TravelMorgan Stone GretherLogging Museum at Mt. Rainier RailroadWashington, Tacoma-Rainier Tour 2016, Mt. Rainier Railroad and Logging Museum, Mount Rainier

Rainier Day 1: Mt. Rainier Railroad and Logging Museum

TravelMorgan Stone GretherLogging Museum at Mt. Rainier RailroadWashington, Tacoma-Rainier Tour 2016, Mt. Rainier Railroad and Logging Museum, Mount Rainier
Rainier Day 1: Mt. Rainier Railroad and Logging Museum

Continuing my coverage of my July 2016 adventures for Travel Tacoma and Visit Rainier... On the first day of the Mount Rainier section of the "instafam" trip, we stopped in Mineral, Washington, at the Mt. Rainier Railroad and Logging Museum where we got a private tour and learned a ton about steam engines and logging practices. Pretty darn fascinating. And gave me new appreciation for how hard the work was.

Nice person in Portland, Oregon, and beyond.

TravelMorgan Stone Gretherparadise lodgeTacoma-Rainier Tour 2016, Mount Rainier, Paradise Washington, Washington, hiking, mountains, travel

Rainier Day 1: Hiking in Paradise

Near the end of Day 1 in the Mount Rainier National Park, we stopped at the satisfyingly appropriately named Paradise, Washington, for some hiking and then a picnic dinner. The views were beyond description! And the weather for us was perfection, as the fog burned off Rainier just as we started on the trail. When you visit the park, Paradise is a must-see!

TravelMorgan Stone Gretherparadise lodgeTacoma-Rainier Tour 2016, Mount Rainier, Paradise Washington, Washington, hiking, mountains, travel
Rainier Day 1: Hiking in Paradise
TravelMorgan Stone GretherReflection Lake, lake, Tacoma-Rainier Tour 2016, Mount Rainier, mountains, Washington, travel

Rainier Day 1: Reflection Lake

Reflection Lake is nestled in the foothills below Mount Rainier. There was just enough wind when we visited to send ripples across the water and prevent reflections of the mountain. Oh well! It was still absolutely gorgeous. 

TravelMorgan Stone GretherReflection Lake, lake, Tacoma-Rainier Tour 2016, Mount Rainier, mountains, Washington, travel
Rainier Day 1: Reflection Lake
TravelMorgan Stone GretherSunrise Washington, Mount Rainier, Tacoma-Rainier Tour 2016, mountains, trees, Washington, pacific northwest, hiking, travel

Rainier Day 2: Sunrise, Washington

After our stop at Eunice Lake, we traveled onward to Sunrise, Washington, which is the highest spot in the park you can drive to. From its lodge, hiking trails spider off in all directions for easy hikes that all offer truly breathtaking views of Mount Rainier and its surrounding foothills. Cascade beauty! As we drove up to the site, a thick layer of clouds sat around the mountain, but as we started hiking the cloud cover quickly burned off.

TravelMorgan Stone GretherSunrise Washington, Mount Rainier, Tacoma-Rainier Tour 2016, mountains, trees, Washington, pacific northwest, hiking, travel
Rainier Day 2: Sunrise, Washington