1 Day Mt. Rainier Itinerary: Mt. Rainier Day Trip For Hikers and Non-Hikers

1 Day Mt. Rainier Itinerary: Mt. Rainier Day Trip For Hikers and Non-Hikers

Only spending one day at Mt. Rainier? This Mount Rainier day trip guide shows you two versions of how to spend the day there: one for hikers and one for non-hikers, so you can enjoy a day in Mt. Rainier National Park no matter what you are looking for.

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One of the best day trip you can do near Seattle is a visit to Mount Rainier National Park. Whether you want to hike or just want to go to different viewpoints and waterfalls without much efforts, Mount Rainier is perfect for you.

If you are a hiker, Mt. Rainier offers some of the best trails out there. If you do not hike, there are still many family friendly walks and things to see in Mount Rainier National Park. This is why Mount Rainier is so popular in the summer for everyone.

Although it takes at least 3 to 4 days to fully explore Mount Rainier National Park, you can still do a lot even if you only have one day. In fact, if you don’t hike, you can see most of the highlights of Mount Rainier in just one full day.

Regardless of what you enjoy doing, this one day Mt. Rainier itinerary is something you want to copy!

Pinterest Pin One day in Mount Rainier National Park itinerary with 4 photos. Upper left corner is hiking on Skyline Trail in the early morning with glacier in the background; upper right is cable car at Chrystal Mountain; lower left is perfect reflection at Mirror Lake; lower right is a girl running in the woods

Table of Content

How far is Mt. Rainier From Seattle
Facts about Mt. Rainier National Park
Best Months to visit Mount Rainier National Park
Pass and reservation you need for Mount Rainier
Mount Rainier National Park Itinerary with No Hiking
Hiker’s 1 day Mt. Rainier Itinerary
What to bring for one day in Mt. Rainier
What to eat in Mt. Rainier
Other practical information to visit Mt. Rainier


How Far is Mount Rainier National Park From Seattle?

Mount Rainier is only about a 2 hour drive from Seattle, making Mt. Rainier the perfect day trip from Seattle.

You can drive over from Seattle to Mount Rainier early in the morning to see all the amazing places and view points, and come back to Seattle the same day.

I do recommend leaving Seattle as early as possible in the morning to avoid the summer congestion at Mount Rainier. In fact congestion is so bad at Mount Rainier National Park in the summer that you now need to make timed entry reservation to visit Paradise and Sunrise in Mt. Rainier.


Some facts about Mount Rainier National Park

Mount Rainier National Park was established in 1899, making it one of the oldest national parks in the US. Mt. Rainier is a glaciated volcano, it is the highest peak in the Cascade range, standing at about 14410 feet. It is also one of the 3 national parks in Washington (the other two being North Cascades National Park and Olympus National Park).

You can see Mount Rainier from Seattle but nothing beats the view when you are actually in the national park. Mt. Rainier is covered by glaciers and snowfields and it is pretty much the center at Mt. Rainier National Park.

There are 5 distinct areas of Mt. Rainier National Park:

  • Paradise (reservation required from May 24 to Sep 2)
  • Sunrise (reservation required from July 3 to Sep 2)
  • Carbon River
  • Longmire
  • Ohanapecosh

Paradise and Sunrise are the most popular areas to visit in Mount Rainier.

There are incredible hikes and viewpoints in Paradise and Sunrise, making them the most visited areas in the national park. This is also why starting in 2024, you need timed entry reservation for these two areas between 7am and 3pm.

In this one day Mount Rainier itinerary, we will be focusing on Paradise and Sunrise since you cannot possibly visit all areas of Mount Rainier National Park in one day.

There are a number of different entrances to Mount Rainier. Since Paradise is the most popular area in Mount Rainier, the best entrance to Mount Rainier is Nisqually Entrance, located at the southwest corner of Mt. Rainier National Park, close to Ashford.


