Magnificent Mount Rainier – Icon of Washington’s Landscape
Mesmerizing, the sight of Mount Rainier is just mesmerizing once you see it in person. While I have been to many national parks, seen many mountains, and lived up in the mountains of New Hampshire, the height of Mt. Rainier is just so amazing, standing at 14,410 feet above sea level. The mountain stands tall and flanked by many glaciers up high while having wonderful trees and flowers dotting the lower levels. What started as a day trip on my Washington State Road Trip, ended up becoming a fantastic overnight stay in this wondrous national park. I couldn’t leave without spending a little more time on the mountain.
Read more: Best Hikes in Mount Rainier National Park*Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. This means that if you make a purchase or booking, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.Travels of Sarah Fay is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designaed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to amazon.com and affiliated sites at no cost to you. All views are my own and honest opinion of my experiences.
The Drive to Mount Rainier
The drive from Seattle to Mount Rainier National Park is only about 90 miles, making it a great day trip. This would be driving to the Nisqually entrance of the park since there are several entrances.
I had traveled around the state and entered the park from eastern Washington. After leaving Ellensburg, I had a 169-mile ride, or 3+ hours, to Mt. Rainier via Yakama. Yakama is a larger city with a population of about 98 thousand and the Yakama Reservation is nearby; it is home to Yakama Nation. I didn’t get to spend time there since time was running out, and I couldn’t wait to see Mt. Rainier. While it is said to be one of the more dangerous mountains given its height of 14,410 ft, steep cliffs, and volcanic activity, I couldn’t wait to see this icon of Washington.
As you approach Mount Rainier National Park (U.S. National Park Service) there are several entrances and some are closed during fall and winter months. They also require reservations to get in the park during the busy time of year, so I went later in September when reservations weren’t needed. I drove toward the Sunrise Gate to the park that is usually closed as winter approaches (later I left through the Paradise section of the park on our way to Seattle).
While I knew it was a tall mountain, the ride to the main lodge was simply wondrous climbing higher and higher. The road had many curves and turns and had various spots and sights of the mountain through the trees. It was just so incredible. I never realized there were so many glaciers on the mountain. There are 28 named glaciers and many unnamed snowfields. So you’ll see trees and pretty greenery up to a point, then the glaciers and snow fields are higher up. Just amazing. I just never realized just how tall 14k+ feet was.
Enjoy Paradise Inn and Trails
I finally arrived at the rustic, majestic, and historic Paradise Inn built in 1916 (altitude of 5,270 ft) Paradise Inn (U.S. National Park Service. Next to the lodge is the main parking area, which also gets pretty full, and the Visitor Center. But it’s great to see the lodge with its massive fireplaces, large beams, store, restaurant, and coffee shop. Next, I had a hot chocolate from the coffee shop then took a small hike to see a small waterfall and listened to a park ranger near the visitor station to learn more about hikes up the mountain. Myrtle Falls is less than a ½ mile from the Inn on the Skyline Trail and it is one of the most photographed spots.
I did walk through the Ranger Station/Visitor Center also which had another gift shop, rangers, food/drinks, and some nice viewing areas of the mountain, especially from the top floor of the building. But right outside the door to the center, you see a massive stairway that leads to the breathtaking view of Mt. Rainier, where many stop to take pictures. The view looking up towards the mountain was just stunning with green trees, flowers, and meadows, rising up to the tundra area that then had glaciers up to the snow-covered top of the mountain. I took some pictures here, but first I wanted to see the amazing lodge nearby and grab a drink, snack, etc.
My top tip for solo hiking?
I recommend downloading the Alltrails app and getting the All Trails Plus or peak membership. If you want to stay safe, download the maps of trails, and more so you can have them offline on the trails. I have a discount of 30 % for you if you download it here and sign up for either. Also, I recommend getting travel insurance when you are trying to make sure you are covered on the road. There are different types of travel insurance so check which one maybe good for your, but I use Safetywing.
Stay and Explore the National Park Inn
Wow, the lodge itself was an awesome place. I did ask if the lodge had any rooms, but they didn’t have any and the staff said that they are usually booked a year in advance (and so you know, they have no A/C, etc.). This lodge is open seasonally. Sadly, I was starting to head back to Seattle after my 3rd time asking the clerk if a room was available, then hit the road heading toward the Paradise Gate since there were no rooms. But well before the gate, I came to the National Park Inn in Longmire which is still in the park (about 2,700 ft above sea level) and I just had to stop and at least see this lodge.
