How to spend 2 days in Mount Rainier National Park in the fall

Feb 27

Mt Rainier National Park was the first park that we visited in Washington last fall and we were completely blown away by the views! Mount Rainier is an active volcano, with the elevation of 14,411 ft (4,392 m) and it’s the highest mountain in Washington. It’s located 50 miles southeast of Seattle, 1,5 hour drive. You can see Mt Rainier on a sunny day from Seattle or other parts in Washington state.

Where to stay in Mt Rainier National Park?

Our hotel was located in Ashford, a small town about 15 min drive from the park entrance (pictured above). I recommend spending at least 2 nights there. There are two good place where you can dine-in - Ukrainan Cuisine (they serve delicious pierogis and pleminis) & The Trail Head Bar and Grill (american cuisine).

When to visit Mt Rainier National Park?

The best time to visit is in July and August, when wildflowers are blooming and temperatures are pleasant. Also, In the summer you’ll have access to most of the facilities and roads in the park. We went there in October and we were expecting the fall foliage, but instead we saw lots of snow and winter landscapes. The good thing was, it wasn’t crowded at all. It was so cold and some roads were closed but absolutely amazing!

The view from Longmire, a year-round destination in the park

What to see in Mt Rainier National Park?

Mount Rainier National Park is divided into five sections: Longmire, Paradise, Sunrise, Carbon River & Ohanapecosh, it’s quite big! During our two day trip to Mount Rainier, we focused on exploring Longmire & Paradise areas.

When entering the park from Ashword, you will drive through Longmire, which is a year-round destination. You can admire there old buildings & other structures which were designed one hundred years ago. There is a historic hotel and restaurant, you can also buy some souvenirs there in the store. We loved the views from this part of the park and it’s easily accesible.

Then we headed to Paradise, the landscape drastically changed, it was a beautiful winter wonderland and so much snow (it was in October). During summer, you can do so many hikes around the meadows & admire blooming wildflowers.

Places we saw in Mt Rainier National Park

Here are the spots that we visited in October, remember that you can visit more in the summer (from July to August/September), when all the roads are open.

Christine Falls - beautiful falls with the bridge, easily accesible from the parking lot

Paradise River - Paradise river is located entirely within the bounds of Mount Rainier National Park

Narada Falls - one the most popular waterfall in Mount Rainier National Park

Myrthe Falls - picturesque falls in Paradise section

Reflection Lakes - beautiful lakes with stunning views over Mount Rainier

After seeing all these wonferful spots, we decided to drive farther, towards Box Canyon. The route there was so picturesque and the colors were amazing. Box Canyon was so lush green and beautiful, we loved it so much! Here are some pictures from this section:

If you guys loved this post and pictures, you can pin it for later! Don’t forget to follow me on IG (@sarowly) if you would like to see all my adventures.