3 Day Mount Rainier National Park Itinerary + Guide
Are you planning a trip to Mount Rainier and looking for the perfect Mount Rainier National Park itinerary? Our jam-packed 3 day Mount Rainier itinerary will take you to all the best places, hikes, and sights in the park, plus we’ll give you all our best tips for visiting!
Mount Rainier National Park is a dream destination for hikers and outdoor enthusiasts. With a 14,000 foot glaciated volcano surrounded by famously colorful wildflower-filled subalpine meadows, beautiful old growth forest, scenic waterfalls, and crystal clear lakes, you’ll be hard pressed to find a more picturesque hiking destination than this!
The problem is that Mount Rainier National Park is big. So big, there are five different regions, some hours apart from each other, that make up the over 230,000 acres of park wilderness surrounding the mountain. Each region has its own collection of sights, hikes, and epic views, and it’s nearly impossible to do it all if you’re short on time.
The best thing you can do? Come with a plan! And that’s where we come in! It can be overwhelming to try and come up with an ideal Mount Rainier National Park itinerary that hits the highlights in a limited amount of time, but based on our own experience in the park, we’ve come up with a 3 day Mount Rainier itinerary that does just that! In just three days, you’ll hike through the colorful meadows in Paradise, chase waterfalls, walk among 1,000 year old giant trees, catch Mount Rainier’s reflection in beautiful subalpine lakes, and most importantly, get epic in-your-face views of Mount Rainier.
And don’t worry, if you have more or less time in the park, we’ll share ways to modify this Mount Rainier itinerary, plus give you all our best tips for visiting the park along the way.
So, let’s get to it!
In this 3 day Mount Rainier itinerary:
Check out all of our Mount Rainier National Park guides packed with all our best tips and tricks to help you plan your trip!
How Many Days Do You Need in Mount Rainier National Park?
No matter how many days you can fit in your Mount Rainier itinerary, you’re guaranteed breathtaking views like these
Because of how big the park is and how much there is to see and do, we’d say that 3-4 days is the ideal amount of time you need in Mount Rainier National Park. Having three days in Mount Rainier will allow you to see most of the park’s highlights without feeling overly rushed, and you’ll leave feeling pretty good about how much you saw and did.
Honestly, though, we would recommend budgeting at least 4 days for Mount Rainier. It’s always a good idea to have at least one day extra in case of bad weather, or in case Mount Rainier isn’t out one day (which happens a lot!). Because while we do love to hike for hiking’s sake, let’s face it, the whole reason to come to Mount Rainier is to, well…see Mount Rainier!
If you have more than 4 days, great! There are always more trails to hike here, but for those on a tighter schedule, 3-4 days is ideal.
If you have less than three days in Mount Rainier, that’s ok and we think it’s absolutely still worth a visit, you’ll just have to be a bit more selective on where in the park you spend your time, and we’ll give suggestions for shorter Mount Rainier itineraries later.
Mount Rainier National Park Map
There are five different regions in Mount Rainier National Park located along the different sides of the mountain. As you can see on the Mount Rainier map below, these sections are quite spread apart from one another and can take hours of driving between some of them.
This Mount Rainier map is taken from the National Park brochure. Labels in white indicate different park entrances and labels in blue indicate the park’s five main regions.
In our 3 day Mount Rainier itinerary, we focus on four of these regions: Paradise, Sunrise, Ohanapecosh, and Mowich Lake. If you have one more day in the park, then we suggest hitting Longmire.
About This Mount Rainier National Park Itinerary
The first thing you should know about our 3 day Mount Rainier itinerary is that it’s really geared towards those who want to hike…a lot. Afterall, we think it’s the absolute best way to experience and explore the park (and…we aren’t called Dirty Shoes and Epic Views for nothing!). Our Mount Rainier itinerary is pretty packed, with long days and lots of time on the trail.
That said, we do give multiple options for different hikes each day, ranging from the easier to the harder side, and we will also share noteworthy sights and stops in each area that are quick and easy for those not into hiking. Mount Rainier is one of those parks where the views are pretty stunning even from just the comfort of your car along a scenic drive or at a popular parking lot, so even if you don’t decide to do all the hikes we recommend in this itinerary, you’ll still have a great experience in the park.
Now onto some other things to know before we get into our Mount Rainier itinerary…
Mount Rainier National Park reservations
Because of how popular Mount Rainier has gotten (and for good reason!), the park has begun implementing a system of timed entry reservations for two of its most visited region, Paradise and Sunrise, so this is something you’ll have to take into account when planning out your Mount Rainier itinerary.
