Mount Rainier Camping and Hiking: Mowich Lake to Tolmie Peak

Breathtaking Mount Rainier National Park is located in western Washington State. The entrance fee into Mt. Rainier is $15 per private, noncommercial vehicle. The $15 covers a seven-day entrance permit. There is no additional tent camping fee for the Mowich Lake area. The Mowich Lake area is generally open from July through mid-October.

Getting There

From Seattle, Washington, the drive to the Mowich Lake area is about an hour and a half. Be prepared to drive a long distance on dirt roads. If the road condition is deemed good enough to be open, a regular car such as our trusty Toyota Corolla should get you there just fine.

Arrival

Upon our arrival at the Mowich Lake campsite, we were greeted by loud 'eeep' sounds from the little rodents who live in the rocky hillside (pictured in the Mowich Lake Critter photo). A la Snow White, there were birds that would land on and eat out of people's hands. However, we chose not to engage in feeding the animals because it is our understanding that people should not feed wildlife.

Camping Area

The tent camping area is not exactly a car camping set-up. (Car camping is when a car is driven right next to the site where the tent is pitched.) Gear must be carried to the tent camping area across a level, cleared area that is about the length of a football field. There are 30 individual tent camping sites. Against a backdrop of towering pine trees, we pitched our tiny Kelty Zen tent.

The Hike

Strapping on a backpack with plenty of water and Power Bar snacks, we headed off for the six and a half mile ascent to the top of Tolmie Peak. That is correct, six and a half miles one way up the mountain. Gravity makes walking the other six and a half miles back down the mountain much less strenuous.

The Wildlife

Wildlife abound in this area. During our hike from Mowich Lake to the top of Tolmie Peak, we walked up on a herd of deer crossing the hiking path, which was a wonderful surprise. We saw several pheasants, one of which was marching along the trail right in front of us near Eunice Lake. Chipmunks scurried about.

The Old Fire Lookout Building

We finally arrived at the top of Tolmie Peak at the old fire lookout, where there was a ranger staying overnight to do some maintenance. The ranger was quite gracious and invited us inside his one-room shelter (pictured in Tolmie Peak Fire Lookout), which has some of the best views in the world! The panorama photo of Mt. Rainier was taken from there.

Rest

We finished the 13-mile hike just before dusk and were quite happy we had prepared the tent before leaving for the hike. As soon as it was dark, we were asleep.

What to do the Next Day

The next morning, we amazingly awoke with restored energy. We hiked six miles round trip to and from Spray Falls, which is a spectacular, tall waterfall in the wilderness surrounding Mt. Rainier. Like the trailhead to Tolmie Peak, the trailhead to Spray Falls is clearly marked in the Mowich Lake area.

Driving back to the city, I reflected on the wondrous, restorative beauty of nature.