Mount Rainier National Park (Washington State)

My son and I are visiting my brother in the Seattle area and spent the first two days of our trip exploring Mount Rainier National Park.

We arrived at Mount Rainier NP in the afternoon of our first day and explored the visitor center, ate dinner at the picnic area, and did a short 0.5 mile walk on the Sunrise Trail.  Driving out of the park we watched as an elk crosses the road in front of us.

We camped at the nearby USFS Silver Spring Campground a mile from the northeast entrance to the park.  The campground is situated in a beautiful old growth forest adjacent to the White River.  

We woke early on our second day and did an 11 mile hike combining the Fremont Mountain Trail with the trail to the Berkeley Park Campsites for a total elevation gain of 2254 feet.  This was an amazing hike and combined expansive views from the Fremont Trail with a wilderness experience on the trail to Berkeley Park.  While we saw other people, the trail did not feel crowded until the end of our hike close to noon.