Visiting Paradise Glacier Trail at Mt Rainier National park during the snowy season was an…read moreexperience I will NEVER forget. If you're planning to go before the winter conditions become too severe DO plan ahead by ensuring you have tire chains (there is a $500 fine if you don't,) and arrive early enough to enjoy your visit as the entrance to paradise closes earlier because of inclement conditions. I'm looking forward to returning next summer for hikes; I highly recommend!!

Excellent food! My fiancé didn't agree with the authenticity…read moreof the food but it's the most delicious of Borsch I have had since moving to the USA 14 years ago! So proud of my Ukrainian brothers and sisters making a mark in the States with their menu

I have been to this area probably a half dozen times or so throughout my life and it is…read morebreathtakingly beautiful. On our most recent visit last month, we did some camping, hiking, exploring and made sure to visit the Gondola at Crystal Mountain. The weather was glorious, even in the summer heat it is always cool and enjoyable here. We even got some rain while we were camping which was so lovely having come from 100 degree scorching days. We loved the view on our hikes as well. You will get a mix of forests, meadows and some incredible mountain views. We were able to bring our dog with us everywhere and she loved it as well. We even had to break out her harness with a coat to make sure she didn't get a chill. This whole place is beautiful no matter the season and I can't wait for my next visit.

By far the most beautiful nature experience Mt Rainier so many trails great visitor center and…read morelodge I did 2 trails in one day will have to return for a week to be satisfied

This is a great hike for photographers if you want to get both a nice view of Mount Rainier and of…read moreits reflection in the lake. The best time to come here is on a clear day and when the water is calm. You get stunning views of the alpine lakes and of the mountain peaks in the background. I made two stops here during my trip because the wind had caused ripples on the water and I wasn't able to get a clear shot with my camera. The reflection was much more clearer the second stop. Reflection Lakes is located off of Stevens Canyon Road just south of Paradise in Mount Rainier National Park. After parking, head down to the lake to find the hiking trail. The parking lot can fill up during the busier part of the day. The Lakes Trail is a three mile loop trail that goes around the lake and starts from either end of the parking lot. Wildflowers border the lakes in summer which adds some nice color to your photographs. The park asks that you stay on the trail to protect the meadow around the lake. Pinnacle Peak Trail is another popular trail that starts south of the Reflection Lakes parking lot. I really enjoyed making a stop here. It is one of the best places to get an iconic picture of Mount Rainier. There is no swimming, fishing, or boating in Reflection Lakes. But nearby Louise Lake allows wading and fishing. You can only visit Reflection Lakes in the summer as Stevens Canyon Road closes up during the winter season.

Made a quick stop here to see the reflection of Mt Rainier…read more Heard it's supposed to be beautiful at sunrise, but it was rainy during our visit so we forewent the early morning visit. Came around 9am-ish on a cloudy day and were able to see a decent reflection - can only imagine how beautiful it would be on a nice, sunny day. We did a bit of the walk around the lakes, and while the walk was nice, the best views come from the overlooks where you park. Definitely worth a quick stop while driving by. If the weather is good, consider sunrise - you might be in for a wonderful surprise.

Honestly I felt like I couldn't say I had properly visited Mt. rainier without heading to sunrise,…read moreand we got lucky: we came here on 7/4/25, which it turns out was the first day the sunrise entrance was open for the summer. Starting on 7/11/25, a reservation became required from 7a-3p, so luckily we just barely didn't need one. We arrived around 8:30a or so and the lot was not quite full but getting there. The visitor center opened at 9 so we came to get some stamps, shirts at the shop, and check out the educational resources. It's a really nice center! Overall, you should definitely hit up the Sunrise part of Mt. Rainier the next time you take a trip here. The trails and lookouts are STUNNING.

Came here with my family on 9/29/24. It was a really cold early evening around 530pm ish. We took…read moregreat pictures of the beautiful views, however, we didn't last too long. Our fingers were freezing. We didn't expect it to be cold and unbearable. We planned to hike to the peak but that was a fail. We captured what we could before sunset. No pets allowed on trails. Parking is available at the Lodge. We shall be back again.