Best Months to Visit Mount Rainier

The best time to visit Mount Rainier National Park is during peak summer months and early fall, when the roads and hiking trails are open.

Since Mt. Rainier National Park receives a lot of snowfall during the winter months, many of the roads and lodges in the national park will be closed, making it impossible to visit some of the areas within the park.

If you are eager to hike or see some of the best sights in Mt. Rainier, you pretty much need to visit during the summer months when there is no snow on the trail.

Mount Rainier Weather and rainfall
Source: Wikipedia, NOAA

Park Pass for Mt. Rainier

You need a national park pass in order to visit Mt. Rainier.

You can either get an annual pass or a private vehicle pass if you are only planning to visit once (the private vehicle pass is valid for 7 consecutive days). You can also use America the Beautiful Pass to access Mount Rainier National Park.

There are manned booth at each of the park entrance to pay for the pass, but we bought ours online and printed it out before arriving. But if you are arriving before 8am, you should buy the pass ahead of time and bring with you (I believe you can buy them from REI as well).


Timed Reservation for Mount Rainier National Park

In order to control overcrowding and preserving the ecosystems at Mount Rainier National Park, a timed entry reservation is now required starting 2024. The Mount Rainier reservation costs $2 each and the reservation gives you an 2 hour window to enter.

  • Paradise: May 24 to Sep 2, from 7am to 3pm
  • Sunrise: July 3 to Sep 2, from 7am to 3pm

If you have a lodging/ camping/ wilderness permit, you do not need to make the timed entry reservation, but you can only enter after 1pm the first day of your reservation. You still need to have your Park Pass available though.

If you enter Paradise or Sunrise before 7am or after 3pm, you don’t need the reservation! This is another incentive to get up early and arrive early.

If you are planning to visit both Paradise and Sunrise in one day, you have to make two separate reservations, one for Paradise and one for Sunrise.

Reservation for Paradise starts on February 21, 2024 and reservation for Sunrise starts on April 1, 2024. Depending on which date you are trying to visit, there are later booking windows. See official website for details.


Mount Rainier National Park Status

Since Mount Rainier is mostly nature, the road conditions and trail conditions are inevitably affected by weather and climate.

In addition there are infrastructural projects and roadwork that need to be done from time to time (like the project at Grove of the Patriarchs), therefore some areas of Mount Rainier National Park may be closed for an extended period.

You should always check conditions online before visiting Mt. Rainier to avoid disappointment. Here is the list of resources you can use to check current conditions at Mt. Rainier National Park:

  • Road Conditions and status here
  • Check Twitter for the latest condition here for real time updates
  • Check Mount Rainier Trail Conditions here
  • Webcams of the different areas in Mount Rainier National Park

There are also several visitor centers in the park that can provide you with maps and other information.


Can You See Mount Rainier National Park in a Day?

One day in Mount Rainier is the perfect amount of time to see the highlights of the park, especially if you don’t plan to hike.

If you want to fully explore Mount Rainier National Park, hike its most famous hikes and go to all the lakes and waterfalls, you will need at least 3 to 4 days in Mount Rainier.

This one day Mount Rainier itinerary is pretty action packed so I promise you won’t be disappointed and maybe you will want to come back for more!

Tolmie Peak fire look out view


How to Spend One Day in Mt. Rainier Without Hiking

Mount Rainier National Park is a great place to visit with kids or if you don’t like hiking. This one day Mt. Rainier itinerary will show you some of the best things to do in Mt. Rainier with minimal hiking involved.

For this Mount Rainier day trip, you will start the day in Paradise and end in Sunrise. You will also be able to visit a popular ski resort outside of the park for lunch, making this a very fun day trip from Seattle.

You need a Paradise reservation for the morning and a Sunrise reservation for the afternoon after lunch!

Early Morning: Reflection Lake

If you can get up early enough to drive to Mt. Rainier for sunrise, then you HAVE TO visit the Reflection Lake in Paradise.