Here are the key things to know about Mount Rainier reservations:
Reservations for Paradise
Required between May 24th and September 2nd for entry between 7 am and 3 pm
Advanced reservations are available at recreation.gov with the following schedule:
On February 21st 8 am PT reservations open for visits between May 24th-June 30th.
On April 1st 8 am PT reservations open for visits between July 1st-July 31st.
On May 1st 8 am PT reservations open for visits between August 1st-September 2nd.
Next day reservations are also available on recreation.gov starting on May 24th. These open up at 7 pm PT the day before, and are a good option for those planning a more last minute trip.
Paradise reservations are good for entry through both the Nisqually and the Stevens Canyon Entrances.
Reservations for Sunrise
Required between July 4th and September 2nd between 7 am and 3 pm
Advanced reservations are available at recreation.gov with the following schedule:
On April 1st at 8 am PT slots open for July 4th-July 31st.
On May 1st at 8 am PT slots open for August 1st- September 2nd.
Next day reservations are available on recreation.gov starting on July 3rd. These open up at 7 pm PT the day before your planned visit.
Sunrise reservations are good for entry through the White River Entrance.
General Mount Rainier reservation tips
Reservations cost $2 each and are per vehicle, not per person.
A reservation is good just for one day, and only for one area, either Paradise or Sunrise (i.e. you can’t use one reservation to get into both areas- you’ll need to secure each one individually).
Reservations are timed entry, meaning you’ll select a two hour window for when you can enter the park, and you can stay in the park and/or come and go as you wish for the rest of the day.
Reservations are bound to go pretty fast when they open! We highly recommend having an account already made on recreation.gov and being logged on and ready to go before the reservations open for the day to increase your chances of snagging one on a date you prefer! If you weren’t lucky, keep checking back on the reservation site to see if you can find any cancellations, which get released back into the system immediately.
Be sure to print your reservation or save it to your phone ahead of time before coming to the park (you won’t be able to rely on having cell service to pull it up from your email to show rangers at the gates).
For tons more information on the Mount Rainier reservation process and for answers to just about any question you could have, check out the NPS FAQ page.
Planning your Mount Rainier itinerary
So, what does all this reservation stuff mean for your Mount Rainier itinerary? Well, having a plan well in advance is key…so you’re already one step ahead of the curve just by being here…go you!
For our 3 day Mount Rainier itinerary below, these are the reservations you’d want to try and go for:
Day 1: Paradise- try to get the very first timed entry of the day (9-11 am entry) so you can get an early start and make the most of your time. If you aren’t able to get this, we recommend getting to the park entrance prior to the 7 am cutoff for reservations.
Day 2: Sunrise- you can be a little bit more flexible on this day. If you plan to do some of the hikes we mention that are outside of the Sunrise entrance gates, then you don’t need the earliest timed entry slot to Sunrise. You can go for the 11am-1 pm slot, or the 1pm- 3pm slot. You could even wait to enter Sunrise until 3 pm when reservations are no longer required. If you’re there in the summer when daylight lasts quite long, you’ll have more than enough time for a hike or two in the area.
Can I still visit Mount Rainier without reservations?
The good thing about Mount Rainier reservations? It will reduce crowding and help preserve the fragile ecosystem surrounding the mountain…always a good thing! The bad thing about Mount Rainier reservations? With such high demand, it might be tough to get an advanced reservation.
The best thing to do if you couldn’t score a reservation is to plan your Mount Rainier itinerary for outside of the reservation window. While visiting in the spring before reservations start for the summer may be tricky (certain access roads may still be closed and there will still be a lot of snow on the trails), visiting in September is a great option (more on this below).
Or, if visiting in the summer, time your arrival times to Paradise and Sunrise outside of the 7am – 3pm window like we outlined above.
Also, if you’re able to stay in a campground or lodging within Paradise or Sunrise, then your accommodation reservations double as your reservation into that part of the park for as long as you are staying there…a win-win! These can be difficult to snag, too, though.
Cougar Rock Campground in Paradise has sites for reservation (6 months in advance on recreation.gov) and some first come first served sites. A camping permit here will get you into the Paradise corridor without the need for timed entry reservations.
White River Campground in Sunrise is a first come first served only campground, but if you can get a site here, you can access Sunrise without a timed entry reservation.
Lodging at the National Park Inn in Longmire or at the Paradise Inn in Paradise will allow you to access the Paradise Corridor without a timed entry reservation.
