5 Best Sights in Mount Rainier National Park, Washington

Highway 410, the highway to Yakima, follows the eastern edge of the park to Chinook Pass, where it climbs the steep 5,432-foot pass via a series of switchbacks. At its top, take in broad views of Rainier and the east slope of the Cascades. The pass usually closes for the winter in November and reopens by late May. During that time, it's not possible to drive a loop around the park.

At Chinook Pass you can pick up Highway 123 and head south to its junction with Stevens Canyon Road. Take this road west to its junction with the Paradise–Nisqually entrance road, which runs west through Longmire and exits the park at Nisqually. The route winds among valley-floor rainforest and uphill slopes; vistas of Puget Sound and the Cascade Range appear at numerous points along the way.

In the northwest corner of the park, this 24-mile mountain road begins in Wilkeson and heads up the Rainier foothills to Mowich Lake, traversing beautiful mountain meadows along the way. Mowich Lake is a pleasant spot for a picnic. The road is open mid-July to mid-October.

This 9-mile stretch of Highway 706 winds its way up the mountain's southwest flank from Longmire to Paradise, taking you from lowland forest to the ever-expanding vistas of the mountain above. Visit early on a weekday if possible, especially in peak summer months, when the road is packed with cars later. The route is open year-round, though there may be some weekday closures in winter. From November through April, all vehicles must carry chains.

This popular (and often crowded) scenic road to the highest drivable point at the park carves its way 11 miles up Sunrise Ridge from the White River Valley on the northeast side of the park. As you top the ridge, there are sweeping views of the surrounding lowlands. The road is usually open July through September.