Summer Day Trip to Mount Rainier National Park

Stephanie Brown
Jan 19, 2018
4 min read

One of the best things about living in Seattle is seeing Mt. Rainier in the skyline. After moving to Washington I quickly learned that it was a good day if the "mountain was out." On clear days this icon can be seen from many parts of the city. One of my favorite viewing spots is Kerry Park in Queen Anne. This park on a hill provides an incredible view of the Seattle skyline and (if you are lucky) Mount Rainier in the background. A few weeks after being in Seattle I knew I wanted to see the mountain up close, so in late July my husband and I decided to visit the park. This park lies 60 miles south east of the city so it makes for a great weekend getaway or quick day trip from Seattle.

Mount Rainier is an active volcano that last erupted in 1894. It is considered a very dangerous volcano and it's next eruption could seriously affect those living in the Pacific Northwest due to the large amount of ash that would be produced. Just one more thing to add to the list of things to be worried about. This is just a small reminder to always live life to the fullest- you never know when the dangerous active volcano 60-miles from your house could erupt.

So anyways, on a brighter note the volcano stayed quiet for our day in the park. Our first stop in the park was Narada Falls. This 188 ft waterfall was a great way to start our day. A short walk allows for some great views of these falls. I was so surprised that such a large and gorgeous waterfall was basically on the side of the road. I am used to mile-long hikes that eventually end in a waterfall view, so it was a nice treat to take a 5-minute walk to these gorgeous falls. The trailhead is only a few minutes from the Paradise entrance, so if you are starting on this side of the park this makes for a perfect place to begin your day.

From there we drove to the Henry M. Jackson Memorial Visitor Center. I always love checking out the visitor centers when I am in a National Park. I usually try to purchase a small souvenir or postcard here. Many visitor centers also have interesting exhibits or videos that give more information about the park's history. This can also be a perfect place to grab some food or visit a bathroom with toilets that actually flush.

We parked at the visitor center and made our way to the Skyline trailhead. There were signs posted that the rangers were warning against hiking on this trail. I would not usually advise going against the rangers' advice, but since the sun had been out for a while we decided to at least try the hike. The main reason the rangers did not recommend this trail was because it was covered in snow and ice in some places. I am still getting used to the weather in the Pacific Northwest so it was a complete surprise to me that there could be snow on the trail in July!

Most of the 5.5 mile loop trail was clear and we had no major issues on the trail. The sun was shining and we got to experience some incredible views of the mountain. The wildflowers were in bloom so this was one of the most beautiful hikes I have ever taken. If you have the chance to visit while the wildflowers are in bloom I strongly recommend it. There were flowers everywhere and they added a wonderful color contrast to the snow capped mountains.

Near the end of our hike we did encounter snow on the trail. Unfortunately we lost the trail at this point and started down the wrong path. We had to turn around and eventually found our way back on the trail. If you are going to disregard the rangers' advice make sure you are prepared that the trails might be difficult to follow. Always trust your instincts and be as safe as possible.

After completing the Skyline Trail hike we were pretty worn out but we wanted to make one last stop in the park. We headed to Tipsoo Lake and got a great view of Mt. Rainier reflected on the water. There is a 3.5 mile loop trail at this lake, but we decided to save this hike for another day. If you are not up for a hike you can still drive up to the lake for a great photo op.

I am so glad to call Mt. Rainier my "home" national park. Growing up in Tennessee, I am used to having the Great Smoky Mountains National Park as an easy day trip. It is really special to live so close to another gorgeous park. I do want to be intentional about living so close to the park. I realized that I took the Smokeys for granted since I lived so close to them. I did not visit these as much as I should have and now that I have moved away I really wish I had spent more time at this park. Now that I live close to three national parks I want to really take advantage of my location. I have a National Park annual pass so I intend to visit these parks as often as possible!