I had luck on my side and they had got a last-minute cancellation. This was awesome and we were so fortunate, it was the only one available. This historic, rustic lodge is in the original Longmire area that had a hotel and was settled. I had a great hearty pasta dinner at the lodge’s dining room and then enjoyed a cup of coffee in the living room that had games to play and books to read. This was perfect, now I’m able to explore more of the mountain the next day before I fly away home.
Day 2 at Mt. Rainier National Park
Today I woke up and enjoyed a cup of coffee on the front porch of the Inn, looking out over the road with new visitors arriving at the park. We knew it would be a busy day and we got back up to the Paradise Inn to be able to see more of the park and grab a quick bite (our plane was later that night). But first, we strolled around since there was a trail across the street and a small museum. Across the street were many great trees that shielded a great meadow that you can walk around via a nice trail. You can also see some of the small hot springs in the area that were popular in the early 1900s.
Then as we drove up the mountain, I did stop at a few favorite spots, like Narada Falls (U.S. National Park Service), to see along the ride back up to Paradise Inn. Narada Falls is a great spot to see a sparkling tall waterfall, the biggest, right off the road. There are also other places in the area to explore near the mountain, like Reflection Lakes (U.S. National Park Service). I stopped here for a quick picture, although it was a bit overcast when I went, it is a favorite photo spot of many. With a flight in Seattle that night, I had to get back up the mountain since time was ticking.
Hike Skyline Trail
After a little more driving upwards, I arrived at the stunning Paradise Inn, I grabbed my water and snacks to head out and climb the fabulous Skyline Trail – Mount Rainier National Park (U.S. National Park Service). The trail is 5.5 miles and takes 4-5 hours depending on your hiking style and if you stop to view some amazing spots. Notably, you gain 1,700 feet in elevation as you go up the trail.
Wildlife on the trail
Along the trail, I met some hikers who saw a bear. While I didn’t see any that day, I did see such a cute Hoary Marmot that I had never seen before. It was so cute in one of the meadows along the hike while he rested on a rock. From what I was told, the marmot loves to scour the subalpine area and eat on vegetation in the meadows until it hibernates for 8-9 months during the winter. From my research, if you are from the East Coast, they are similar to a large chipmunk or groundhog. It was quite big, but had a cute demeanor and didn’t seem to mind people. But like any wildlife, don’t feed the animals (there are signs). The mountain has so many large and small wildlife, beavers, bears, etc. You always have to be on the lookout, but it’s quite exciting.
The trail is more considered a moderate to intense hike unless you are an experienced hiker. A good stop is the Ranger Station before entering the trail and asking the ranger. Sometimes there are spots you can decide to turn around if you may find it more intense after you start it. It is a great way to get some better glimpses of those glaciers and the meadows, etc. I truly loved it.
When it was time for me to start heading back to Seattle for my flight (return the car, etc.) I wanted to mention a popular hike that I would have taken if I had more time.
Mount Fremont Lookout Trail
This hike is in the Sunrise area of the park, where we entered the park the day before. It is at a higher elevation of 6,400 ft and rises to the Lookout station. I always wanted to make it here, you know that type of lookout that may be used to watch for fires, etc. This hike is about 5.6 miles and gains 900 feet of elevation. You get to this trail via the north side of the parking lot, where the Sourdough Ridge Trailhead is located. I’ve heard there are great views of Mt. Rainier, the Cascades, and Mt. Olympus on a clear day. This historic Lookout was constructed in the 1930s. This is also a great place to see the sunset at Mt. Rainier.
In case you are interested, the Sunrise area also has an historic lodge called, Sunrise Day Lodge (U.S. National Park Service. This is only open from early July to mid-September when vehicles can drive here; notably the area is closed in the winter (with all the snow).
Bye Mt Rainier For Now
My time at Mount Rainier has come to an end (at least for now), but I shall return one day since there is so much to see. Mt. Rainier was quite amazing and so much more than I expected. I highly recommend you take even a day trip here to the main Paradise area to see the 4th National Park in the USA. There are over 260 miles of maintained trails at this magnificent park of various skill levels. Seeing the various parts of the mountain stretching from the valley up to the glaciers with flowers at the base, was so stunning. Then seeing the wildlife there, including the cute Marmot, made this such a memorable experience. Like I said earlier, I will definitely return to this wonderful place. And, always remember, enjoy the journey.
PS: This is another reason to get the America the Beautiful National Park Pass Entrance Passes (U.S. National Park Service). It’s such a great way to see more of these beautiful parks in the USA. Also, remember that some parks do require reservations to enter since so many love to visit these beautiful places like Mount Rainier. Be sure to reserve your time so you have a great experience.
Where to stay near Mt Rainier National Park
Pin For Later
Travels of Sarah Fay
Copyright
All rights reserved
No copies without written permission
October 1, 2025
