Mt Rainier National Park in 1 Day
Pro tip: spend the night in Ashford to get an early start!
Morning
Reflection Lakes
Spend sunrise at Reflection Lakes in Mt Rainier National Park. Why sunrise? It’s when the landscape is at its calmest, which means it’s your best chance at a clear reflection. Bring a coffee, a blanket, and set up a chair at the lakes edge. It’s the perfect way to start the morning.
Paradise
6 min from Reflection Lakes
Backtrack just 6 minutes to Paradise–the most popular Mt Rainier hub–to hike the Skyline Trail. This is also a base camp for climbers planning to summit.
You don’t need to walk the entire loop to get a good feel for it, but if you have the time, highly recommend! It takes you past a waterfall and through alpine meadows, all the while with an impressive view of the volcano and it’s glaciers.
Afternoon
Grove of the Patriarchs
36 min from Paradise
If you love big old-growth trees and suspension bridges, take a minute to walk this short 1.5-mile round trip loop. They’re epic.
Tipsoo Lake
22 min from Grove of Patriarchs
This is a gorgeous alpine lake that’s again just off the side of the road. You can walk around it or drive to the far side to catch a glimpse of the east side of Mt Rainier over the lake on a clear day.
If you have the time, I recommend walking the Naches Peak Loop for ample wildflowers in the spring and a couple more lakes on the way.
Evening
Sunrise - The Location ;)
41 min from Tipsoo Lake
Confusing, I know, but Sunrise is the visitor’s center on the north side of Mt. Rainier and offers some beautiful hikes that are vastly different than what you’ll find at Paradise.
My rec? Hike the 5.7 miles RT to the Fremont Fire Lookout.
Washington’s fire lookouts are a big part of the state’s outdoors history. Some are still in use today! The hike takes you above the tree line, past a lake, and ends on a ridge looking west over the Cascades. Climb up the fire lookout, peek inside the windows and walk around the deck. The mountain looks huge from here!
Optional: Glacier Basin Trail
This little-known 2-mile round trip hike reaps a massive reward: a blue Gatorade lake with a glacier in the distance! Just make sure you take a left at the fork at the 1-mile point. If you’re feeling up to it, hike the full 7.8 miles round trip that takes you eight up to the glacier!
(It’s a base camp for those summiting the mountain).
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