Best time to visit Mount Rainier National Park
Our 3 day Mount Rainier itinerary assumes you will be visiting in the summer, as this is the best time to visit Mount Rainier for hiking and accessing most of the park. Specifically, we would recommend planning your Mount Rainier itinerary for any time between mid-July to late September. During these months, most of the trails will be snow-free (although some higher elevation trails may still be hanging onto snow well into late July or even August…but they should at least be navigable without winter gear).
Mid-July to mid-August is the best time to visit Mount Rainier to see the famous wildflowers that adorn the meadows all throughout the Paradise and Sunrise area. July and August are the busiest times, though, and can also be pretty buggy.
Walking through meadows of wildflowers on the Skyline Trail in Paradise
September is a nice time to visit to still have good weather and snow-free trails, with potentially fewer crowds, and a lot less bugs. Plus, you won’t have to deal with getting timed entry reservations.
It's also important to know that many of the park’s access roads close during the winter, so outside of the timeframe above, you may not be able to access places like Sunrise or Mowich Lake.
Here’s an idea of the usual timeframes that certain access roads are open in Mount Rainier:
Stevens Canyon Road (to Paradise from Ohanapecosh): Late May to mid-October
Sunrise Road: Early July to late September/early October
Mowich Lake Road: Mid-July to mid-October
SR 410 to Chinook Pass (to Tipsoo Lake): Late May to late October
If you plan on visiting Mount Rainier during the shoulder season outside of these months, make sure to check on trail and road status/conditions before heading out to make sure everything is still open.
In terms of best days or times of day to visit Mount Rainier, that has become trickier now with the reservation system in place. The advice used to be, go on weekdays, and get there early! Often, lots in Paradise and Sunrise would fill by early morning (9-10 am) or earlier on summer weekend days, and there would be long lines at entry gates throughout the day. However, with reservations in place, most people will get locked into an arrival time, but because of this you hopefully won’t have to deal with the crowding and congestion that previously occurred.
Getting to the park gates before the 7 am reservation cutoffs may be a good idea to avoid crowds, but it might also backfire…as many people who didn’t get reservations might have the same idea. You’ll likely have to show up well before 7 am, as lines will form at the gate.
3 Day Mount Rainier National Park Itinerary
Without further ado, here is how we would design an itinerary to spend the perfect 3 days in Mount Rainier National Park!
Mount Rainier itinerary Day 1: Paradise
Where to stay: Stay in Ashford or Longmire (at the National Park Inn) the night before, or you can stay right in Paradise at Cougar Rock Campground or at Paradise Inn. End the day by staying in Packwood or Ohanapecosh (at Ohanapecosh Campground or other National Forest sites nearby).
Highlights: Skyline Loop Trail, Myrtle Falls, Reflection Lake, Ricksecker Point, Narada Falls
Morning
For your first day on your Mount Rainier itinerary, you’ll be visiting the entire Paradise corridor, which stretches from the Nisqually Entrance in the southwest corner of the park, to the Stevens Canyon Entrance in the southeast corner of the park. Along the way, you’ll see plenty of roadside stops, explore Paradise, and hit the trails.
Starting from the Nisqually Entrance near Ashford, you’ll drive Paradise Road for about 30 miles to get to the main Paradise parking area. Along the way, you’ll drive through Longmire, which is a forested area at the base of Mount Rainier that focuses on the park’s history, however there are a few hikes in this area that are worth doing. For now, you’ll simply drive through here as we think there are better places to spend your limited time. But if you have more than three days in Mount Rainier, we’ll show you later how to incorporate Longmire into your Mount Rainier itinerary.
To get to Paradise from the Nisqually Entrance, it takes about 45 minutes or so, but with the three stops we recommend, it could take closer to an hour and a half or so.
The first quick stop we recommend is Christine Falls. This small roadside falls will be to your left as you cross over a small stone bridge. Instead of stopping on the road, there is a small pull off just past the bridge on the right. If you got an early start, you can hopefully find a place to park here. Walk the short path down to the viewpoint of Christine Falls being perfectly framed by the stone bridge.
Continue on Paradise Road. As you climb higher and closer to Paradise, views will start to open up. Take the side road on your right to Ricksecker Point for some great views of Mount Rainier.
Finally, just a bit further up the road is Narada Falls. The parking lot has viewpoints overlooking the top of the falls, but to really get a good view, you’ll have to walk a short (0.4 mile roundtrip) but steep trail down to a viewpoint looking head on at the nearly 200 foot waterfall.
Once you’re done with all these stops, continue up to Paradise. There are two lots here, a lower and an upper. Try to find a spot in the upper lot, as this is where all the facilities and the main trailheads are. If this is full, go for the lower lot, and there are trails here that will connect you back up to the upper lot and all the main trails in the area.
