Mount Rainier National Park

The mountain was out! Mount Rainier is known for it’s rather frequent spurts of disappearing in the clouds. However, during our brief day long visit to Mount Rainier National Park, the mountain was out in all it’s glory.

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We had limited time in the park and chose to use it to complete one hike. We chose the 5.5 mile Skyline Loop Trail. The average hiker takes about 4-5 hours to complete Skyline. We knew there was snow on about 50-70% of the trail (even in late June) and planned for a bit more time. This meant we loaded up on water and snacks before hitting the trail. When hiking with kids, keeping them fed and comfortable is key.

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From the visitor’s center we tackled Skyline Loop Trail from a counter clockwise direction. Opting to head towards Myrtle Falls first and leaving the steep down hill for the end of the hike. Given the amount of snow on the trail, we were happy to have downloaded All Trails. There were several sections of the trail were it was not clear which direction to head.

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If you hike Skyline when there is snow on the trail, don’t be like us. Bring hiking poles and crampons for more stability and traction on the mushy and slippery late spring snow. Snow or no snow, Skyline Loop Trail offers excellent views of the mountain, surprise waterfalls and up close wildlife encounters.

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The midpoint of Skyline is Panorama Point. Prepare to be awed by take your breath away views of Mount St. Helen’s and Mount Adams as well as much of the Paradise Valley from about 7100 feet. In addition to the views, we also enjoyed the pit toilets. From Panorama Point, the trail was a downhill descent of about 1700 feet along side Nisqually Glacier to reach the visitor’s center.

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Our brief time at Mount Rainier National Park was part of a larger trip to see all the National Parks in Washington. You can read more about our time at Olympic National Park and North Cascades National Park as well as our stop over in Seattle.

Happy Adventuring, Rochelle