Where to Stay at Mount Rainier National Park: Complete Guide

A Quick Primer on Mount Rainier’s Geography

Before discussing where to stay, we should address Mount Rainier`s geographical layout.

Mount Rainier National Park covers 369 square miles in southwestern Washington, which means it certainly isn`t the largest national park in the country, but it`s sizable enough that the logistics matter.

For our purposes here, there are four sections of the park that should be acknowledged.

• Paradise: This area of Mount Rainier, located on the southern side, is what often comes to mind when envisioning the national park. Paradise contains beautiful lush meadows filled with wildflowers during summer, the Skyline Trail (our favorite hike in Mount Rainier National Park), four splendid waterfalls, and a nice selection of alpine lakes. It’s the best region for newcomers, and the place we’d advise focusing on if planning a day trip to Mount Rainier.
• Sunrise: While the Skyline Trail is our favorite hike location, Sunrise has the best collection of hikes in the park. It’s on the eastern side of Mount Rainier, and is the highest point reachable by vehicle in the park. At Sunrise, you can hike to a historic fire lookout tower, a series of rocky outcroppings that offer close views of Rainier’s eastern face, or lush wildflower meadows. And they all depart from the same trailhead!
• Ohanapecosh: More old growth forests, less alpine, but there are some nice shorter hikes to do here, and the biggest campground in the park. The main benefit of Ohanapecosh is that it’s equidistant to both Paradise and Sunrise. 
• Mowich Lake: Two amazing hikes here on the west side of Rainier (and namesake lake), but not much else. Moreover, it’s at the end of an 18 mile stretch of potholed gravel road, so it’s less accessible than most of the park.

Here’s a map to help you visualize.

The primary issue with Rainier is that the two most captivating and thrilling areas – Paradise and Sunrise – are essentially situated on opposing aspects of the Mountain, meaning that approximately 90 minutes are required to travel between them.

This explains why the location you lodge is significant when visiting Mount Rainier.

Hotels and Lodges Inside the Park

If you want to stay inside the park, which is definitely going to be the best experience in terms of travel time to and from your lodging to trailheads, you essentially only have two options in Mount Rainier National Park.

As is typically the case with most lodging inside national parks around the country, the park lodging at Mount Rainier National Park leaves something to be desired in terms of style and maintenance, especially when you consider the price you’re paying.

We’d suggest looking at it from a different perspective. Instead of paying for all the modern comforts, you’re paying for the ambiance and convenience of having all the splendor that Rainier has to offer right on your doorstep.

And, fundamentally, the ability to sleep an additional half hour and still arrive at the trailhead sooner than most others.

If you’re looking for something a little more stylish and comfortable, we have options below this section in Ashford, Packwood, and along Highway 410 near Enumclaw / Crystal Mountain for you.

Keep in mind, as we mentioned above, the park is sizable.

It takes an extended period to drive from one side of the Mountain to the other – for example, from Sunrise to Paradise takes approximately an hour and a half along a lone lane road that often becomes congested with traffic from 10:00am to 3:00pm.

Therefore, we’d suggest EITHER focusing on one specific region if you only have a day or two (see our guide on planning a single day in Mount Rainier National Park for more details on how to spend one day, and where to spend it), OR dividing your time and staying in both Paradise and Sunrise if you can secure camping spots in both locations.

To avoid setting up camp in multiple areas, staying in Ohanapecosh may be preferable. It lies about 45 minutes away from both sections of the park, offering more centralized lodging.

It’s also set in beautiful old growth forest surroundings.

With that preface about campsite strategy out of the way, here are the three main campgrounds located in Mount Rainier National Park.

For more details, including campsite information and seasonal changes, browse the NPS website here.

There are 179 sites here, and the vast majority need to be reserved ahead of time.

This is the most popular campground in the park, meaning these sites are EXTREMELY competitive, particularly for summer weekends.

To secure a room, visitors will need to diligently check for availability either in the mornings when spots open up for that day or frequently checking for cancellations.

A handful of booking sites are available for last-minute bookings, but don`t expect availability for walk ups on summer weekends.

There are flush toilets, water fill spigots, and each site has a tent pad, table, and firepit. Some sites can accommodate RVs, but it depends on the location.

On our most recent visit, we undertook a tour of the campground to pinpoint the best campsites for our subsequent trip and determined that the premier spots are in the D loop. Specifically, we favored D11, D12, and D13, together with sites D20 through D26.

You can make reservations at Cougar Rock on Recreation.gov.

White River Campground (Sunrise)

• Location: Sunrise (20 minutes from the Sunrise Visitor Center)
• # of Sites: 88
• Reserve in advance? No, accommodated on a first come, first served basis.
• Site Fees: $20 a night
• Season: Late June – September

White River Campground, which is at the base of the road leading up to Sunrise (in a great location, we might add) operates entirely on a first come, first served basis. This is a little different from the other two main campgrounds in the park.

Advance reservations are not permitted for camping at this location.

Instead, you need to show up and hope there`s an empty site available for you to take. Which, as you can imagine given the relatively small number of sites at this campground, is a little precarious on summer weekends.

