After visiting Mount Rainier National Park in the winter months with no luck of seeing the mountain, my summer Mount Rainier trip in early August was a success! I have visited the park two other times, and the mountain was never out.
Before I dive into this blog, I wanted to point out some history behind Mount Rainier. You will see me calling the mountain Tahoma rather than Rainier. Tahoma is the mountains given name by the Puyallup Tribe. Rainier was taken from the Puyallup Tribe when white settlers from England came in 1756, being named after Admiral Peter Rainier.
Having visited the park in every season, I wanted to share with you what I have learned along the way, and the best times to visit. And of course, photos! The reason for this quick trip for me was to see the wildflowers at their prime.
Let’s get into it!
Where Is Mount Rainier National Park?
When I first visited Seattle and saw Mount Rainier in the distance on a sunny day, I thought it was maybe an hour from the city. Turns out, it’s a bit further and requires extra planning due to the popularity. Especially visiting Mount Rainier in the summertime, the park gets busy with cars so it is best to visit early or during the week like I did. I have visited the park in winter months only to find the mountain covered in clouds, which isn’t rare anytime of year!
It is important to note that there are three separate entrances to the park, all of which aren’t always accessible due to weather. It is important to call the rangers first and check the
The first time I visited Mount Rainier National Park was in the winter for snowshoeing. The thing about visiting Rainier is even though you might see the mountain as you drive in, it might not be visible in the park. Before you drive in you can also check the cameras at Sunrise and Paradise for current conditions. It is important to check the weather before you visit. Snow, rain, and other elements could leave you stranded in the park or you might not be able to drive in. For example, it was snowing so much so fast that they couldn’t plow the roads fast enough so they shut the park down. To review the current road status surrounding the park, go here. The second time I visited was the fall. We got an AIRBNB in Packwood, WA. In typical PNW fashion, it rained a lot, so the moody vibes surrounding the mountain were beautiful. The mountain was mostly engulfed in clouds the entire time. This time I went in the summer, the first week in August. I was carefully watching online the status of the wildflower bloom. Because my job is flexible enough, I was able to take a Monday and Tuesday off to go visit the park. Visiting in the summer you are more likely to see the Tahoma in all her glory. I sure got lucky! Once you see how beautiful Tahoma is in the summertime, you can understand why it’s busy! I want to cover some tips on how to avoid crowds in the park. First, go during the week. This is the easiest way to avoid the mass crowding that happens on the weekends. I have heard about the long lines to get into the park and wouldn’t like to experience it. Everytime I have visited I have entered at sunrise or sunset, so I haven’t had to wait in any lines. During the week on this trip I noticed lines seemed to be abundant after 10 am. Parking is limited in the park at popular hiking destinations, so sometimes you may find yourself waiting for people to leave so you can get to your destination. Paradise and Sunrise visitor centers are going to be the busiest as the most popular vistas and hiking destinations start from there. We entered through the Nisqually Entrance one day and the White River Road the next. The White River Road is suggested as the least visited side of the park, which is true. We barely saw anybody driving in that side. To save time when your entering the park, be sure to have your park pass ahead of time. You can purchase that here at Recreation.gov. Park passes are $30 for the week. It was hard for me to pick which trail I wanted to hike while I was there. Based on my research I had a lengthy list of trails I wanted to visit: Panorama Ridge, Burroughs Mountain, Emmons Glacier, Tolmie Peak, Skyline Loop Trail, Myrtle Falls Viewpoint, Camp Muir…to name a few. I was fortunate my friend Alexis joined for this trip as she is a WA native and knows the park pretty well. She took me on one of her favorite hikes, Plummer Peak via Pinnacle Peak Trail. Located in the Paradise side of the park, Pinnacle Peak Trail is a stunning trail that has a view of Mount Rainier the entire hike up. The forest floor is covered with wildflowers, and leads you up to a tarn at the top. We did this hike at sunset time, but started at 5pm to give us enough time to truly enjoy the views and flowers along the way. Duration: 3.2 miles round-trip Elevation Gain: 1,443 feet This time of year is mosquito season in the PNW so bring bug spray on this hike!! The tarn at the top of the trail hadn’t fully melted out yet but the mosquitoes were abundant. Once you get to the top there are a lot of places to run around and get different vantage points. Be sure to stay on established trails and Leave No Trace while you