The main parking lot and visitor center in Paradise
If all else fails and there is no parking available, there is overflow parking along Paradise Valley Road past the upper lot. You’ll have to walk a bit back to the parking area and trailhead, so just be prepared for this if you didn’t get to the park super early. When we visited Paradise, we noticed the upper lot had filled up by about 9:30 am on a weekday morning, though reservations might help with this.
A view of Paradise Valley Road filled with overflow parking
Now…it’s time to explore Paradise! Paradise is the most popular and well-known region of Mount Rainier. It’s famous for its beautiful summer wildflowers and epic up-close views of Mount Rainier and its glaciers. There’s a network of intersecting trails that traverse the southern slopes of the mountain, bringing you through these meadows, to incredible viewpoints of Mount Rainier, past scenic waterfalls, and with lots of opportunities to see some cool wildlife, like pikas, marmots, and mountain goats.
We’d recommend spending about 3-4 hours here exploring the sights and trails, and if we had to recommend one thing to do in Paradise, it would be to hike the Skyline Loop Trail.
The Skyline Loop Trail is a 6.4 mile loop through the Paradise area that showcases all the best elements that Paradise has to offer. It brings you through subalpine meadows to incredible views of Mount Rainier and to the famous viewpoint over Paradise, Panorama Point. It also goes by the scenic Myrtle Falls, another popular point of interest in Paradise.
Overlooking Paradise and Panorama Point from the Skyline Trail in Mount Rainier
We loved all the marmots in Paradise!
While we highly recommend the full Skyline Loop, it’s definitely not a hike to be underestimated. It’s fairly long, has close to 2,000 feet of elevation gain, and it’s a trail that gets pretty rugged and steep as it travels from subalpine meadows to the rocky alpine terrain at the base of Mount Rainier. Also, because of the high elevation of this trail, snow often lingers well into summer (late July and even into August), so expect to have to cross several snow patches on this hike.
The Skyline Trail can get rugged and snowy…even in the summer!
If you don’t want to hike the full Skyline Loop, don’t worry…there are plenty of other options! To shorten up the hike a bit, consider hiking to Panorama Point as an out-and-back hike. This will be four miles roundtrip but will still have some of the best views of the entire loop, so you won’t feel like you’re missing too much. Or, if you want something even shorter and easier, consider hiking to Glacier Vista as an out-and-back hike along the loop. This brings you to an incredible view of Mount Rainier and the Nisqually Glacier, but allows you to turn around before the trail gets too rugged and challenging.
A marmot hanging out at Glacier Vista…in bad weather we couldn’t see the whole mountain, but we still got to see the base where the Nisqually Glacier was!
Make sure to check out our Skyline Loop hiking guide for more suggestions on how to modify the hike and what to expect at the different sections around the loop!
If you’re looking for easier Mount Rainier hikes in Paradise, check out the following:
The Nisqually Vista Loop: This is a 1.2 mile paved walking loop that leaves from the lower lot in Paradise and takes you to several great viewpoints of the mountain and its glacier.
Myrtle Falls: This is a 1 mile roundtrip walk. It’s a paved portion at the beginning of the eastern half of the Skyline Loop Trail that brings you to one of the most famous sights in Mount Rainier- Myrtle Falls backdropped perfectly by the mountain. To get to the famous viewpoint, you’ll have to walk down a series of shallow steps off the main trail, but it’s an otherwise easy walk from the upper lot in Paradise.
Myrtle Falls (with Mount Rainier hidden in the fog!)
The entire Paradise area is gorgeous, so really, no matter which hikes you choose- easy or hard- you won’t be disappointed on your first day of your Mount Rainier itinerary!
Afternoon
Once done in Paradise, drive Paradise Valley Road past the upper lot. This is a one- way drive through pretty subalpine meadows that will bring you out to Stevens Canyon Road. Take a left onto this road and head east towards Ohanapecosh.
After just a mile or so of driving, you’ll come to Reflection Lake. This is a great place to pull over and enjoy the view of Mount Rainier (which may be reflecting on the lake if it’s a clear calm day!). We recommend having a picnic lunch here and relaxing a bit before heading out on your afternoon hikes!
After Reflection Lakes, we recommend choosing one more hike in the Paradise area along Stevens Canyon Road. The two we would recommend choosing between are:
Pinnacle Peak saddle- This 2.5 mile roundtrip hike brings you to the saddle of Pinnacle Peak where you can get a great birds-eye view over Paradise and Mount Rainier. This trail starts right across the street from Reflection Lake.