If you're a tree enthusiast such as myself, you will probably have the Patriarchs on your list of…read morestops while visiting Rainier. We couldn't get to it when visiting, as the road over from the SW entrance was closed already. So we actually went out and around to the SE entrance to take in the Grove and Silver Falls...worth it. Not far past the entrance you'll come to the Grove parking lot, restrooms included. I didn't have much time, so I went at quite a clip down the path, and a pretty cool path it was. You get to walk under the canopy of the beautiful forest along the river for a while...then you come to a verrrry wobbly suspension bridge to cross the river and enter the realm of the Patriarchs. It was pretty muddy when I was there, so I had to bob and weave from the bridge until I reached the boardwalk. From there you just let the boardwalk lead you as you wind through the Patriarchs, with lots of signs along the way to educate you as you take them in. A beautiful and short hike...I'm glad I went out of the way to see the big guys in person.

Eh, well, Grove of the Patriarchs was my least favorite activity while exploring Mount Rainier…read moreNational Park. I figured walking around and being surrounded by majestically tall trees would be worthwhile, but for me...this area fell flat. But...it could just be the fact that I have visited Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks featuring some of the tallest trees in the world over there in California even including Redwood National Park and some statuesque trees there also. I guess what I'm trying to say is that this Grove of the Patriarchs didn't impress me so much. Some details I'd like to mention about Grove of the Patriarchs for those tourists possibly considering this a spot to include within Mount Rainier... - It's a very simple 1.5 mile round trip walk with zero elevation gain. So...it'll basically take you no time to explore and browse through the forest. Maybe I needed an hour while I was there. - It's just fine for families as you walk along a boardwalk throughout. - The trailhead is located right in between the two main sections and most popular areas of Mount Rainier. It sits about 35 miles from the Paradise section and about 35 miles from the Sunrise section. That's why I figured this trail could be worthwhile as it'd give me an opportunity to break up the drive between Paradise and Sunrise. And for those who care...I explored all of Paradise, came here to Grove of the Patriarchs in early morning and then continued onto Sunrise. One thing...when I came here in early morning, the sun was yet to fully rise and there were plenty of dark shadows and overall a dim atmosphere which made my photography not the greatest. I believe you'd be better served to come here (if you choose to) in midday. Another disappointing aspect about this Grove of the Patriarchs is that it's very hidden along the road. Granted it's a simple roadside stop, but there was no sign stating "Grove of the Patriarchs"! I ended up passing it by while driving and had to ask a Park Ranger at an entrance station where the trailhead was. I ultimately I had to turn around and backtrack. Now...the real sign for Grove of the Patriarchs from the road will say....Eastside Trail! Yes this Eastside Trail is the alter name for Grove of the Patriarchs. Keep that in mind as I have no clue why it's called Eastside Trail. Only makes it confusing for tourists. While getting started on the Grove of the Patriarchs Trail you'll first encounter a small suspension bridge which adds a little fun element to the trek as you enter the heart of the forest. Also along the way there'll be a posted sign describing the trail including a small map of the path. After crossing over the suspension bridge, there'll be a sign saying Loop Trail. Since the boardwalk circles around in a loop...you can head in either direction left or right. It makes no difference. In the end you'll finish where you started. Finally, my biggest issue was just the Patriarchs or giant trees or whatever you may call them...they weren't so impressive to me. I wanted to give the benefit of the doubt that this trail would be scenic enough and special for me. But unfortunately I left unfulfilled after completing the 1.5 miles. I believe my real issue or key to being here at Mount Rainier is of course....Mount Rainier itself. Obviously it's the focal point for everything you do. The second most exciting part about Mount Rainier are the waterfalls. There's some incredible, and I mean incredible hikes and roadside stops to witness some of the best waterfalls around, including my favorite...Comet Falls! Yes Comet Falls was unlike anything I had seen until I encountered Multnomah Falls on the Oregon/Washington border, lol. But here at Grove of the Patriarchs I figured having a chance to walk around some massive trees would add a different element to my Mount Rainier experience. Getting to immerse myself in a unique setting and terrain sounded pretty amazing. But I never truly connected to it overall. Still...with all the incredible hiking opportunities at the Paradise and Sunrise sections of Mount Rainier...you can't go wrong with almost anything you do at this Top 10 national park (in my opinion). Of course...how typical is it that here I am writing about my least impressive attraction during my 4 day visit. It's okay I just wanted to give anyone out there a suggestion that if you come here to Grove of the Patriarchs Trail...maybe just temper your expectations.

