Mount Rainier National Park
Mount Rainier is one of my favorite places on the planet. All corners of the park are equally amazing, in all seasons. The views are always incredible, whether you come for wildflower season in the summer or to sled down the big hill behind the Paradise Visitor Center in the snow. This is an ever changing list of some of my favorite places in the park. I love national parks in general, but Mt. Rainier is practically in my backyard, and I find myself coming back over and over again to marvel at the beauty of the mountain.
Longmire
The only entrance open year round is the Nisqually entrance in the southwest corner of the park, and the closest visitor center is at Longmire. Longmire has an inn, a mini convenience store, and a museum. It's definitely the most family friendly part of the park, with multiple shorter trails close to the little town. My favorite is the Rampart Ridge Trail, which begins at the Trail of the Shadows trailhead. You can do the trail as an out-and-back, or make it a loop by connecting with the Wonderland Trail. The Trail of the Shadows is lined with informational signs and some interesting tidbits about the mineral springs which bubble up in rust colors from the ground. Past the springs, the trail climbs steeply up into a series of switchbacks. You'll be in the trees most of the way, but the trail was nearly empty when we climbed up through the fog. Even with the cloud cover and fog, the views were incredible when we reached the top of the ridge. There were plenty of greyjays flying around trying to steal our food (they're always fun to watch and will definitely divebomb you for snacks). Although this hike is a lot of uphill, it comes in at just over 5 miles, so not bad if you're doing some exploring in the village and want to spend a couple hours hiking.
Paradise
Paradise was aptly named. This part of the park sits at over 5,000 feet and boasts some breathtaking alpine meadows. If you continue up the hill by car from Longmire, in about 25 minutes you'll reach Paradise. There is a lodge here (definitely take a look inside, it's full of amazing woodwork) and a huge visitor center full of informational displays, a little cafe, and a gift shop. The real fun though is behind the buildings, on the Skyline Trail. I think I have only been to Mt. Rainier once without hiking the Skyline Trail. It’s my favorite not only because of the wildflowers, the insane views, and the proximity to the mountain proper, but because it is full of marmots. Marmots are absolutely my favorite animal, and the Skyline Trail is just full of them.
From behind the visitor center, take the incredibly steep, paved path up toward the well signed trail. There are several junctions, but just keep following the Skyline Trail and/or the signs for Panorama Point. The steepness abates a bit once you arrive at the Deadhorse Creek Trail junction, and about here is where wildlife starts to come out. I’ve seen pheasants, grouse, deer, mountain goats, marmots, bears, and more chipmunks and ground squirrels than I can count on this trail over the multitude of times I’ve hiked it. The views are amazing the whole way up, even in cloud cover. I’ve hiked it in thick fog where it would clear for a moment and give a glimpse of the valley below you and I’ve hiked it in bright sun where I was slathering on sunscreen and squinting through the glare of the sun on the glaciers in front of me.
This is also the trail that will take you to Camp Muir, if you're so inclined. Camp Muir is the highest you can get on the mountain without technical climbing skills, but you will still want to be well prepared with ice axe, crampons, and a good idea of what the weather will be like that day. The rangers at Paradise are incredibly friendly and happy to help, so you can ask them whatever questions you may have at the visitor center!
Sunrise
Sunrise is open for such a short window of time - late June through late September/early October, depending on snow. It the highest point on the mountain that you can drive to and sits at 6,400 feet. Although I’ve seen the least wildlife here (and the wildlife is one of the best parts of visiting the park), it is probably my favorite section of Mt. Rainier. There is an abundance of trails that leave from behind the small visitor center. Even the drive up is beautiful - make sure to stop at the Sunrise view point, which is a sharp curve just before the visitor center - and is a wonderful place to take in both the sunrise and sunset.
A trail I love at Sunrise is the Mount Fremont Lookout Trail. Leaving from behind the visitor center, the trail climbs gradually up into some gentle hills. The mountain is in view the whole time, and I often find myself having trouble paying attention to where I'm going when I hike here because the views are so out of control. As usual in the park, everything is very well signed. You'll come to multiple trail junctions and they all point the way clearly. If in doubt, head toward Frozen Lake. It's the first major point you'll come across before reaching a four trail junction.
The trail gets a bit steeper after the junction and climbs up to a rocky ridge. It can get windy up here, so keep watch on hats and sunglasses! While the lookout is closed to visitors, it provides a great wind blocker to sit and have a snack while you marvel at the view of the mountain and the valleys below. Sometimes you’ll get lucky and the current occupants of the lookout will come out to chat with you. You can return to the visitor center the way you came, or take the trail toward Sunset Camp when you get to Frozen Lake to make a lollipop loop.
Crystal Mountain
Crystal Mountain is the farthest east side of the park, and is also home to the ski resort. Last I was there was mid April, and ski season was pretty much done. However, you can still take the gondola to the top and have a beer at the restaurant in view of the mountain. We were greeted with a big lenticular cloud, fog in the valleys, and blue layers of mountains as far as the eye could see. While I haven't done much else but gawk at the view on this side of the park, I would still highly recommend checking it out, especially if you ski or snowboard!
Mowich Lake
The far north western side of the park is a little more wild and a little less visited. It's prime backpacking country, or a good spot to do an extra long day hike. I would highly recommend the Spray Park Trail. Spray Park is wildflower central in the summer, and is usually bursting with wildlife as well.
First, you'll have to get to Mowich Lake. The gravel road out to the lake is not plowed in the winter, so the window for this side of the park is small as well. If you need backcountry permits or any ranger information, be sure to stop at the ranger station in Carbon River before heading up the gravel road, as it's a bit out of the way. Once you've made it down the bumpy road, there's ample parking and a "walk-in" campground, although you'll only have to walk about 10 feet from the parking lot.
Make sure to stay on the Spray Park Trail, as there is a junction that connects with the Wonderland Trail, which would make your hike considerably longer (and in the wrong direction). We hefted our backpacks and camped at the Eagle's Roost campsite, which was a good starting point for the hike the next morning. The meadow at Spray Park is beyond gorgeous. While we were there, we saw a rather large (and then a much smaller) black bear, tons of deer and some elk. Apparently marmots frequent this side of the park as well, but we didn't see any on our hike. Once you reach the meadow, the uphill is (mostly) done and the views of the mountain are incredible!
Mount Rainier has 4 drive-in campsites: White River (near Sunrise - I love this spot), Mowich Lake (which is technically walk-in, but it's at the end of the gravel road to the lake), Ohanapecosh (in the SE section of the park, a little quicker to get to from Portland than Sunrise), and Cougar Rock (near Longmire). You can also back country camp, but you must see a ranger to get a permit. Always check the ranger station hours to make sure you'll be able to get a permit if you're planning a trip. The Mount Rainier website as well as the National Park Service site are incredibly useful tools and are full of information about hikes, camping, road closures, weather, and anything else you may need to know. I’ve done backcountry camping quite a few times here and have yet to find a campsite I don't like, so you really can't go wrong if you're ready for a little adventure. Say hi to the marmots for me!
If you're interested in climbing Mt. Rainier, check out these guys. For more info on the Wonderland trail that circumnavigates the mountain, look here.