Bench and Snow Lake- This 2.5 mile hike is just down the street from Reflection Lake and a little bit easier than Pinnacle Peak saddle (a bit less elevation gain involved, and no exposed narrow trails). This hike brings you to two subalpine lakes. The first has great views of Mount Rainier, much like those from Reflection Lake, while the other is popular for its crystal clear blue water and alpine backdrop.
Once you’re done hiking, it’s time to make your way down to Ohanapecosh. Along the way, enjoy the views from Stevens Canyon Road, and be sure to stop at viewpoints along the way before the road dips back down into the forest.
Mount Rainier peering through the clouds as seen from Stevens Canyon Road
Ohanapecosh, near the Steven’s Canyon Entrance, is about a 30-40 minute drive from Paradise. We recommend ending the first day of your Mount Rainier itinerary hiking a couple of short and easy trails in the area. If you’re feeling tired, though, and want to call it a day, you can definitely save these for the next morning!
The two trails in Ohanapecosh we recommend are:
Grove of the Patriarchs: This is an easy and flat 1.6 mile hiking trail that crosses the Ohanapecosh River on a suspension bridge and brings you to an island that contains old growth forest, with some trees as old as 1,000 years. The trail is popular, but the small lot keeps crowds limited, and it’s really a nice peaceful walk among some pretty tall trees.
Hiking along the Grove of the Patriarchs Trail in Mount Rainier
Silver Falls: This short and easy hike brings you through quiet forest to the small but powerful Silver Falls. There are a few ways to approach the falls, but we recommend taking the East Side Trail that starts just across the street from the Grove of the Patriarchs.
Silver Falls
The small lot for these two trails is found just before you get to the Stevens Canyon Entrance, on the left side of the road. It will likely be pretty full at this point in the day, but because the hikes here are short, cars cycle in and out regularly and you may get lucky (we were able to find a spot no problem midday). If there’s no spots available, we’d recommend just continuing to your accommodations and either try again later in the evening, or trying for it in the morning.
The Eastside Trail starts just near the Stevens Canyon Entrance and goes to both Silver Falls and Grove of the Patriarchs
Spend tonight in Ohanapecosh or Packwood.
Mount Rainier itinerary day 2: Sunrise
Where to stay: Spend tonight near Sunrise (at White River Campground in the park, or a National Forest campground nearby). You can also stay at the Crystal Mountain Resort close to the White River Entrance.
Highlights: Tipsoo Lake, hikes in Sunrise
On day 2 of your Mount Rainier itinerary, you’ll move onto our favorite region of the park…Sunrise! But first, there are a few stops to make.
Morning
If you didn’t get to hike in Ohanapecosh yesterday, we recommend starting your day hiking the Grove of the Patriarchs Trail and the Silver Falls Trail. This might be a little bit tricky, because to get through the Stevens Canyon Entrance for the trailhead parking lot, you’ll need a Paradise reservation again. Alternatively, start the day before 7 am.
Another option if you don’t have a reservation is to start your hike to Silver Falls from the Ohanapecosh Campground. Once at Silver Falls, continue along the Eastside Trail. This will take you right to Stevens Canyon Road and the trailhead for the Grove of the Patriarchs. You can hike the Grove from here, and then hike all the way back to the campground the same way you came. It will be a longer hike, but it will allow you to do both trails without having a reservation for Paradise!
Once you’re done in Ohanapecosh, start your drive to Sunrise by heading north on WA-123.
Once you get to WA-410 at Cayuse Pass, instead of heading west to Sunrise, we recommend the detour to Chinook Pass. Head east on WA-410 for about three miles or so. This road climbs a few scenic switchbacks as it heads up to the pass.
The road switchbacking up to Chinook Pass near Mount Rainier
While the drive is pretty, the main reason we recommend this short detour is to visit Tipsoo Lake, which is found right at the pass. This small lake is a super popular place to visit in Mount Rainier. It’s beautifully backdropped by Mount Rainier in the distance and is surrounded by colorful meadows in the summer, giving it that quintessential Mount Rainier feel.
Tipsoo Lake
Keep your fingers crossed that a spot is open in the small lot near the lake. Otherwise, you can park in pull offs along the road or in small lots further up and walk down.
There is a very popular trail that begins here called the Naches Peak Loop Trail. This 3.5 mile trail starts at Tipsoo Lake and wraps around Naches Peak as it weaves and climbs through wildflowers and meadows and past several subalpine lakes. It brings together all the elements that make hiking in Rainier so popular, and because it’s relatively easy, it’s a well-travelled trail. Of note, it’s often recommended to hike the loop in a clockwise direction so that the views of Mount Rainier on the back half of the hike are ahead as you make your way back to Tipsoo Lake.
