5 scenes of sheer beauty
Five other prime visual places in and around Mt. Rainier National Park:
Narada Falls: The park’s most popular waterfall is just off the road near Cougar Rock Campground. There is a large, clearly marked parking lot above the waterfall and a moderately steep hike down to reach the base of the falls, which plummet 168 feet. We were lucky and caught the sun illuminating a large rainbow at the falls’ base.
Christine Falls: Another beautiful waterfall, just off the park’s Nisqually-to-Paradise entrance road near Cougar Rock on the way to Paradise Meadows. It is spanned by a perfect rock bridge. It too has a parking lot and involves an easy hike to view the falls.
Reflection Lake: Of course, we wanted to capture the iconic view: Mt. Rainier mirrored in the water of Reflection Lake, about a 20minute drive from Cougar Rock Campground. Photographers gather at the lake before sunrise and wait for the light to illuminate the mountain and create the classic reflection. We spent a couple of very good mornings here, leaving our campsite at 6 a.m. and watching the sun slowly paint the summit of Mt. Rainier, all reflected in the still waters of the lake. The slightest breeze will wipe out the reflection.
Sunrise: We drove to Sunrise by way of Sunrise Road, which begins near the park’s White River entrance, and it was one of the best mountain drives we’ve ever taken. At an elevation of 6,400 feet, this wildflower spot tends to start its big show a bit earlier than Paradise because it gets less snow. Nonetheless, some wildflowers — mostly lupine — still were in bloom. A pair of bald eagles circled overhead to complete the wow moments.
Crystal Mountain Resort: This trek required us to leave the park briefly. In winter, Crystal Mountain Resort is a busy ski center, but summer visitors can take a scenic gondola ride to the top of the ski area (we did, and the views were plentiful) and its popular Summit restaurant.