Seattle | Paddle Boarding Under the Snowy Peaks
📍 Mowich Lake Not many people seem to know about this drive-to lake in Mt. Rainier National Park, so here’s a quick intro: 🚣♀️ Located in the northwest corner of the park—you can drive right up to it! No need to carry your board on a hike. 🚣♀️ Parking is extremely limited. We arrived at 12:30 PM on Saturday, and cars were already parked 1 mile away. Luckily, a group of hikers who started at 5 AM finished around 1 PM, so we snagged a spot near the launch point! ✌️ 🚣♀️ Though inside the national park, there’s no formal entrance station. Display your National Park Pass on your windshield to avoid a ticket. 🚣♀️ Popular nearby trails: Tolmie Peak Fire Lookout Trail Spray Park Trail Plan an early start: paddle first, then hike Tolmie Peak for sunset! (We skipped hiking due to thick fog and just enjoyed paddle boarding.) 🚣♀️ The road to the lake is manageable. I drove a friend’s Subaru Outback Wilderness and had no trouble navigating the unpaved road. Sedans can make it too with careful driving. #MtRainier #PaddleBoarding #MowichLake #SeattleOutdoors #WashingtonState#Seattle#travel guide