For a 1.2 mile this trail will surely be an ultimate favorite for families with strollers and…read moregrandparents who just wanna have an easy stroll yet still have that gorgeous view. Also a paved trail this one will made you stroll in loop at the same time do some photowalk. It is so gorgeous in here and as a bonus, you get to see part of Mt. Rainier in several viewpoints. The only cons in here is that there's a lot of bugs that flies around. And if you keep talking there's a possibility that they'll fly straight inside your mouth. These flies also keep coming to you as you stroll so if I were you, better carry some bug spray when you plan to hike here during summertime. PS: for those hardcore hikers, this might bored you. So skip this one or you can keep going to its connected trails available at Paradise Area located Henry M. Jackson Visitor Center. Mahalo for reading and happy juandering fellow yeeps!

Magnificent paved trail with beautiful views of Mount Rainier throughout. I love that trail options…read morelike this are available that are very easy for younger children, elderly, etc. We arrived very early before 9 am and only saw a couple others on the trail. I recommend always coming early to avoid crowds/long car lines to enter the park.

One of my favorite hikes in Mt Rainier. The hike is rough, but the end is 100% worth it…read more You'll access the Sourdough Ridge Trail about 600 feet from the visitor center, take it for about 1.1 miles, you'll hit Frozen Lake, and then it's another 1.3 miles up to the Overlook. You will get the most incredible views of Mt Rainier. The initial start of the Sourdough Trail is steep and strenuous, but give it about 0.2 miles - it's going to level out and be easy until you get to Frozen Lake. Don't hold your breath for Frozen Lake. We came in September - there was nothing frozen, no snow, and it was more like a small pond. Maybe it looks pretty in early spring when the park re-opens? Anywho, the trail is definitely strenuous. Pace yourself, take breaks if you need it, and drink lots of water (and make sure to BRING plenty of water). The overlook is incredible, and the views of Mt Rainier are breathtaking. The ranger station wasn't staffed while we were there, but you could climb up it for a better view. Otherwise, take a seat on a rock, eat some snacks, and enjoy! Overall, this hike will probably leave you feeling a bit wrecked, but it is well-worth all the effort.

Arrived 5:50am Saturday in mid September. It was also free national park day. The last hour or so…read moreto Sunrise Visitor Center (the trailhead) from Portland area is long and meandering and dark. I recommend downloading an offline map since there's no service. I wanted to get to the trailhead before sunrise. Once I got to Sunrise, the parking lot was 20-25% full and there were several parties starting their hike as well. I wish I brought a headlamp because it was pitch black. The bathrooms were open and the toilet flushed and the sinks had soap still. The trail is right behind the bathrooms. It took about an hour to get to the top. It's pretty rocky and most parts it's narrow so I would recommend hiking shoes. I was warming up because of the hike but at the lookout, it was so cold! Bring gloves, a hat and layers. The forecast said it would be cloudy. I checked Windy.com to see the cloud patterns before I left and there was an opening. I've been to Mt Rainier on a clear day but on a partially cloudy day it was just as nice.

Easy loop hike. A little bit of up then down then up kinda stuff. Its beautiful nature but really…read morenot much real view until the waterfall. Compared to skyline loop it isn't much. But its easy and quick.

Good hike through the woods. This provides "forest bathing" and good falls. Many huckleberry bushes…read morebut not too many fruit. Reverse hike! Uphill when you are hot and tired ...

I'm on a mission to stay active during this pregnancy, and have been hiking every Saturday morning…read morefor the last month or so. Last Saturday we went to Little Mashel Falls, and it's the first "new" hike I've done in a while (one that I haven't done before). The information on AllTrails & WTA is kind of confusing and daunting to follow regarding parking, so let me make it easy for you - PARK AT THE BUD BLANCHER TRAIL. It directly takes you to the falls trailhead, you don't have to be out of the lot by 2:30 (it's open til dusk) and it's right off a main road so you're very close to civilization and not in the middle of a forest or random highway. You can easily GPS Bud Blancher Trail by name and have no issues. There is a portable bathroom at the trailhead that is clean & maintained regularly, so if you really need to go, it's not the worst. This trail is fairly easy. There were a few times that my heart got pumping, but overall it was a great morning workout. I didn't hike to the Upper Falls as I've heard the views weren't that great. I did the Middle & Lower falls. The lower falls is a steep descent and coming up is probably the most incline you'll deal with the entire hike. Middle Falls is very easy to get to but be VERY careful on all the big rocks as they are very slippery. We had someone in our group fall (they're okay) and I slipped a few times myself. That being said, it's gorgeous and you can go underneath/behind the falls for a deafening experience if you so desire! Highly recommend this trail. Dog-friendly, kid-friendly (I'd say 6 and up), and great for beginners.

We really enjoyed exploring Middle Mashell Falls. We learned a lot by reading previous posts…read more Nicely maintained. Pet friendly. Next time we will pack a picnic & stay longer!! There is a bit of an incline before you get to the falls. Signage is very small & easy to miss on your first visit. We parked at Bud Blancher Trailhead

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

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.

