plunging over a volcanic rock face, creating a misty spectacle that captures the raw be...
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  • Ashford, Washington

    Scramble to Tamanos Mountain

    10 mi / 3000 ft gain
    Soon after entering Mt. Rainier National Park via the White River Entrance, pull into the Owyhigh Lakes Trail parking area. From the parking lot, walk across Sunrise Road to the Owyhigh Lakes Trailhead to begin an exceptional hike to the summit of Tamanos Mountain.Start by hiking 3.5 miles on the...
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  • Packwood, Washington

    Snow Lake Trail

    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...
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  • Packwood, Washington

    Lakes Trail Loop

    5.34 mi / 1381 ft gain
    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...
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  • Packwood, Washington

    Explore Reflection Lakes

    4.3
    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...
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  • Packwood, Washington

    Pinnacle Peak

    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 ...
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  • Packwood, Washington

    Christine Falls

    3.7
    Driving along Paradise Road on the south side of Mount Rainier, provides a couple of opportunities to view gorgeous waterfalls with a short hike. From the West, the first stop is Christine Falls. There is parking on either side side of the bridge, but the east side is closest to the trail. Desce...
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  • Ashford, Washington

    Comet Falls

    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...
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  • Lewis County, Washington

    Indian Bar - Cowlitz Divide via Box Canyon

    14.13 mi / 4199 ft gain
    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...
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  • Ashford, Washington

    Carter & Narada Falls

    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...
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  • Ashford, Washington

    Upper Palisades Lake

    7.05 mi / 1601 ft gain
    Park at the Sunrise Point parking lot and find the Palisades Trail at the northeast corner of the parking lot. If you bring along a pair of binoculars, you can stop at the first overlook on the left and scan the adjacent mountain slopes for the white dots of mountain goats. Continue down the trai...
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  • Ashford, Washington

    Longmire Lookout via Rampart Ridge

    4.04 mi / 1257 ft gain
    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...
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  • Enumclaw, Washington

    Explore Tipsoo Lake

    4.0
    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...
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