Sightseeing in Mount Rainier

Roadside pullout on Stevens Canyon Road with open views of Mount Rainier and the Tatoosh Wilderness along the park's southern boundary.

Two-tiered waterfall framed by a historic stone bridge between Longmire and Paradise; one of the most photographed roadside waterfalls in the park.

Short walk above Sunrise to the first of two overlooks facing the Emmons Glacier — the largest glacier in the contiguous US — and Rainier's full northeast face.

Best at sunrise

Second Emmons Vista overlook with additional angles on the Emmons Glacier and the broad White River Valley below.

Best at sunrise

An island of ancient old-growth — Douglas fir, western red cedar, and hemlock more than a thousand years old — on the Ohanapecosh River in the park's southeast corner. The short loop reaches the grove across a suspension footbridge that was damaged in flooding, so access has been restricted in recent seasons; check the park's current conditions before counting on it. When open, it is one of the easiest ways to stand among trees this old.

Good all day

Large pullout on the west end of Stevens Canyon Road with open views of Rainier; a visitor favorite since the park's earliest days.

First glimpse of Rainier after the Nisqually Entrance, with a short walkway and wayside exhibits marking where a 1947 lahar remade the creek channel.

End of the Westside Road (closed to vehicles — hike or bike 3.5 miles in) with views of the western border hills and the North Puyallup Trailhead.

168-foot waterfall on the road to Paradise, reached by a short walk down from the parking lot; a popular picnic spot on the way to or from the mountain.

Half-mile paved loop from Paradise with close views of the Nisqually Glacier terminus and the wide alpine meadows below Rainier's summit.

A pair of roadside lakes just below Paradise that mirror Mount Rainier on a calm morning — the park's signature reflection shot. Pullouts sit right at the shore on Stevens Canyon Road, and an easy trail circles the lakes. Wind ripples the water by midday, so come at first light; wildflowers ring the shore in mid- to late summer.

Best at sunrise

One-way scenic loop drive between Longmire and Paradise with three distinct views: Rainier, the Nisqually River valley, and the Tatoosh Range.

Roadside overlook on the Sunrise Road with unobstructed views of Rainier and the surrounding Cascade Range; accessible in summer season only.

Best at sunrise

Several pullouts between Sunrise Point and the visitor center with views into the White River Valley and east toward Mt. Adams.

A small subalpine lake right off Chinook Pass in the park's quieter northeast corner, ringed by some of Rainier's best summer wildflower meadows with the mountain rising beyond. An easy half-mile loop circles the lake. The pass road (SR-410) is seasonal and one of the last areas to melt out, so the wildflower peak runs late — late July into August.

Best at sunrise