are up there. On the second day we went to another side of the park to do the Emmons Glacier Trail. Parking is limited as you park at a campground. We arrived early on a Tuesday and didn’t have any issues finding parking. Duration: 4.1 miles round trip Elevation Gain: 931 feet The hike leads you through a beautiful forest with views of Tahoma the entire way. After you cross the river and go up the loose rock, you immediately have views of the glacier and alpine lake. In my opinion it is not necessary to hike much further up the loose rock trail as the views don’t get much better. There are numerous spots to stop and eat lunch. If you’re feeling adventurous like we were we brought swimsuits and jumped into the lake. For those looking for a longer hike away from the main park areas that tend to get congested, Tolmie Peak Lookout is a stunning hike. The trail goes up and down through hilly covered forests to a pristine blue lake. The final descent through switchbacks takes you to Tolmie Peak Lookout, a locked tower for rangers to stay in. Duration: 7.5 miles round-trip Elevation: 1,100 feet elevation gain Located in the Paradise parking area, Panorama Ridge is a great trail that you can either hike a portion of-or the entire trail. The views of Mount Rainier the entire way up on a sunny day are completely stunning-you can’t go wrong! Plus, this side of the park is the best area for flowers during peak wildflower season. Duration: 6.2 miles Elevation: 1,788 Feet Elevation Gain This completely paved trail is handicapped accessible from the paradise parking lot at Mount Rainier. Due to the ease of the trail-this is quite popular! For good reason, the views of Myrtle Falls and Mount Rainier perfectly align. There are two bridges for viewing the waterfalls-for the more expansive view go to the lower portion of the falls. Duration: .08 miles out and back Elevation: 150 feet elevation gain Surrounding the park there is limited options for food. Typically when I am traveling solo on the road I prefer to prepare my own food in advance. Not only does this save you money, it also keeps me away from people who might witness I am traveling alone. Housing surrounding the park is likely to sell out at least a year in advance. Since I live within driving distance I booked a Hip Camp campsite outside of the park. Hip Camp is a booking site where people are able to list campsites and dwellings they have on their private property. Unfortunately this site was a little too close to the homeowners house for my comfort. So I decided to call campsites in the area to hear of cancellations. I was able to find a campsite at Alder Lake Campground, and I had to drive there to book it. Some states will allow you to book online same day, but not WA. This was a lesson in ignoring the “campground full” sign and asking the camp host if there was cancellations. I snagged an epic spot on the lake. Always have cash on you for this reason. Since I was meeting a friend we were able to split the cost of the campsite. It was nice the campground had parking as well so we were able to leave a car behind and ride together into the park, saving money on gas and the entrance fee. Whenever I go on a road trip, I am either alone on the drive or alone on hikes. Doing this for myself is a big part of my self expression and mental health. For me being behind the wheel for hours to think about my life and blast the music I want with my own agenda is so freeing. People ask, how do you feel safe? To be honest, I don’t always. The more that I go, the more safe I feel. I try to have a knife, bear mace, and an emergency device. I always tell somebody close to me where I am going and update them along the way. Sleeping in my tent alone never gets easier, especially if I don’t have my dogs with me. I forget how much of a safety net they are for me! Moreover, when I am hiking alone I don’t wear headphones so I am aware of my surroundings. I always have some sort of self defense tool ready to go. And if I can’t stress it enough: always tell somebody where you are going and how long you will be gone for! Ultimately visiting Rainier is going to be your own experience no matter what time of year you go. That’s the beauty of the mountains, forcing you to enjoy the present moment. If I can offer any advice is if the weather doesn’t pan out for you, the beauty will still be there, and so will the destination so you can return again. I too have been guilty of wanting to visit places to get the right photo or the right conditions, which completely takes away from the experience itself. Happy Adventuring, Logan
When To Visit
How To Avoid Crowds
Do I Need A Permit For Mount Rainier National Park?
Where To Hike
Pinnacle Peak Trail
Emmons Glacier Trail
Tolmie Peak Lookout
Skyline Trail Loop At Mount Rainier National Park
Myrtle Falls Viewpoint
How To Budget While Visiting Mount Rainier National Park
How To Feel Safe
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2 comments
You’re photos are absolutely MAGICAL😍 such a great read and adventure!!
Thank you Haleigh! Means a lot, thanks for reading.
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