Mount Rainier NPis such a gorgeous park. The drive up from Seattle was simple and didn't feel like…read morethe 2 plus hours. I was grateful for nearly perfect weather- even with the various microclimates throughout the park. I was prepared for the heavy humidity and the chilli weather. The park was "closed" due to the government shutdown and so we didn't have to pay the entrance fee which was nice. I do however feel bad for the park rangers and staff that were unable to work. We took the route of the Paradise route and stopped at the different viewpoints but there were a few closures. Reflection lake was beautiful but a bit crowded.

Every year I pick one or two national parks that I have never been to for vacation. This year I…read moredecided to fly to Washington and travel to both Mount Rainier and Olympic National Parks. My Dad lived north of the Seattle area for many years, and I would travel to see him. I would always marvel at Mount Rainier when flying over it by plane or seeing it from afar while in Seattle. Its snow-capped peak and overall size are incredible sites to see. Mount Rainier is a 14,410-foot active volcano in Washington's Cascade Range. It is the tallest mountain in Washington State. My Dad never had any interest in seeing this mountain up close, so I made my own trip out here to visit the park and do some hiking. I also ran a 5K that was going on in nearby Ashford to add a little fun to my trip. President William McKinley signed a bill authorizing the creation of Mount Rainier National Park in 1899. It is the nation's fifth national park. There are many cities around Mount Rainier National Park that you can stay in. I stayed in Packwood, which is southeast of the park. I took an overnight flight to Seattle-Tacoma and drove straight to the park where I ended up sleeping in my rental truck for a few hours until the sun came up. Mount Rainier National Park now requires a timed entry reservation made in advance during peak hours. I had got there early enough to avoid having to wait in the timed entry line. I began my day hiking to base of Mount Rainier on the popular 5.5-mile Skyline Loop Trail. It was a beautiful trail full of wildflowers, waterfalls, snow and wildlife. Marmots were running around all over and providing all sorts of entertainment for us hikers. The Skyline Trail begins and ends next to the visitor center in Paradise. At the visitor center, you can grab a bite to eat and check out exhibits that provide some history and information about this beautiful park. I spent much of my time driving around Mount Rainier National Park and enjoying its breathtaking views. The park has four main entrances - Nisqually, Carbon River, White River/Sunrise and Stevens Canyon. I was able to check out several waterfalls while exploring the park. Narada Falls was probably my favorite. One beautiful place to check out is Reflection Lake where you can see a reflection of Mount Rainier in the lake. Longmire is another popular destination that has lodging, camping, food, a visitor center and is the location of the park's original National Park Service Administration Building (which is now an information center). Ohanapecosh is an area in the park that has many campsites. I did make time to drive to Sunrise to get a different view of Mount Rainier. Sunrise is the highest point in the park that is accessible by vehicle at an elevation of 6,400 feet. When I visit national parks, I try to do a hike each day while I am in the park. There are 168 trails in Mount Rainier National Park. So I had to be selective in how many I could do because of time. After hiking the Skyline Loop Trail, I ended up doing some shorter day hikes like the Twin Firs Loop Trail and Bench & Snow Lakes Trail. I also did some hiking in the Sunrise area. There are so many trails to choose from at various lengths and difficulty. There is no Wi-Fi in Mount Rainier National Park. So I had to rely mostly on paper maps to get around. But if you do need Wi-Fi, you can stop at any of the three visitor centers in the park to connect. There are also park rangers on hand who are very helpful and will answer any questions that you may have. You will find restrooms, merchandise and food options at the visitor centers. I am so glad that I finally made my way to this beautiful national park to see this incredible mountain. Hiking the Skyline Trail and seeing some of the waterfalls were the highlights for me on this trip. Flying to Washington to spend some time in Mount Rainier National Park is an experience that I won't forget. I look forward to a return visit someday.

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.

The bestie and I decided to take a hike with my two dogs. This place popped up on a search. We're…read morein no way professional hikers and this hike made us both nervous a few times. We drove over a one lane bridge and then parked on the side where we saw other cars. Once we got out the car we couldn't tell where the actual hike started. Then we see a small sign that says it's north over the bridge. The one lane bridge? Yes. Yes this bridge. So off we go to walk across this high bridge with two dogs, also my youngest dog is a nut ball. Cars are driving past us but they're going slowly and we're staying all the way to the side. Once you cross the bridge there's a metal guardrail that you cross over. Then the trippy part starts. The actual hike is starts below the bridge. There's these crazy stones that I know they want to say are rock stairs but they are not. They are instead pieces of Earth that love to trip me. There is a metal guardrail to grab onto for balance and honestly there was a time when it held my entire body weight. And we have dogs on a leash to take down with us! What an adventure! I go down and have to convince the bestie to follow. She's convinced this is a bad idea now lol. It's not though, we toggle down and come to a nice hiking trail. We took a left and hiked for four miles before we turned around. I believe there's a town to hike to but we never found it. Sometimes the trail was too narrow and to high for my tastes but courage prevailed! It was all so beautiful! The trees, the water, the sky. I would go again...