To secure a site here, your best option is to either arrive early in the morning (we came at 8:30am to get a spot on a summer Thursday), or visit on Tuesday or Wednesday, which are the least busy days.

It’s $20 a night, and you need to locate an available site and fill out an envelope and pay for your spot when secured. CASH WILL BE REQUIRED TO RESERVE YOUR SITE.

An alternative accommodation outside the park: We’ve also stayed at Silver Springs Campground, a US Forest Service campground just outside the park on Highway 410 that can be reserved in advance. It’s a really nice campground, and the location is fairly convenient.

Within these woods of long-standing flora, perspectives of Rainier`s glacial crown are confined.

The campground is a good base for exploring the park because it’s roughly equal distance between Sunrise and Paradise, which makes it ideal if you’re looking to stay in one place for your entire trip and avoid packing up and setting up camp multiple times (which is understandable).

There are 179 sites here, and the vast majority need reservations ahead of time. They open bookings in mid-December for a six month period (e.g. if you want a campsite on July 1, you’d need to reserve on January 1st).

During summer weekends especially, securing a site at these areas is highly competitive.

To secure a room, visitors will need to diligently check for availability either in the mornings when spots open up for that day or frequently checking for cancellations.

A handful of booking sites are available for last-minute bookings, but don`t expect availability for walk ups on summer weekends.

There are flush toilets, water fill spigots, and each site has a tent pad, table, and firepit. Some sites can accommodate RVs, but it depends on the location.

You can make reservations at Cougar Rock on Recreation.gov.

Packwood: The Best Central Location Outside the Park

The reason we state that Packwood is the best central location for exploring the park is because it provides a place to remain that is within a hour`s travel of both Sunrise and Paradise.

Rather than staying in, say, Ashford, and driving 90 minutes or additional to get to Sunrise, you can drive 45 minutes or so to both Paradise AND Sunrise.

In addition, Packwood seems to be the most exciting town out of the towns bordering the park. There`s a microbrewery, a cafe, a highly rated hamburger eatery, and a few other locations to obtain meals, like a handful of small markets.

In terms of place, it’s about 15 minutes distant from the southeast entrance to the park.

If your ONLY plan is visiting Paradise during your trip, we`d suggest staying in Ashford instead, as it`s nearer to that side of the park. However, if you`re visiting both Paradise and Sunrise OR you`re seeing Sunrise, Packwood makes a good home base.

Places to Stay in Packwood

In terms of places to stay, there are several options to select from in Packwood, divided between a few hotels within town, and numerous vacation rentals and cozy cabins located outside of town.

Generally, it will be more cost-effective for couples and groups of 1-2 to lodge at a hotel, while it usually works out to be a better deal for groups of four or more to reside in a vacation rental.

Additionally, we enjoy having the ability to cook breakfast and dinner ourselves, a capability kitchens in a rental home provide.

Hotels in Packwood

There are a few well-rated hotels in Packwood. 

The hotel with the closest proximity to the park entrance would be Packwood Lodge and Cabins, as one might expect given the name, with a selection of rooms and cabins just 5-10 minutes from the entrance to choose between.

The cabins here include fully equipped kitchens – and would be a suitable selection if preparing meals yourself is planned – while the lodge rooms have a mini refrigerator and microwave.

Rooms are nothing particularly unique in regards to design, but they do have choices with a lone king bed, or two double beds. Amenities include free WiFi, an onsite restaurant, and the cabins have barbecues.

If you want to have the ability to walk to the facilities in Packwood, stay at the Cowlitz Stream Lodge, which is right in town.

It offers a rustic ambiance with exposed timber beams and somewhat dated though completely comfortable bedrooms. Rooms include a refrigerator and microwave for morning oats and keeping packed lunches chilled.

They offer a few different room configurations – a single king or queen bed, two queen beds, or FOUR queen beds (what they call a “Family” room).

Another nearby choice – owned by the same group as the Cowlitz River Lodge, is the Crest Trail Lodge.

Its more southerly position (and added distance from the park entry point) renders it a slightly inferior location.

Essentially everything stated above applies in this situation as well – rooms are affordable with basic amenities including mini fridges and microwaves.

Vacation Rentals in Packwood

Whether you have a large group or prefer having a bit more space to spread out and unwind, there are some quite good rental options in and around Packwood to select from.

For couples, we could consider this cozy one bedroom lodging just outside of Packwood, which provides enough space for two individuals (or a family of four, thanks to the futon).

For larger groups, there are MANY choices around Packwood.

We certainly enjoy staying at this lovely A-Frame property (sleeps 7 people) with its high ceilings allowing plenty of natural light inside, and a pleasant deck area ideal for relaxing with a cold beverage (or cider!) after exploring the surroundings during the day

If you’re seeking a locale where you can unwind and relax, you’ll thoroughly enjoy this eclectic studio-style accommodation near Lake Merced! It’s not a place for lively individuals or groups, but this spot allows you to immerse yourself in inventive décor and dine outside with views of Olympic Club’s golf course and the Pacific.

If you’re looking for lodging that has a more contemporary and trendy style, we recommend this stunning studio apartment (with two queen beds) and this spacious cabin with five queen beds, perfect for a larger group, which are both run by the same people. They’re also positioned closer to the park entrance than most other available choices.