A pair of hikers starting off on the Naches Peak Loop Trail
If you want to do the entire Naches Peak Loop, plan for about two hours here. Alternatively, you can simply head to the pass, snap a few pictures of Tipsoo Lake and enjoy the view of Mount Rainier, and continue onto Sunrise to have more time to hike the trails there.
Afternoon
Spend the afternoon hiking in Sunrise! For us, Sunrise was our favorite part of Mount Rainier, with breathtaking views of the mountain from every trail we hiked.
To get to Sunrise, you’ll drive through the White River Entrance. From there, it’s about a 40 minute drive up a twisty mountain road that ends at 6,400 feet in elevation- the highest point you can drive to in the park. Much of the drive is forested, but once you get close to the top, be prepared for some amazing views of the mountain. Along the way, be sure to stop at Sunrise Point for incredible views of Mount Rainier and the surrounding valleys.
A view over the Sunrise parking lot and visitor center…even from just the parking lot the views of Mount Rainier are stunning!
Once in Sunrise, you’ll have a ton of options for hiking. Be sure to check out our Mount Rainier hiking guide for more information on all your options in Sunrise! Our personal favorites were:
The Burroughs Mountain Loop Trail- This trail takes you to three incredible viewpoints of Mount Rainier. At the third viewpoint, you’re so close to the mountain you can hear the glaciers cracking and calving! However, you can choose to hike to just the first or second viewpoint, make it an out and back hike, or make it a loop! Check out our complete guide to hike the Burroughs Mountain Trail in Mount Rainier to get all the details on different route options, distances, and what to expect along the trail.
Can’t really beat the views of Mount Rainier from the Burroughs Mountain Trail!
Dege Peak- This small summit is found along the Sourdough Ridge and is a great way to avoid some of the crowds of Sunrise and to get a great birds-eye view over Sunrise and Mount Rainier. Check out our hiking guide for Dege Peak in Mount Rainier to learn more!
The view from Dege Peak
The Mount Fremont Lookout Trail- This is the most popular hike in Sunrise. It’s relatively easy but has a huge payoff, with stellar views of Mount Rainier practically the entire way. The trail ends at an old fire lookout where you can hang out and enjoy the amazing views. This hike is particularly great at sunset, when you can watch the purple and gold alpenglow light up Mount Rainier as the sun sets. Check out our Mount Fremont hiking guide to learn more about how to hike this trail, what to expect along the way, and how to hike it for sunset!
Sunset on the Mount Fremont Lookout Trail in Mount Rainier
All of the trails we listed above are moderate, with some decent distance and elevation gain. If you are looking for some quick and easy hikes in Sunrise, we would recommend hiking to Frozen Lake and back on the Sourdough Ridge Trail for amazing views of Rainier. We would also recommend hiking out to the Emmons Vista viewpoint, which is just a short walk from the parking lot, and to Glacier Overlook along the Sunrise Rim Trail, both of which give amazing views out to Mount Rainier and over the White River Valley below.
Views from the Sourdough Ridge Trail
Admiring Mount Rainier from the Glacier Overlook
We recommend spending as much time as you can on your second day of your Mount Rainier itinerary in Sunrise soaking in the views and exploring the trails.
Once you’re done, spend the night nearby at a campground, or at the Crystal River Lodge. If you had some time and wanted to get a head start on tomorrow, you can also continue driving around the mountain to Enumclaw and spend the night there instead. Enumclaw is about an hour way from the White River Entrance gate.
Mount Rainier itinerary day 3: Mowich Lake
Day 3 of your Mount Rainier itinerary will be spent in the lesser visited Northwest corner of the park. The Mowich Lake area is 2-3 hours away from the two closest entrances (White River and Nisqually), and this remote location means slightly less crowds than those found in either Sunrise or Paradise. We say slightly, because you certainly won’t be alone here. We wouldn’t exactly call this an off-the-beaten-path destination, but there won’t be anything like the crowds of Paradise on the trails here. We think having enough time in your Mount Rainier itinerary to spend in this area of the park is great, because, while Sunrise and Paradise are definitely worth the time to visit, getting to spend at least some time away from those kinds of crowds is always a plus.
Getting to Mowich Lake is slightly more difficult than other regions of the park, not only because it’s a bit more remote, but because the road into this region is rough. You’ll drive about 12 or so miles down a dirt road that will take roughly 30-40 minutes. While it is doable in a regular car, it is quite rutted, washboarded, and bumpy, so you’ll have to take your time and go pretty slow to avoid all the obstacles.
