Auto Tour, Mount Rainier National Park

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The Carbon River Ranger Station is the park's only ranger station that stays open year-round.

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Cougar Rock Campground nestles in the woods across the street from the Nisqually River.

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The Ohanapecosh Campground, located at 1,914 feet in the southeast section of the park, is crisscrossed by two streams and the crystal-clear Ohanapecosh River.

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The White River Campground, located in the northeast section of the park, sits at 4,400 feet, making it the highest of the park's three drive-up campgrounds.

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A sliver of the 2,650-mile-long Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) cuts in and out of Mount Rainier National Park.

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This historic old road, built in 1921, is located in the northwestern corner of the park.

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Gain access to the park year round via the Nisqually Entrance.

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Ohanapecosh, one of five developed areas in the park, is located three miles north of the park's southeast boundary.

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Catch the first light of the day on Mount Rainier from Sunrise, an open area located at 6,400 feet with clear views of this majestic mountain in the Cascade range.

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The 5,432-foot-high Chinook Pass is located on State Route 410 in between the towns of Enumclaw and Naches.

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Cayuse Pass, at 4,675 feet, is located at the junction of state routes 123 and 410.

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Paradise is an open area at about 5,400 feet on Mount Rainier's southern flank.

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Grove of the Patriarchs is home to some of the park's grandest and oldest trees.

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James Longmire, a pioneer, mountaineer, and entrepreneur who discovered the area's mineral springs in the late 1800s, built his original homestead, a lodge, and a mineral spring resort here.

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Westside Road branches off of the Nisqually-Longmire Road in the southwestern corner of the park.

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You'll enjoy a spectacular view of the Nisqually Glacier as you cross Glacier Bridge.

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This short, one-way road offers wonderful panoramic views of the Niqually Glacier and the Tatoosh Range.

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The one-way Paradise Valley Road heads clockwise, leading visitors through a meadow-filled valley and by the Paradise area.

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A series of subalpine lakes located along Stevens Canyon Road.

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This large pullout on Stevens Canyon Road provides sweeping views of the Tatoosh Range and Mount Rainier.

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This 19-mile road within park boundaries connects Paradise and the southeast entrance of the park on State Route 123.

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This box-shaped canyon, located between Longmire and the Stevens Canyon Entrance, has steep walls carved out by the Muddy Fork of the Cowlitz River.

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Chenuis Falls tumbles down rocky ledges about .4 miles from the Carbon River Road.

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Andesite columns formed from an ancient lava flow on Mount Rainier.

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This spectacular viewpoint sits at a hairpin turn on Sunrise Road, on the drive from White River Campground up to Sunrise.

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Crystal Mountain, the largest ski resort in Washington State, features 2,600 acres of skiable terrain and more than 50 named runs.

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Packwood, Wash., lies between Mount Rainier to the north and Mount St. Helens to the south.

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With a population of only 67 people, tiny Greenwater, Wash., lies on the western edge of Mount Rainier National Park and Snoqualmie National Forest in the Cascades.

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White Pass Ski Area, just to the southwest of Mount Rainier National Park, offers both alpine and cross-country skiing.

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Stevens Canyon runs east-west in the southwestern corner of the park, separating Mount Rainier and the Tatoosh Range.

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This historic parkway, also known as State Route 410, connects the town of Enumclaw to the eastern edge of the park, then runs north and west toward the Tacoma and Seattle area.

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The Kautz Creek picnic area has wheelchair-accessible parking, restrooms, and picnic tables.

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This .4-mile trail cuts through a forest of huge, ancient trees and across several streams.

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A 7.2-mile hike with 3,000 feet of elevation gain.

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The easy, 1.3-mile Grove of the Patriarchs Trail begins just northwest of the Stevens Canyon Entrance on the park's southeast side.

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Box Canyon is located 12 miles west of Ohanapecosh on Stevens Canyon Road.

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This .3-mile loop is enough to give you a taste of this ancient and stunning lowland rainforest in the Carbon River area.

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See 800-year-old Douglas fir trees and other ancient wonders on this 10.8-mile roundtrip hike.

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This true wilderness hike leads you through dense old-growth forest, across slide areas, and then into a lush open valley that eventually takes you to a pair of lakes.

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For day trips, this has to be one of the most spectacular hikes in the park.

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This 42-mile loop through one of the quieter, less-visited areas of the park offers up-close views of the Carbon River and Winthrop glaciers.

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This easy 3.5-mile loop, which includes the Tipsoo Lake Trail, offers stunning views of Mount Rainier's eastern flank.

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This mostly forested hike offers a good chance to see wildlife.

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This popular trail leads to 320-foot Comet Falls.

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This 16-mile out-and-back includes 7.8 miles of hiking on a closed road, but offers a fascinating look at andesite columns, subalpine meadows, and views of Mount Rainier and the Tahoma Glacier.

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This long day hike includes 4 miles (in each direction) on a closed road, but proves worth it for the supreme views of Mount Rainier, the wildflower meadows, and the peaceful and refreshing lake at the end.

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It takes an intrepid soul to reach this tucked-away lake located on the northwest side of Mount Wow.

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Three-mile hike to the top of the second highest peak in the Tatoosh Range.

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This popular trail leads to 320-foot Comet Falls, one of the highest waterfalls in the park.

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Fields of wildflowers, the sight of umpteen cascading waterfalls, and views of majestic Mount Rainier make this one of the more popular trails in the park.

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This steep, exposed trail takes you to the top of Shriner Peak, where an historic old lookout tower still stands.

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This 12-mile out-and-back trail leads to three high-alpine lakes in a basin at the very edge of the park border.

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Along State Route 706 on the way to Mount Rainier's west entrance is the Ex-Nihilo Sculpture Park, pronounced "Ex Nee-Hill-o," and meaning "something created from nothing."

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Not only does this road connect the park's Nisqually Entrance to the Longmire area, it also is one of the few parks roads that is kept open year-round.

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State Route 410 (the Mather Memorial Parkway) enters Mount Rainier National Park on its northeast side.

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Route 165 enters the park from its northwest corner before ending at Mowich Lake Road, a five-mile dirt road that leads to Mowich Lake and its campground.

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State Route 123 enters the park at its southeast corner, where it leads directly to the Ohanapecosh region.