In September 2025, we spent a day in Mount Rainier National Park! Specifically, we went to the Paradise area of the national park, on the south flank of the massive titular standalone peak. Several other areas of the park exist, on other sides of the mountain, like Mowich Lake and Sunrise. However, we only saw Paradise, which offers superior views, since the sun's beams stream in from the south, providing great lighting. Unlike other mountainous national parks we've visited, this one features one giant mountain that towers high above all the surrounding terrain. Many of the park's amenities are clustered in areas positioned for the purpose of allowing stunning views of one giant focal mountain. As we are not morning people, going to Sunrise to see the sunrise over the mountain probably wasn't going to be our favorite choice. Fortunately, the area of Paradise gives great daylight views of Mount Rainier any time of day, perfect for those like us who arrive at the park in mid-morning to stay through the afternoon.

Mount Rainier is the highest point in the state of Washington, standing 14,411 feet above sea level. Unlike other regional highpoints, it stands in a league of its own. It is one of only four peaks in the state to exceed 10,000 feet in altitude, and it is the only peak in Washington to reach 13,000 feet above sea level (let alone 14,000). The mountain doesn't have any close second-place contenders around it, explaining why the national park is named for one peak, rather than a range or cluster of mountains. Mount Rainier is even visible from Seattle, which lies 57 miles to the northwest. The park lies in a lush and heavily forested region of western Washington, and it boasts a plethora of hiking opportunities. Nothing can prepare you for how massive and dominant the mountain is. The mountain is so massive that, if you drive alongside it, you will feel that its position relative to yours has not changed compared to its former position 10 minutes ago. It's like driving alongside something planet-sized. Though I didn't visit in winter, I hear that the park service keeps the roads plowed, enabling winter visits to easier access points not requiring hiking.

Part 1: Christine Falls

As we entered the park from the west, we were led down an eastward road toward the Paradise Visitor Center. The road crosses a bridge, underneath which Christine Falls is doing its thing, roaring and dropping that sweet mountain water down below. The waterfall was hidden under the bridge, unbeknownst to us until we parked in the parking lot and hooked around. Sorry about the shadows disrupting the view of the falls; it's not like it was my idea to build the bridge right over the top of it!

Part 2: Reflection Lake

The longest hike we did in the park took us on a circuitous path around Reflection Lake. The parking area to access the trail was right along the lake, so it's not like the lake was an eventual destination. But the views from the south shore of the lake included a reflection of Mount Rainier on the water. In other words, the name checks out.

In the eastern part of the circuitous trail, we reached the Mazama Point Overlook. We sat on the ground and ate lunch. Soon, some birds found that we had food and landed right next to us. The sun got in the way of certain views, but at least our view of Rainier itself were fantastic. I guess that's the benefit of situating ourselves on the south side of the big mountain!

The reflective waters of the pristine mountain lake were always within view during our hike. It brought a calming vibe. The second picture below might be my favorite shot that I got on this day. It has mountains, trees, water...it's got it all.

Part 3: Nisqually Point

Next, we drove a bit west to the Nisqually Point Trailhead. This short backtrack revealed that our initial trip toward the east had Mount Rainier looming right behind us, and I didn't even realize it. Maybe someone should have told me, "Watch out! It's Mount Rainier, right behind you!" Anyway, now the mountain was right in front of us, giving some awesome views as we drove west.

Then, we actually hiked to Nisqually Point, which gave us the most close-up and detailed views of Mount Rainier. You could see the full picture of the mountain walking the trail, but at the overlook, we could see some of the smaller streams and contours. Distant small streams were rushing down from the mountain, creating other unnamed waterfalls of their own.

We could really test the potential of our camera's resolution here. This closeup shows some of the streams carrying water (and avalanches?) down the mountain. It is impossible to overstate how humbling and gargantuan this geologic masterpiece was.

Part 4: Ruby Falls and the Paradise Visitor Center

Our last stop before heading back toward the park entrance was a short hike to Ruby Falls from the Paradise Visitor Center. Ruby Falls was encountered late in the day and covered in shadows. This was a very popular hike. The visitor center had a gift shop, but the bathrooms were temporarily closed. Instead, an array portable toilets were provided in the parking lot (results not typical).

Part 5: Narada Falls

On our way out of the park, we parked and walked down a lengthy staircase to see Narada Falls.

It only takes a few minutes to get to the waterfall from your car. I also liked this scene of the stream flowing toward the brink of the falls. This scene caught my eye as I was walking back to the car. I love how green everything is in western Washington.

Count: Mount Rainier is the 25th national park we've visited.
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