Reflection Lake is perhaps the most famous lake in Mt. Rainier and numerous photographers come here during sunrise to capture the perfect reflection of Mt. Rainier.

As the name implies, this lake sometimes has a perfect reflection of Mt. Rainier so it is extremely popular. The good thing is it’s not quite crowded early in the morning and during sunset (no reflection during sunset when I visited though). During the day the parking lots get packed!

Wild flowers reflection lake rainier in the summer. Mount Rainier National Park itinerary

Early Morning: Nisqually Vista Trail

After Reflection Lake, you will drive for 10 minutes to the overflow parking lot in Paradise (this is the first parking lot you will see on the left hand side as you drive towards Paradise Inn). It is a small parking lot but this is the trailhead for Nisqually Vista Trail.

Don’t worry, this is not really a hike but more of a leisurely stroll, suitable for old people and people with kids/ strollers.

Nisqually Vista Trail Wild flowers

The Nisqually Vista Trail is a 1 mile loop walk with some awesome views of Mt. Rainier and wild flowers. The trail is mostly paved and mostly shaded. Occasionally the trail would open up to nice views of Mt. Rainier and you can even see the small waterfalls on Mt. Rainier.

Deer at Mt. Rainier

When we went there was maybe 3 other people so it’s very nice and chill and not crowded at all. We also saw a deer on this walk which was a plus. There was no bugs on this hike!

Morning: Chasing Waterfalls

There are a number of great waterfalls you can stop by in Paradise after your walk on the Nisqually Vista Trail. The closest waterfall would be Myrtle Falls.

Myrtle Falls

Myrtle Falls at Mount Rainier National Park on Skyline Trail during sunset.

Myrtle Falls is a popular waterfall along the Skyline Trail. You can either walk to Myrtle Falls from the overflow parking lot (add 0.3 miles one way) or you can drive to the Paradise Visitor Center Parking lot.

If you are visiting on a weekend in the summer, the Paradise Visitor Center Parking lot fill up by 7:30am (so it might be better to just walk).

From Paradise Inn, there is a wide paved trail that leads to Myrtle Falls. The entire walk is about 1 mile round trip but there are some uphill to the waterfall. Most families with kids are fine on this short uphill walk and I saw many people pushing a stroller up as well.

Ruby Falls

After visiting Myrtle Falls, the next stop is Ruby Falls. Ruby Falls is about 7 minute drive from Paradise Visitor Center. There is a pullout where you can park your car. You can see the upper portion of Ruby Falls from the road. If you want to see the lower portion of the waterfall, you have to do a short walk along the Narada Falls trail to see it.

Narada Falls

Narada Falls at Mount Rainier in the summer itinerary

Narada Falls is a short drive from Ruby Falls. It is about 180 feet high and it has two tiers. The upper tier is a horsetail that falls in several strands down a cliff and the lower tier is a smaller plunge. In the winter the falls freeze and attracts many ice climbs.

You can see part of the waterfall from the parking lot, but you can do a short 0.1 mile hike down the trail to the viewpoint to see the whole fall. But keep in mind the trail down is quite wet and steep so make sure you are prepared if you decide to go down.

Christine Falls

Christine Falls at Mount Rainier National Park in the summer with lush green and trees

Christine Falls is about 15 minute drive from Paradise Inn and you can actually see the waterfall on the side of the road with no hiking required.

If you want to, you can also walk to the base of the falls to see the Christine Falls Bridge. People of all abilities can visit this waterfall since it’s so easily accessible.

Noon: Grove of the Patriarchs

Important: currently closed due to damage to the bridge from flooding. There is no official re-open date yet for 2024. So skip this and go to Crystal Mountain (see below) instead.

After visiting the 4 famous waterfalls of Mt. Rainier National Park, it’s time to leave the beautiful Paradise and visit Sunrise.