I really wish we had a better experience at this campground. We were looking for something near…read moreMount Rainier, and this fit the bill. Some of the sites were basically right in the parking lot, but most of them were really nice. Ours was a walk-in site up the hill with lots of trees and greenery. It had a nice flat area along with a picnic table. The bathrooms were close and clean, and I loved having the lake nearby. However, the campground was really loud and rowdy. We stayed for two nights, and each night there were two to three large family groups that were loud until after 11 pm. We heard a car playing music with loud bass. A groups of kids entered the echoing bathroom and played, screaming, turning on the hand blowers, and spraying water everywhere. It was just really loud and the quiet hours were not enforced. The campground had all the ingredients to make a great stay. We just had a few loud groups that disturbed the otherwise quiet campground. I hope we just had bad timing.

Nice little stop over on the way to Mt Rainier or if you are exploring the area…read more We went on a weekday in the fall so parking was plentiful and it was very quiet. The weather was also clear enough to see the lake, with a dock to walk around and stretch our legs. I didn't see much else to do aside from exploring the lake and whatever other water activities are involved like fishing, kayaking, etc. The restrooms are actual flush toilets with soap and water, and they were pretty clean aside from the hard water stains on the toilet bowl that is inevitable with park bathrooms. Still a better option that pit toilets. Fun Fact: The code name for Intel's 12th gen desktop processors was based on this lake.

In my opinion, this is the most iconic hike in a Rainier. My friend who has gone many times told me…read morethis trail was the one to do if you have to pick, and it did not disappoint. I went on Thurs 7/3/25, and there was still a decent bit of slushy snow along higher parts of the trail, but the whole beginning was clear. They had signs in the visitor center (which I saw after already going up lol) saying that the east half of the trail should only be done if you have equipment and a lot of experience because there was an ongoing avalanche hazard. I ended up just not doing it for sake of time, since I didn't know - but can confirm the west portion up to panorama point is SUCH a stunner. I saw so much wildlife, mainly chipmunks and marmots, but also an eagle! The views EVERYWHERE are unmatched, especially at panorama where you can see mt. St. Helen, mt. Adams, and Mt. Hood. If you go to rainier, DONT miss this hike if you are physically able. It is pretty steep in some points but it smooths to a more gradual incline after a bit of a hard start. 10/10 would rec

Review #1600 My Dad…read morelived in the Seattle area for over ten years. So I have taken many flights to Sea-Tac airport from the Phoenix area. Many of those flights I flew over Mount Rainier and had a window seat. If you have never seen Mount Rainier from the sky, it is an incredible sight to see. Mount Rainier is a 14,410-foot active volcano in Washington's Cascade Range. I just love how its snow cap peeks through the clouds as you fly over it. I always told myself that someday I would visit it and hike to the base of the mountain. My Dad never had any interest in getting up close to it, so I knew I would have to do my own trip to see it. I took an overnight flight to Seattle-Tacoma and drove straight to Mount Rainier National Park. I got there really early and ended up sleeping in my truck for a couple of hours. The start of the Skyline Trail is located at the Henry M Jackson Memorial Visitor Center in Paradise. I was happy I got there early because the parking lot fills up quickly during the summer season. There were quite a number of people in the parking lot preparing to do this hike. The Skyline Trail is a 5.5 mile round trip loop trail. There are rangers on hand at the visitor center to answer any questions that you may and offer safety tips about the trail. There is also a water refill station if you need to fill up your CamelBak. Because the Skyline Trail is a loop, there are two different directions to begin the trail. There are steps just north of the visitor center that lead to the start of the trail. At the base of the steps is a quote from John Muir inscribed on it. I started the trail to the right (counterclockwise) so that I could see Myrtle Falls right away. You can get great photos of both Myrtle Falls and Mount Rainier in the background. I really enjoyed hiking thorough the wildflower meadows at the beginning of this side of the Skyline Loop. I was entertained by a number of marmots that would follow me as I was hiking. They are everywhere on the trail. The Skyline Trail gets a little more difficult the father you go. The elevation climb is 1700 feet and there are some ice slopes along the way that do not melt. I had to hike through a few snow patches that were a little slippery. Sometimes it was hard to see where the trail is. I finally made it to the base of Mount Rainier and had my lunch at Panorama Point. There are a waterfalls on the mountain that you can see from a distance. Seeing this mountain up close was absolutely amazing. You can see the Tatoosh Range and the Paradise Inn near the Visitor Center to the south from Panorama Point. I also caught a glimpse of some mountain climbers going further beyond the Skyline Trail to climb this incredible mountain. My feet were sore on my way back down. But overall, I was happy I finally accomplished this beautiful hike for the first time. It was an experience that I won't forget. If you do not want to do the full loop hike, you can break off the trail and take the Golden Gate Trail back down to shorten your trip. Just keep in mind that Paradise is a day use only area and dogs are not allowed on the trail. After your hike, take some time to check out the Visitor Center. You can get your National Park passport book stamped there and there are lots of exhibits about Mount Rainier to check out. There is also a of couple places to grab food in Paradise if you are hungry.