We almost skipped Mount Rainier National Park! It was only added to our U.S. itinerary at the last minute, when we spontaneously decided to make a loop through Washington and Oregon states. And what a great decision that turned out to be! We completely fell in love with this majestic volcano and its stunning national park, which we had the chance to explore under glorious sunshine.
Saturday, September 3, 2022
We have left behind the mysterious Olympic Peninsula, the ocean, and its ever-present mist, and we are now heading toward Mount Rainier National Park, located in the heart of Washington State, about 100 kilometers (60 miles) southeast of Seattle. We arrive at the end of the day. From our overnight spot, we catch our first glimpse of Mount Rainier. Wow! It looks promising 😀 It greets us under a beautiful blue sky and golden evening light. A perfect place to spend the night.
Sunday, September 4
We wake up early under a perfectly clear blue sky. It’s the ideal weather to explore Mount Rainier National Park! What we didn’t plan for? Today is Sunday, and we hit the park entrance right at peak time! It takes us a solid hour to get through the entrance booth and reach the Sunrise area. The road up is stunning, winding, scenic, and at times a little dizzying. Then, around a bend, there it is, up close: Mount Rainier, towering at over 4,300 meters (14,000 feet).
🥾 Fremont Lookout Trail – 9 km / 5.6 miles, 300 m / 980 ft elevation gain
This short and fairly easy hike is absolutely spectacular. The trail gently climbs the mountainside, offering breathtaking views, on one side, the surrounding peaks; on the other, Mount Rainier in all its glory.
It leads to the Fire Lookout, where we enjoy perfectly clear 360° views. Simply incredible.
We descend slowly toward the lovely visitor center, passing through lush alpine meadows dotted with wildflowers and pine trees. A calm, restful, and peaceful landscape that we love.
We leave the Sunrise area in the late afternoon. It’s a long drive around the volcano to reach the other part of the park: Paradise. Since camping inside the park isn’t allowed, we drive a few more kilometers to find a quiet spot for the night. After an hour of searching, we finally find a discreet pullout in the woods, not far from the park entrance. Brrr… we are not big fans of the forest at night, it’s dark and silent in there. As soon as the night falls, we dive into the Jeep and stay safe inside!
Monday, September 5
Not making the same mistake twice! We get an early start today to beat the crowds. It works! We enter the park right away. The road up to Paradise is long and steep, but Jeepy handles it like a champ! We have breakfast straight from the parking lot, then hit the trail.
🥾 Skyline Trail – 9 km / 5.6 miles, 518 m / 1,700 ft elevation gain
This gorgeous hike begins with a long climb through blooming alpine meadows. We cross charming wooden bridges and follow a well-maintained path that just keeps going up and up. The scenery is even more stunning than the day before.
After a few kilometers, we reach the glacial moraine, where everything is gray rock and no vegetation. Eventually, we arrive at the Skyline, where Mount Rainier, cloaked in snow and ice, stands before us in all its glory. What a view! Absolutely mind-blowing.
We descend back to the parking lot through a thick crowd. We wonder why there are so many people on a Monday in September, before realizing it’s a holiday! After lunch, we hit the road again. Tomorrow, we are off to discover another volcano, further south: Mount St. Helens.
Tuesday, September 6
Mount St. Helens last erupted on May 18… 1980! Practically yesterday. Back then, it was a perfect, snow-capped cone, reaching 2,950 meters (9,678 feet). But during the eruption, the entire dome collapsed. Today, the volcano stands at 2,538 meters (8,327 feet). The eruption was unbelievably violent. The collapse triggered a massive landslide, a shock wave, a pyroclastic flow, and a mudflow that killed about 50 people—most of them campers. The gaping crater is still extremely impressive. We walk alongside old lava flows, surrounded by volcanic rock. Getting closer to the crater is not possible without a permit, so we simply admire the breathtaking view from the hiking trail.
But our road trip through the Pacific Northwest is not over yet! We still have several hours of driving ahead before reaching THE highlight of our adventure in this part of the US: Crater Lake National Park in Oregon!