Grove of the Patriarchs Mt. Rainier

On your drive to Sunrise, you will pass the most popular family friendly trail, Grove of the Patriarchs. The hike is very short and flat (1.1 mile round trip), and you will be walking through a large old-growth forest to a short suspension bridge.

After crossing the suspension bridge you will arrive at a small island in the middle of the Ohanapecosh River and walk on a boardwalk loop amongst Douglas-fir, red cedar trees and other tall and old trees. Just to emphasize how easy the Grove of the Patriarchs is, I did this walk in a short dress!

bridge of grove of the patriarchs

There is a small parking lot at the trailhead and it does get very popular during the day. We saw a lot of families with small children during the hike. The kids especially love the suspension bridge and the river.

We didn’t see that many bugs on this trail even in the late afternoon. However keep in mind that since the trail sits on a lower elevation, it actually is much warmer and more humid than the hikes/ waterfalls in Paradise.

Early Afternoon: Crystal Mountain

<For 2024 summer, you need an additional reservation for Sunrise>

After your waterfall viewing, it’s time for lunch!

There aren’t that many good options when it comes to dining inside Mt. Rainier National Park, but right outside of the national park is Crystal Mountain Resort, which is a nice place to visit and eat, especially with kids.

In the winter Crystal Mountain Resort is a popular ski resort; in the summer it’s great for families to visit and relax.

Crystal Mountain Gondola
Mt. Rainier Gondola

The most popular attraction at Crystal Mountain Resort is the scenic gondola rides. The Mt. Rainier Gondola will take you over 2400 feet to the summit and you will have an amazing view of Mt. Rainier and the Cascade Range.

You can have a late lunch at the terrace of Summit House, Washington’s highest elevation restaurant. You don’t need a reservation to eat on the terrace (first come first serve). We truly enjoyed our break at Crystal Mountain during our trip to Mt. Rainier.

Crystal Mountain Restaurant view of Mt. Rainier
Summit House restaurant on top of Crystal Mountain Resort
Crystal Mountain Summit House lunch

There is a huge parking lot (and a number of overflow parking lots) at Crystal Mountain Resort, so you don’t need to worry about parking even if you go on a weekend in the middle of the day. Expect to spend 1.5 – 2 hours here at Crystal Mountain.

Afternoon: Tipsoo Lake & Sunrise

After a relaxing lunch at Crystal Mountain Resort, it’s time to drive back to Mt. Rainier National Park to visit Sunrise.

First you will have a quick stop at Tipsoo Lake.

Tipsoo Lake is a popular alpine lake sitting at about 5300 ft high. It is one of the best places to see wildflowers in Mt. Rainier.

Tipsoo Lake wildflowers Mt. Raininer
Tipsoo Lake

A lot of families come to Tipsoo Lake to enjoy the wildflowers and to just relax and walk around the lake. There are some bugs at Tipsoo Lake so bring bug spray with you.

After your short stop at Tipsoo Lake, head directly to Sunrise Point, an overlook to see the peaks in the Cascade range. You can take some photos here then continue to the Sunrise Day Lodge to walk around.

Sunrise WildFlowers Mt. Rainier Washington
Wildflowers in Sunrise

If you go to Sunrise Day Lodge/ Sunrise Visitor Center, head to the same trailhead as Sourdough Ridge Trail, there is a huge wildflower meadow. A lot of families come here to take nice photos without really hiking the trails.


How to Spend One Day in Mt. Rainier if You Hike

If you like hiking, there are so many options for you in Mt. Rainier. If you love hiking, check out my post on the best hikes in Mount Rainier National Park below!

For the purpose of this one day Mt. Rainier itinerary, I would suggest hiking the Skyline Trail in Paradise and Fremont Fire Lookout Trail in Sunrise. Those are the two best hikes in Mt. Rainier if you only have one day there.

Early Morning: Reflection Lake

Similar to the itinerary above, if you can get up early enough for sunrise, I highly recommend that you make a quick stop to visit Reflection Lake. This lake has a couple of small parking lots and you can see the lake from the parking lot (or go down closer to it following the trail).

