Mt. Ranier National Park Day 1

The atmosphere was moody on our first day in Mt. Ranier National Park. The day was mostly cloudy which obscured views of this volcanic mountain. We entered the park from the Northeast and made our way first to the Sunrise Visitor Center. In the summer this area is full of wildflowers. We came in mid-September and we were able to see the last vestiges of their beauty as they are turning back to seed.

Next we went to the Stevens Canyon Entrance and stopped to wander along the Ohanapecosh River. There is a nice set of waterfalls at the bridge. From the parking lot you can also access the Grove of the Patriarchs Trail. This trail was closed part way in 2022 due to a bridge repair. We were still able to walk among some giant trees and search for fish in the river.

From there we drove up Stevens Canyon Rd to Box Canyon. This is a narrow slot canyon with water rushing through. Definitely worth a stop. The trail to see the canyon is very short and accessible, only a .5 hike round trip.

Next we drove to the Palisades Viewpoint. Here you can see where the lava flow hit an ice wall which caused the cliffs to form in verticle striations. We always find places like this very interesting.

Our last stop of day #1 was to see Lava Falls. A very tall waterfall that you can view from the highway.