The 5 Best Towns Near Mount Rainier

Mount Rainier only has a few towns near it to stay in for your trip, but all of them are close to the national park and have everything you need! Mount Rainier National Park is one of the most beautiful places in Washington and has so much to do.

You can spend your trip hiking to waterfalls or wildflower fields while taking in breathtaking views of Mount Rainier. Mount Rainier is one of five volcanoes in Washington, standing at 14,410 feet tall, and you can take in her beauty from almost anywhere in the area.

I recommend spending at least 2-3 days in Mount Rainier National Park to explore everything it offers. Although there are only a few towns near Mount Rainier, they all make great base camps for your adventures. This guide has everything you need to know about the best places to stay near Mount Rainier for your trip!

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The Best Towns Near Mount Rainier

Ashford

Ashford is one of the best towns near Mount Rainier because it is right outside the Paradise section of the park. Paradise is one of the most popular areas to visit near Mount Rainier because it offers many things to do, including some of the most beautiful hiking trails in the park. The roads leading into Paradise are only open seasonally because of the amount of snow the area gets, so if you are visiting in summer or fall, Ashford will be the perfect place for your base camp!

Ashford has everything you need for your trip, including many accommodations, restaurants, and trails. You can easily drive into Paradise and enjoy your day exploring everything the area offers! Ashford will quickly become one of your favorite towns to stay in near Mount Rainier.

Places to Stay in Ashford:

Packwood

Packwood is another cute town near Mount Rainier that is in a great location to easily access the Paradise, Sunrise, and Ohanapecosh sections of the national park. These three sections are the most popular because most must-see attractions in Mount Rainier National Park are there.

Packwood also has everything you need for your trip, including accommodations and restaurants. You can enjoy easily driving into Paradise, Sunrise, and Ohanapecosh to spend your days hiking or taking in the views from roadside lookouts. If you want to stay in a central location near multiple sections of Mount Rainier, Packwood is the perfect town for you!

Places to Stay in Packwood:

Enumclaw

Enumclaw is a small town north of Mount Rainier near the Carbon River and Sunrise sections. These sections are a hiking paradise, offering stunning trails to waterfalls, lakes, and viewpoints of Mount Rainier. They also have beautiful scenic drives where you can see expansive views from easily accessible roadside lookouts.

Enumclaw is the perfect place for your base camp if you want to visit these sections because it has everything you need, including accommodations, many campgrounds, and delicious restaurants. It is also not far from Seattle if you want to be near the airport. If you are looking to explore the northern section of the national park, Enumclaw is the perfect town near Mount Rainier to stay in for your trip!

Places to Stay in Enumclaw:

Tacoma

Tacoma is further away than most towns near Mount Rainier on this list but offers more than they can for your trip. It will have the most variety of accommodations and restaurants and is not far from Seattle.

Although it is further away from Mount Rainier National Park, it’s only a two-hour drive to the Paradise, Sunrise, Carbon River, and Ohanapecosh sections of the park. Tacoma is the perfect place to stay if you want to be near a city but still within driving distance from the must-see attractions in Mount Rainier National Park.

Places to Stay in Tacoma:

Seattle

If you do not mind driving 2-3 hours into the national park during your visit, you can stay in Seattle! Seattle will have the most things you need for your trip and accommodations than any other town on this list.

If you want to stay in the city for your trip to Mount Rainier, I highly recommend allocating extra time to make the drive into the national park each day because traffic around Seattle can be a pain. But if you love staying in cities, Seattle will be the perfect base camp for your trip to Mount Rainier! And you can enjoy exploring the must-see attractions in the city if you have time.

Places to Stay in Seattle:

If you are looking for the best places to stay near Mount Rainier, this guide is a great place to start! It has everything you need to know about the best towns near Mount Rainier to stay in for your trip.