A look at the conditions on Mowich Lake Road
The road ends at the parking lot for the Mowich Lake Campground, where you will find two trailheads- one for Tolmie Peak Lookout, and one for Spray Park. If there are no spots in the lot (which is likely!), you can park along the side of the road leading up to the lot (try to get here early to avoid having to park too far down the road…particularly on weekends!).
When we visited, we hiked the Tolmie Peak Lookout Trail and loved it. This 5.5 mile trail gains about 1600 feet as it climbs up to an historic fire lookout with stunning views over Eunice Lake and Mount Rainier. While it does steadily climb, it’s not overly challenging or steep, and the views are certainly worth it.
The picturesque view from the Tolmie Peak Lookout Trail
Your other hiking option is the Spray Park Trail. This trail climbs slowly at first, past Eagle Cliff Viewpoint and Spray Falls (a giant 300 foot waterfall!), and then steeply up to Spray Park, a landscape of wildflower-covered meadows in the shadow of Mount Rainier (kind of reminiscent of Paradise!). You can hike as far through the meadows as you like (eventually the trail joins up with the famous Wonderland Trail that circumnavigates the mountain) before turning back.
If you’re a fast hiker, you can enjoy both of these trails in one day, or you can pick one and have a more relaxed time.
At the end of the day, head back to Enumclaw to spend the night, head back to Seattle, or head onto wherever your road trip takes you next!
How to modify this Mount Rainier itinerary
Have more or less than three days in Mount Rainier? Here, we’ll share ways you can modify this itinerary depending on how much time you have in the park.
Four days in Mount Rainier
Four days is a great amount of time to have in Mount Rainier. Really, the extra day is great for giving you some contingency time in our three day Rainier itinerary in case of any bad weather. But, if you have four beautiful and clear days (lucky you!), then we would say to spend that extra day in Longmire. There are a couple of longer hikes you can choose from down here, including the Rampart Ridge hike, and the Comet Falls/Van Trump Park hike.
Both hikes begin in the forested valley, and you’ll have to do quite a bit of climbing to get to any views of Mount Rainier (unlike the hikes in Paradise and Sunrise, which have great views right from the parking lots!). This is why we say to add this region on only if you have extra time in the park and to not prioritize it with limited time. We think Longmire is a great place to visit if you’ve been to Paradise and Sunrise already and are looking for some less crowded hiking trails.
For a 4 day Mount Rainier itinerary, we’d recommend structuring it like this:
Day 1: Enter through Nisqually and explore/hike in Longmire
Day 2: Paradise/Ohanapecosh (Day 1 above)
Day 3: Sunrise (Day 2 above)
Day 4: Mowich Lake (Day 3 above)
Two days in Mount Rainier
With less than three days in Mount Rainier, you can still see and do a lot, but you’ll basically just have to eliminate one day from our itinerary above. We would recommend removing day 3 (Mowich Lake) and spending time in Paradise and Sunrise, which we think are the best parts of Mount Rainier. But, if you are looking to spend the day somewhere a bit less crowded, you can spend one day in Mowich Lake and one day in either Sunrise or Paradise.
If you get really early starts, you might be able to squeeze in all three days from our 3 day Mount Rainier itinerary into just two days. Spend one day in Paradise (without going to Ohanapecosh) and then spend the night in Enumclaw. Get an early start in Mowich Lake, and hike either to Tolmie Peak Lookout or to Spray Park. You can hike either one in just a few hours and be done by midday. Then drive about 2.5 hours to Sunrise in time for a hike there. If you’re visiting mid-summer when days are long, this is possible, but it will be a lot for one day…but, if there’s a will there’s a way!
One day in Mount Rainier
If you only have a day to visit Mount Rainier, you can either visit just one region and spend your whole day there (we of course recommend either Paradise or Sunrise), or if you don’t mind an early start and a long day, you can visit both Paradise and Sunrise on the same day!
Mount Rainier National Park 3 Day Itinerary Map
Here is a map of the different highlights and sights we mention in our three day Mount Rainier itinerary for reference!
Tips for Your Mount Rainier Itinerary
Here are a few more tips for helping you plan your Mount Rainier itinerary.
Buy a park pass
In addition to the reservations we mentioned earlier, you’ll also need a park pass to visit any of the regions in Mount Rainier. This costs $30 per vehicle and is good for seven consecutive days. You can buy this online ahead of time or at a park gate. If you plan on visiting more National Parks or Federal Recreation Areas in the near future, consider getting an America the Beautiful Annual Park Pass, which is good for an entire year at all National Parks! Nearby, this will get you into Olympic National Park, and allow you to park at trailheads around Mount Baker and the Enchantments. It quickly pays for itself!
