Mt Rainier National Park Hiking Trip Planner In 10 Easy Steps:
Planning a hiking trip is one of the most challenging parts of the trip for me. But follow our Mt Rainier National Park Hiking Trip Planner, and you will find yourself hiking along the Wonderland Trail in no time!
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#1. Plan Your Hikes / Backpacking Itinerary:
Your first step in planning your Mt Rainier vacation is to figure out precisely what you want to do and see in the park. Whether it be day hiking or backpacking, you should decide what you want to see and how long you need to be there to get the most out of your trip. Be sure to always discuss backpacking itineraries or day hikes with a park ranger, to make sure conditions are safe for when you intend on visiting the park.
Determining what you want to do in the park should be your first step because it will affect all other aspects of planning your trip that we will discuss throughout this guide. Whether you opt for day hiking or backpacking, I highly recommend going through our “Mt Rainier National Park Guide“. It is a great resource to find insane day hikes and pre-made backpacking itineraries to help you plan your adventure.
If you are a looking to go on an extended backpacking trip and backpack the famous Wonderland Trail you should check out our “Wonderland Trail Backpacking Guide”
#2. Pick Your Dates
Now that you know what you want to do in the park and how long you expect to stay, the next step is deciding which dates you want to go. For hiking and camping, summertime is your best bet. Anywhere from early July to mid September would work. Keep in mind these dates may require some flexibility depending on the campsite and permit availability.
#3. Book Your Campsite, Permits Or Hotel Stay
Now that you have your dates, you need to work on getting campsite, backcountry permit, or hotel reservations.
Campsite & Backcountry Permit Reservations:
When planning your stays at front-country campsites in Mt Rainier National Park you may make reservations at Cougar Rock Campground and Ohanapecosh Campground. Fortunately for you last minute planners like myself there are also two campgrounds that are first-come-first-serve only, these are White River and Mowich Lake campground.
If you plan backpacking you will need permits to camp in the backcountry. You can reserve these permits through recreation.gov. Backcountry permits during the busy season can be difficult to obtain last minute, so I recommend applying for them way in advance.
Hotel Stays Near Mt Rainier National Park
Now, if camping isn’t your style and you need a little more comfort, there are several hotel options most of them located south of the park in Ashburn and Packwood Washington. Use the below links to find some cool stays near Mt Rainier National Park.
#4. Decide Which Airport You Are Flying Into
Mt Rainier National Park is pretty large. Because of this, there are a couple of different airport options available. There are two different ways you can go with picking an airport. Either go with the closest to where you plan on lodging or with whichever one has the most convenient flights for you, and if you can get both, great! Refer to our post “Closest Airports To Mt Rainier national Park” to see which airport would work best for you!
#5. Check Flights And Book Your Tickets
Now that we picked our dates and what airport we want to fly into, it is time to check flights! I always like using Kayak to help find the cheapest flights. Use the link below to do some flight research.
#6. Book A Rental Car For Your Mt Rainier National Park Vacation
The next step needed is to book your rental car. Mt Rainier National Park is a fantastic park to drive through with many scenic roads. Unfortunately, public transport is virtually nonexistent here so having a car is a must. I usually use one of the below services to research and book my rental cars.
#7. Consider Travel Insurance Especially If Backpacking
You never know what is going to happen when hiking in the wilderness. While travel insurance may be overkill if you only plan on doing day hikes, it is worth considering if you are backpacking. The reason being is injuries on the trail are always unexpected. If you were to get one bad enough that it requires you to be airlifted out of the park, that is a bill you DO NOT want.
Click the link below to check out different plans with Travelex. After you put in your information and get quotes, click “show more features” to view travel coverage benefits for emergency medical expenses and emergency medical evacuation.
#8. Look Into Excursions In Mt Rainier National Park
Suppose you have an extra day and want to do other activities outside of hiking. I highly recommend looking through some of the excursions available through TripAdvisor. Click the link below and search “Mt Rainier National Park” then click “things to do” to look through some of the excursions available through TripAdvisor.
#9. Brush Up On Your Hiking/Backpacking Basics
If you are new to hiking or backpacking but want to visit Mt Rainier National Park, that is awesome! You do not need to be a seasoned veteran outdoorsman to enjoy a park. If you are a beginner, I recommend going on some day hikes before your trip to prepare you for your hiking vacation! If you want to learn about hiking and backpacking, check out our “Hiking / Backpacking Tips Page.”
#10. Make Sure You Have All Of The Necessary Gear
Whenever going into the wilderness, having the right gear is absolutely essential. Fortunately, whether you are backpacking or just doing day hikes, you can use our gear guides to ensure you have everything you need.
Enjoy Your Trip!
I hope this guide was helpful for you guys. Enjoy your time in the Mt Rainier National Park!