Ashford: The Best Place to Stay to Explore Paradise

If your trip is going to focus solely on Paradise – which is what we’d propose for first timers with restricted time (envision 1-2 days), then Ashford is the best home base. Especially if you’re coming from the Seattle region.

It`s the town immediately outside the Nisqually Entrance on the southwestern side of Mount Rainier, and it seemingly offers the best selection of lodging options out of any of the areas in close proximity to the park.

The downside is that it’s really only convenient for visiting Paradise – Sunrise and Ohanapecosh are both over an hour away, if not more.

Places to Stay in Ashford

In Ashford, similar to Packwood, you have a nice selection of both hotels and lodges as well as vacation rentals, which sometimes offer a better option for larger groups and people wanting kitchen access. Fear not – we’re going to provide options for both!

Hotels and Lodges in Ashford

There are several options available in Ashford, but we will limit our discussion to three that our research suggests excel above the rest.

In our view, the top accommodation recommendation is the Mountain Meadows Inn.

The Mountain Meadows Inn is a charming bed and breakfast about five minutes away from the Nisqually Entrance, and what attracted us to them was that they offer a wide assortment of different room configurations.

It’s a large chalet that is broken up into smaller rooms, each with a private entrance and private bathroom, and each room has a microwave, fridge, and toaster (though no full kitchens).

The second option is the Paradise Village Hotel, which underwent a complete renovation recently and offers accommodation that is more modern than most other selections highlighted in this guide.

First, they have a wood-fired hot tub, which we think provides enjoyable recreation.

Accommodations here are beautifully split between standard hotel rooms and cabin rentals.

There’s an on-site restaurant (it’s relatively expensive, but the Ukrainian perogies and borscht look appealing to us), and rooms have microwaves and mini fridges.

Another reasonably priced (and similarly highly reviewed) option is the Ripagrande a Trastevere, which has a location practically on the River Tiber and within a five minute distance of everything in Trastevere.

You’ll get comfortable beds and mini refrigerators and microwaves in each room, and they have different room layouts that can accommodate different group sizes.

If you’re into the idea of staying in a yurt in the woods, then you should definitely look at Stormking Cabins in Ashford!

It’s somewhat more expensive, but it provides a unique experience for special occasions or splurges. Each shelter includes a private deck and hot tub, and an on-site spa is available.

Vacation Rentals in Ashford

Countless vacation rental alternatives in and around Ashford provide more space and privacy than the hotels in town.

Often, it’s more cost-effective to stay in a vacation rental with a larger group (four or more), or if you want access to a kitchen to prepare your own meals (which we usually do because Matt has dietary restrictions).

For couples (or groups of two), consider this compact single bedroom cabin that has a private hot tub with scenic views, or this highly rated riverside cabin with a pleasant deck overlooking the water, ideal for relaxing with drinks after hiking in Paradise.”

For larger groups seeking lodging, two alternatives we could consider are this two bedroom cabin (accommodating up to 8 people) with an outdoor hot tub and wood stove, or this spacious cabin (sleeping 8-10) with additional outdoor amenities like a hot tub.

Crystal Mountain / Highway 410: An Alternative for Exploring Sunrise

Look, we really enjoy Sunrise – it possesses the finest collection of hiking paths in the park. Whether you’re searching for wildflowers or splendid views of Rainier, Sunrise has something for you.

However, if not camping, the area around Sunrise has very few convenient lodging options.

If you’re planning on spending your entire trip exploring Sunrise and you’re looking for a good place to stay, we’d suggest the stretch of Highway 410 between Enumclaw and the turn off to Sunrise (near the tiny town of Greenwater).

Staying here positions you about 45 minutes from the Sunrise Visitor Center, and just 30 minutes from Tipsoo Lake (a great sunrise location and home to the remarkable Naches Peak Loop Trail).

However, it’s not an ideal place to lodge to explore Ohanapecosh and Paradise, which are each around an hour away.

Places to Stay near Crystal Mountain / Along Highway 410

In general, locating accommodations close to this area may prove more difficult than the other two locations mentioned previously, as there is only one hotel located nearby.

However, this area truly shines regarding vacation rentals.

There are several small wood lodges along Highway 410 just north of the park that primarily serve as ski cabins in the winter months, but thanks to vacation rental websites, they`re now also serving as summer cabins for visiting Rainier National Park.

If you’re looking for a peaceful, convenient place to stay about 45 minutes away from the Sunrise Visitor Center, that’s where we’d look.

The sole hotel in the nearby area (unless you include the hotels at Crystal Mountain, which are too distant in our view) is Alta Crystal Resort, which is directly off of 410 as you make your way towards the park.

It provides a nice resort, with hotel-style rooms and cabins, a pool, and rooms with full kitchens (which we enjoy). The downside is that it`s not particularly inexpensive, which means it’s probably not ideal for groups and families. But as a couple, we’d absolutely consider staying here.

Your only other option in this locale would be to rent a cabin. There are choices for couples, like this charming red caboose, in addition to many bigger cabins too accommodating anywhere from four to eight people.