Check Mount Rainier trail conditions and road status
Many roads in Mount Rainier National Park, like the one into Sunrise pictured here, close in the winter, so make sure to check for conditions and closures!
Before heading out, make sure to check trail status and road status for any closures or trail/road hazards. Particularly if you plan your Mount Rainier itinerary for the transition periods of early summer (June to early July) or fall (mid-September /October), this is important as conditions can be variable, trails can have a lot of snow, and roads might not be open.
Something else you should be aware of is that wildfires are very common out here, particularly in late summer (yup, just in time for clear trails and perfect weather!). Keep your eye on the air quality index and smoke forecast to know if it’s healthy to hike (and even worth it).
Check the weather and temper your expectations
An important part about visiting Mount Rainier is, well…actually getting to see Mount Rainier. Unfortunately, this doesn’t happen all the time, as Mount Rainier likes to frequently hide in clouds. Even if the forecasts predict a sunny day, the mountain itself might still not be out (something we frustratingly experienced several times during our time in the park!). So, check the weather and use it to plan your day, but also still come prepared for the worst-case scenario. You can even check these handy Mount Rainier webcams to get real-time updates on what the mountain is doing!
This was our view of Mount Rainier from the Skyline Trail!
In short, be flexible and be willing to switch around days on your Mount Rainier itinerary if necessary to work around conditions and weather!
Pack your lunches
We definitely recommend packing in your food for each day of your Mount Rainier itinerary, as there are limited options to buy food in the park, but limitless options for enjoying a nice picnic lunch with a view! Be sure to bring a water jug as well that you can keep in the car and refill at the different visitor centers in Paradise and Sunrise so you can keep your water bottles filled for hiking and exploring all day.
Come prepared for hiking!
As you can tell, our Mount Rainier itinerary is made for those who want to explore the park on foot! Be sure to check out our Mount Rainier hiking guide for more info on all our favorite trails, as well as a list for what to pack for the trail.
Download everything to your phone
Cell service is limited in the park, so be sure to download any trail maps, park passes, and reservations to your phone ahead of time.
Fill up your tank
Make sure to keep an eye on your gas tank, and fill up when you can. There are no gas stations in the park, and as we’ve hinted at, driving distances in and around Mount Rainier are high. There are gas stations in Ashford, Packwood, Greenwater, and Enumclaw, and some well beyond Chinook Pass on WA-410, so plan accordingly! Also, expect to pay high prices, particularly in Greenwater, which we noticed was almost an entire dollar more per gallon than the gas in Packwood!
Get an early start
In most cases, it’s generally best to get to popular places early to beat the crowds. But, this can be a little bit tricky now that timed entry reservations are a thing in Mount Rainier. When you can get to the park is really based on what timed entry reservations you were able to snag. But, the park is hoping that this new reservation system will reduce the crowding on trails and in lots as well as eliminate the queuing of cars to get through the park entrances.
You can still get a super early start in the park by entering the park before the reservation time kicks in (so, before 7 am). With a reservation system in place, this may or may not be a good idea. Timed entry reservations might force more people who don’t have reservations to flock to the park before the 7 am cutoff, causing more crowding and congestion early in the morning (making getting an early start a bit counterproductive!). But, time will only tell how this will all play out here!
If you visit in the fall outside of the reservation period, we still think this tip will apply. Get to popular Mount Rainier parking lots early, particularly on the weekends (about 9 am or earlier). For reference, we visited Paradise on a weekday in July and noticed that the lot filled up by about 9:30 am.
More Mount Rainier National Park Guides
Looking for more information to help you plan your Mount Rainier itinerary? Check out our Mount Rainier guides below for tons more helpful tips and info!
Best Hikes in Mount Rainier + Tips
The Mount Fremont Lookout Trail guide
More Washington Travel Guides
If you’re planning a Washington road trip, you’ve come to the right place! We’ve got tons of guides with lots of helpful information about Washington’s National Parks and forests. Check out our other Washington travel guides to help kickstart your planning!
MOUNT RAINIER ITINERARIES: How to spend one day in Mount Rainier National Park
NORTH CASCADES NATIONAL PARK: The Hidden Lake Lookout Trail
MOUNT BAKER WILDERNESS: Check out our favorite hikes around Mount Baker!
We hope this 3 day Mount Rainier itinerary helps you plan your perfect trip to the park. Let us know if you have any questions, and as always, happy travels!