camping & hiking: Mount Rainier National Park
I’m just back from a three night camping trip at Mount Rainier with my husband and another couple. This is our third National Park trip together. : )
We camped at Ohanapecosh and did a short day hike near our campground to see the Grove of Patriachs with old-growth trees and a super cool suspension bridge. The next day, we went to Paradise and hiked along the Nisqually Vista, Alta Vista and Skyline Trails, with a side trip to Myrtle Falls.
On our last day, it rained in the morning so we did a hike near our campground to Silver Falls and the Ohanapecosh Hot Springs. Then we headed to Sunrise for a short wildflower hike on the Silver Forest trail. The mountain was hiding in the clouds on this day so we’ll have to go back another time for more hiking at Sunrise.
It was a lot of fun sharing my love of Mount Rainier with these three! We’ve already made plans for our next National Park adventure to the Redwoods in northern California.

suspension bridge over the Ohanapecosh River

hello Mount Rainier!

on the Nisqually Vista trail

Mount Rainier and the Nisqually River

the Paradise area is filled with meadows like this one

Dead Horse Creek

paintbrush alongside a stream

the Tatoosh Range as seen from the Dead Horse Creek trail

mountain spirea

pink heather

on the Alta Vista trail

Mount Rainier!!

joining the crowds at Myrtle Falls

the Paradise River

Paradise Inn lampshades

Box Canyon

view into Box Canyon

evening ranger program

on the Silver Falls trail

view of the Ohanapecosh River from the Silver Falls trail

bridge over the Ohanapecosh River

Ohanapecosh River

Silver Falls

Ohanapecosh Hot Springs

interesting colors in the hot springs

view of Sunrise Lake from Sunrise Point

looking into the White River Canyon, with Mount Rainier hidden in the clouds

purple asters were the predominant wildflower along the trail

Silver Forest trail

foggy conditions on the Silver Forest trail

Sunrise Visitors Center