Mt. Rainier Reflection Lake sunrise

Morning: Hike the Skyline Trail

Drive 10 minutes from Reflection Lake towards Paradise Inn and you will find a large parking lot and a visitor center.

The Skyline Trail starts near the Visitor Center (you won’t miss it). If you are visiting on a weekend in the summer, this parking lot will probably be full by 7:30am since the Skyline Trail is such a popular trail.

Skyline Trail Mt. Rainier
Start of the trail: steep uphill with a view of Mt. Rainier

The Skyline Trail is a 5.5 mile loop with elevation 1700 ft elevation gain. The hike takes about 4-5 hours (depends on how fast you hike) and it’s moderately strenuous. There is a bathroom at the trailhead and another bathroom up at Panorama point.

The reason why Skyline Trail is so popular and labeled the “best day hike in Mt. Rainier” is because you get a little bit of everything on this hike.

Half of the hike you will be facing the majestic Mt. Rainier (like it’s really big in your face), the hike goes through wildflower meadows and you get to see not just Mt. Rainier and its surrounding glaciers, but also various peaks in the Cascade range.

Skyline trail view Mt. raininer

The other hikes I did in Mt. Rainier National Park does not offer as much as the Skyline Trail and it indeed is the most beautiful trail I hiked in Mt. Rainier.

Glacier Point skyline trail

Since the Skyline Trail is a loop, you can go either clockwise or counter clockwise. If you go clockwise, the trail is steeper but shorter (by about a mile or more). If you decide to do it counter-clockwise, the trail is more of a moderate uphill but it is longer.

Wild flowers on skyline trail in mt. rainier
Wildflowers on the Golden Gate Trail (during Skyline Trail)

There are a few “side trails” on the Skyline Trail that you can do, such as the Dead Horse Creek Trail, Alta Vista, Myrtle Falls, Golden Gate Trail, etc. Some are more of a short cut like the Golden Gate Trail, but they eventually all go back onto Skyline Trail so you won’t get lost.

Check my detailed post on how to hike Skyline Trail Loop.

Noon: Myrtle Falls & Christine Falls

As you hike down from the Skyline Trail clock-wise, you will come across one of the most famous waterfalls in Mt. Rainier – Myrtle Falls. Even though Myrtle Falls is only 72 foot high, it is super popular because it has Mt. Rainier directly behind it, making it the perfect photo spot in Mt. Rainier NP.

Note that during peak summer months it could be quite crowded at Myrtle Falls (it’s a small bridge) as it is a family friendly vista point and the trail to Myrtle Falls from the Paradise Visitor Center is paved so everyone visits this waterfall.

Myrtle Falls Mt. rainier

After stopping by Myrtle Falls, you can grab something to eat really quick from the Tatoosh Cafe inside Paradise Inn before hading to the next waterfall. Tatoosh Cafe is the only place with sandwiches, coffee/ tea, cakes and ice cream in Paradise so be sure to not miss it if you want some proper food.

Early Afternoon: Tipsoo Lake

After Christine Falls you will be leaving Paradise and drive towards Sunrise. One quick stop along the drive from Paradise to Sunrise is Tipsoo Lake.

Tipsoo Lake is a popular alpine lake sitting at about 5300 ft high on the east side of Mt. Rainier National Park. It is pretty popular in the summer because it is one of the best places to see wildflowers in Mt. Rainier. There is the Tipsoo Lake and a short walk away is Little Tipsoo Lake, which often has the perfect reflection of Mt. Rainier (and it is not well known so it’s not as crowded).

Tipsoo lake wild flowers

If you are visiting for the wildflowers, make sure to stay on the marked path so you don’t accidentally destroy meadows and wildflower fields. Also to make sure to bring bug spray with you as there can be some mosquitoes near the lake.