This is a really good loop trail! Super easy and you feel very accomplished with all the different…read moreopen areas to see. This is definitely one you can take your young children or grandparents with. It's not the same views as the skyline loop. Let's be honest you're just not gonna beat those views and photo spots. But it's a very enjoyable hike.

Very kid friendly hike!…read more Off the highway - you can get to this trail without going thru a ranger gate (no park timed reservation needed) there's an upper lot with a pit toilet and a lower lot with a pit toilet (lower lot is the Tipsoo Lake stop). There are also several spots along the highway. Parking was plentiful before 9 am on a weekend Saturday in the summer (we went a couple weeks ago!) There is no cell service (unless you get satellite) so definitely pin a meeting spot before you go if you're meeting friends at the trailhead. You can start clockwise or counter clockwise from the lower lake, clockwise from the walking bridge from the upper lot (usually if you park at the upper lot you'd go away from tipsoo first) or using the seven car pull off side lot you could start counterclockwise from the Naches Peak Loop sign... speaking from experience, you might not find your friend and have to hike without them. Hiking clockwise is the way to go - this way you get Mt Rainier views for half of the hike (straight ahead), rather than having to stop and look back to admire the mountain. The hike is relatively friendly - some elevation gain but not too much. There are stairs but nothing two 3 year olds couldn't handle. There were small spots that were a bit exposed or had loose gravel but very minimal! My kiddo had an easier time here than Sunrise. Kids liked: dirt, old snow, lakes, holes and sticks. Adults didn't like: mosquitoes! There's great spots to stop and enjoy the view and eat snacks. We stopped for basically everything and it took us about 4 hours (we started from the lower lot at Tipsoo Lake). 3 year olds made it 50-60% of the hike and did most of the uphill, the rest in carriers. Just a quick reminder - national park so stay on the trail and don't pick the flowers. Oh and dogs are allowed on the PCT portion of the trail!

Ghosts ,ghosts, ghosts, phantoms. Good place to eat. As long as your girlfriend likes it.read more

The best kept secret in pierce county. Finding parking will be difficult on a nice day. We parked…read morenear the bridge but others will park near Fairfax trail. It is about A 2 to 5 mile loop. So if you were to do a round-trip it could be up to 4 to 10. Well you walk around you'll see beautiful foliage, rivers, trees, and scary abandoned ghost town relics of buildings. There are some who criticize this nonexistent town but if you have some patience you will see a lot of the structures. Or even the foundations of them. It is very dog friendly. However there is no water for them so please bring your own. The ground is not very smooth so be careful of their paws. There are no garbage cans so pack it out. There are many locals hiking and walking. They are very friendly.

This is a nice area to make a quick stop when driving on Stevens Canyon Road in Mount Rainier…read moreNational Park. Just a few steps away from the parking lot is a lookout over a narrow slot canyon. This canyon was carved out by the Muddy Fork of the Cowlitz River that you can see rushing below the lookout. You can also catch a glimpse of the Box Canyon Bridge if you look north toward Mount Rainier. Near the parking lot is a picnic area and a short loop trail. I didn't spend a whole lot of time here at Box Canyon. But I did enjoy exploring this overlook. This place was a relaxing shady area to enjoy after being in the car all day. There is not a lot of walking required. As you head out on Stevens Canyon Road, you will drive through the 160 feet long Box Canyon Tunnel that is just west of this area. Stevens Canyon Road is only open during the summer season.

Narrow canyon with river deep and rapid flow 180 ft below. Trail leads to a walking bridge with…read moresome tiny wildflowers here and there.