After getting our picture taken in front of the Mt. Rainier National Park sign, we made a beeline for the Paradise area of the park. Our primary goal here was to hike the Skyline Trail - a strenuous hike that covers 6.2 miles with an elevation gain of 1900 feet. We opted to hike in a counterclockwise direction so that we would get to Myrtle Falls before the crowds got too bad. Prior to hiking this trail, we didn't know much about it other than it's known as the "must do" hike in the national park. Well, we were blown away by the gorgeous views of Mt. Rainier, meadows of blooming wildflowers, gurgling waterfalls, and clear views of Mt. Adams, Mt. Hood, and Mt. Saint Helens off in the distance. Luckily, we got an early enough start that the crowds weren't too bad until the descent.
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| On the steps leading to the Skyline Trail |
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| We saw several marmots on this hike |
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| This one was sunbathing on the rocks |
After the hike, we purchased our national park magnet from the visitor center and had a picnic lunch in our car, before making our way to the Narada Falls viewpoint.
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| Narada Falls |
Next, we stopped at Reflection Lake to enjoy the picture-perfect views. Back in the car, we decided that we would do the short hike to Silver Falls, but after missing the trailhead as we were driving, we decided we would do it tomorrow instead.
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| The lake lived up to its name |
At our VRBO cabin in Packwood, we got cleaned up, went into town for dinner, and then hit the sack early.
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