There is also a 3 mile loop hike called Naches Peak Loop Trail at Tipsoo Lake, which takes you to a few other lakes and a nice view of Mt. Rainier.

Lake at Naches peak hike
Naches Peak Look Trail

I am not specifically recommending that you hike Naches Peak Loop in this one day Mt. Rainier itinerary since you will have another big hike coming up. But if you are visiting Mt. Rainier for a couple of day I would definitely recommend hiking Naches Peak Loop (clock wise direction).

Afternoon – Sunset: Fremont Lookout Hike via Sourdough Ridge Trail

After a quick stop at Tipsoo Lake, you will drive another 40 minutes to Sunrise, the other popular area within Mt. Rainier National Park.

There are many hikes that starts at Sunrise Day Lodge (there is a huge parking lot with bathrooms and souvenir and snack shop). One of the most famous hikes in Mt. Rainier NP is the Sourdough Ridge/ Fremont Lookout trail.

The Sourdough Ridge Fremont Lookout Trail is 5.5 mile roundtrip hike with about 1000 feet of elevation. It is a moderate hike that’s not too strenuous but has an epic view of Mt. Rainier and the surrounding peaks in the Cascade Range.

The hike starts off at the Sunrise Day Lodge parking lot, first part of the hike is along the Sourdough Ridge Trail with some steep (but short) uphill in and out of the forest. The trail then reaches Frozen Lake, a glacier lake that’s partially frozen most of the year.

After Frozen Lake, the trail splits into Burroughs Mountain Trail and Mt. Fremont Lookout Trail. From this point on, it’s about 1.3 mile moderately uphill hike along a narrow rocky ridge until you reach the famous fire lookout, one of the only remaining 4 fire lookouts in the park.

Fremont fire lookout hike

See my detailed guide on how to hike Fremont Fire Lookout Trail.

Sunrise and sunset are the most popular time to hike the Mt. Fremont Lookout Trail.

However be warned that sunset time can be quite crowded so if you don’t like crowds, you may not want to hike it during sunset (and hike back down in the dark). Also, most of the hike is exposed so be sure to bring sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat.

After this hike your one day in Mt. Rainier will come to an end, but you really have seen the highlights of Mt. Rainier National Park with this action packed one day itinerary.


What to Bring For a Day Trip to Mount Rainier National Park

Water and snack: I would recommend bringing at least 3 liters of water for your day trip in Mt. Rainier National Park, especially if you are planning to hike. There are lodges that sell water and snacks inside Mt. Rainier as well but always bring water and food just in case.

Camera: Even an iPhone would do! If you want to take really nice photos on a camera, I highly recommend you bring a regular zoom lens as well as a wide angle lens to capture all the scenery. I personally use a Sony Alpha a7iii with a Tamron 28-75mm F/2.8 lens and I usually rent a wide angle lens on my trips.

Bug Spray: There are A LOT of mosquitoes in Mt. Rainier in the summer. Some hiking trails have a million bugs so bug spray is a must.

Long Sleeve/ Long Pants: Wear long sleeve/ pants if you want to avoid getting bitten by mosquitoes alive even with bug sprays.

Sunglasses/ Sunscreen/ Hat: During the summer months it could get quite hot and exposed when you visit Mt. Rainier. Definitely bring sun protection especially if you are hiking.

Hiking Shoes/ Hiking Poles: If you are planning to hike, I would recommend hiking poles and hiking shoes. Some of the hikes have steep uphill so they definitely help.

Pass Pass & reservations! Without these you won’t be able to enter during the summer months.


Where to Eat at Mount Rainier National Park

There are a handful of places you can eat at inside and outside Mt. Rainier. If you only have one day in Mt. Rainier, it may be the best to just bring packed lunch/ snacks instead of looking for food inside the national park. But here are some options that you can consider:

Where to Eat Inside Mt. Rainier National Park:

Paradise InnParadise Inn is a historical lodge inside Mt. Rainier National Park in Paradise. There is a cafe that’s open from 6am that sells sandwiches, pastries, coffee, ice cream, etc (they have a microwave). There are a few tables and chairs outside on the deck so if you are lucky you can grab some food and eat outside. There is also a dining room that’s open for sit down dinner and take-out (during Covid) for hotel guests.

