The Ultimate Mount Rainier National Park Travel Guide

Welcome to the Mount Rainier National Park travel guide!

Mount Rainier is one of my favorite places in the United States.

I love how diverse the park is, and how many amazing landscapes you can see in one trip.

There are so many adventurous things to do here!

In today’s post, I’ve put together a complete guide to help you plan your visit.

Let’s dive in.

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What Is Mount Rainier?

Standing at 14,410 feet, Mount Rainier is the tallest volcano in the Cascades. (It’s still active, too!)

It’s also home to the longest, largest, and thickest glaciers in the continental US.

Mount Rainier’s native name is Tahoma (or Tacoma), meaning “mother of waters.”

It’s been a significant place for Native Americans for over two thousand years!

When To Visit Mount Rainier

I think the best time to visit Mount Rainier is from July-September.

Summer is when you’ll have access to the most of the park, as many of the roads and facilities are only open seasonally.

These are also the driest months, with the most pleasant temperatures.

Keep in mind it’s much more crowded at this time as well.

Winter at Rainier offers a different, still beautiful experience.

This is when you’ll have opportunities to snow-shoe, ski, and camp with greatly reduced crowds.

Layers are key here, no matter the season.

We visited the last week in July, and some of the higher trails were still covered in snow. (Hello, butt-sledding!)

Our first day hiking, it was so cold and foggy it was hard to see.

The next day, it was so warm and sunny, I hiked in just my sports bra and leggings!

Because the weather can be so unpredictable, always be prepared with extra layers and supplies, no matter the season.

How To Get To Mount Rainier

The most popular way to reach Mount Rainier is to drive from the Seattle area.

It’s roughly a 1 hour 50 min drive from Seattle to the southwestern entrance (closest to Paradise).

It’s a 1 hour 30 min drive to the northeastern entrance (closest to Sunrise).

How To Get Around Mount Rainier National Park

Having your own car is essential in Mount Rainier National Park.

This is because everything is VERY spread out, and there’s no transportation system within the park.

I highly recommend booking a rental car through RentalCars.com.

Personally, I use them every time I plan a trip.

I LOVE that they compare prices across every company at once, which saves a ton of time hunting down the best deals.

Less time researching, more time exploring right??

Tips For Visiting Mount Rainier National Park

Mount Rainier is a very popular national park, but unlike many of its counterparts, it doesn’t have a good transportation or shuttle system set up.

This means that traffic and parking can be a less than peaceful experience.

If you visit during the busy season, try to get to the entrance AT LEAST before 8 am.

Traffic really bottlenecks at the entrances, so if you arrive any later than that, you could be waiting in line for 30 minutes to HOURS.

No bueno!

Also, cell service is basically nonexistent in and around the park, so I highly recommend downloading maps or using physical maps to get around.

Main Sections Of Mount Rainier National Park

In this Mount Rainier National Park travel guide, I’ll walk you through the four main sections of the park.

Each section boasts its own unique landscape and biome, and the diversity here is really incredible!

I’ll go into more detail on the best hikes/activities in each area later.

Paradise

(Southwest) The weather in Paradise tends to be wetter, and the terrain ranges from thick, Jurassic-park like forests to subalpine lakes and meadows.

Many hikes leading to beautiful waterfalls and wildflower meadows begin here.

Paradise Inn is a popular lodge within the park. Also, this is the only place in the park I got perfect cell reception!

Carbon River/Mowich

(Northwest) Here, you can meander moss-carpeted paths through the temperate rainforest. Then, canoe or fish on Mowich Lake, the park’s largest and deepest lake.

Sunrise

(Northeast) This is the highest point accessible by car, and the driest side of the mountain, weather-wise.

Many of the most popular hikes begin in Sunrise, as well.

You’ll find some of the most breath-taking panoramic views here, and the subalpine and alpine landscape is strikingly different from the lower parts of the mountain.

After a day of exploring, Sunrise Day Lodge is a great place to shop and grab a snack.

Ohanapecosh

(Southeast) Lush vegetation and old growth forests are signatures of Ohanapecosh.

Here, you can walk among glacial rivers, and trees that are over a thousand years old!

Where To Stay In Mount Rainier National Park

Inside The Park

There are two lodges inside the park. The first is National Park Inn, tucked into the small Longmire Historic District.

The second is Paradise Inn, which is located in Paradise.

There are also campgrounds in each section of the park, some primitive and some drive-up. You can find more information here.

If you’re feeling adventurous, you can also backcountry camp! (With the proper permits, of course.)

Outside The Park

There are gateway towns at each entrance of the park, each with their own little selection of lodges and restaurants.

What I highly recommend is booking an Airbnb in a town like Ashford, which is right outside the southwestern entrance.

We loved our cozy little cabin, and having our own kitchen to cook food.

Our cabin even had a hot tub! (Which was heaven for our sore legs after long days of hiking.)

Thus, we made Ashford our home base, and just drove to the other sections of the park we wanted to visit.

Related: Smile Instagram Captions

What To Do In Mount Rainier National Park

Enjoy A Scenic Drive

The drive between the Paradise and Sunrise areas is roughly 1.5 hrs each way, and is sooo beautiful!

Mount Rainier towers above the surrounding landscapes the entire way, and there are lots of pullouts to take great pictures.

Again, having your own car is essential in Mount Rainier.

I recommend booking one through through RentalCars.com, which I always use.

Chase Waterfalls

Rainier has so many waterfalls!

Two of my favorites are Comet Falls and Silver Falls.

Narada Falls is one of the most accessible, with a large parking lot, and just a short hike (more like a walk) down to the viewpoint.

Hike

Obviously Mount Rainier has absolutely incredible hiking!

My favorite trail is the Skyline Loop.

I’ll share some more highlights in the next section, and I go into way more detail in my Best Hikes In Mount Rainier post.

Bike

Although all roads are open to cyclists, the coolest is the Carbon River Road.

Due to a flood in 2006, the road is closed to vehicles, so you get the entire 5 mile stretch to yourself.

Just imagine a relaxing bike ride through the rain forest, alongside the Carbon River!

Catch A Perfect Reflection

Reflection Lake is one of the most famous places in the entire park.

On a still day, this is where you’ll see that iconic image of Mount Rainier mirrored perfectly in the water.

Although it’s worth a stop, I have to admit we tried four days in a row, and every day, the water was too choppy to see a reflection.

Maybe you’ll be lucky! If not, you could always try Tipsoo Lake.

Related: Bold Instagram Captions

Hug An Ancient Tree

The Grove Of The Patriarchs is a fun nature trail leading through trees that are over a thousand years old.

These massive trees have withstood volcanic eruptions, floods, and more for a millennia.

They really make you feel small physically, and metaphorically!