National Park InnNational Park Inn is the other historical lodge in Mt. Rainier National Park in Longmire. There is NO cafe at National Park Inn but there is a dining room that’s open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Sunrise Day Lodge: Sunrise Day Lodge is a gift shop that sell some pre-made food (mostly drinks, snacks and not really hot food as of August 2021). It’s convenient for when you hike Mt. Fremont Fire Lookout Trail and other trails in Sunrise but don’t expect to get too much cafe food from this location.

Food Outside of Mt. Rainier National Park

Crystal Mountain Resort: As mentioned above, Crystal Mountain Resort is technically outside of Mt. Rainier National Park but it’s quite close to Sunrise. There are a lot of dining options at Crystal Mountain Resort that’s better than any food options inside the park.

There is the Summit House restaurant on top (requires Gondola ride). If you don’t want to ride the Gondola, there are a few restaurants and food carts down below (just park your car and walk to these restaurants).

Ashford/ Packwood: Both town of Ashford and Packwood offer restaurants and they are about an hour drive from Paradise in Mt. Rainier National Park. For restaurants you can check out Wildberry Restaurant (American & Himalayan food) and Copper Creek Restaurant (American) in Ashford. We also liked White Pass Taqueria (Tacos) in Packwood. However this may not be a feasible option if you are only spending one day in Mt. Rainier.


Other Practical Information Before Visiting Mt. Rainier National Park

Are there restrooms in Mt. Rainier?

There are a good number of restaurants/ facilities inside Mt. Rainier National Park. Almost all the major trailheads have a well maintained bathroom. You can also expect restrooms outside of the visitor centers. These toilets usually have toilet paper and hand sanitizer but bring your own just in case.

What time should I arrive at Mt. Rainier?

Summer is probably the most crowded time to visit Mt. Rainier National Park.

I would recommend arriving by 7am if you are visiting Paradise or Sunrise on a weekend because people arrive VERY EARLY to claim a parking spot. If you come mid day you will most likely have to park along the road or wait for a parking spot.

If you visit after 7am, you need to make a timed entry reservation to enter Paradise and Sunrise.

Is Mt. Rainier good for kids to visit?

Yes! There are plenty to do for families and kids at Mt. Rainier National Park.

There are some easy hiking trails (Grove of the Patriarchs, Nisqually Vista Trail, Tipsoo Lake Loop, Naches Peak Loop, etc.). There are also a lot of nice view points, lakes and waterfalls to visit.

You can also stop by Crystal Mountain Resort for a nice gondola ride and lunch. Honestly I really liked Crystal Mountain!

Do you need bear sprays for Mt. Rainier?

You generally do not need bear sprays to visit Mt. Rainier.

We did not encounter any bear and I read many online forums that says you don’t need a bear spray. If you want to be very safe then feel free to bring one. You can purchase a bear spray at your local REI.


So…Is Mount Rainier Worth Visiting for a Day?

Mount Rainier National Park is definitely worth visiting even as a day trip. There are plenty of beautiful hikes, waterfalls, viewpoints and things to do for people of all ages and physical ability.

Mount Rainier is a short drive with great rewards even if you do not hike. I think any time spent in Mount Rainier is 1000000 times better than no time spent. So yes, I think Mount Rainier is 100% worth the trip.

Hope this one day in Mt. Rainier itinerary is helpful to plan your trip!


Read My Other Mount Rainier Blogs

If you are planning to spend more time in Mount Rainier, or you just want to learn more about the different hikes in Mount Rainier or just the Seattle area, check out my other resources.

Mount Rainier Articles

North Cascades National Park Articles

Seattle Area Articles

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