The 'Crown Of The Pacific Northwest' Is A Breathtaking Mountain Resembling The Serene Swiss Alps

The Swiss Alps are world famous for their glaciers, hiking trails, ski resorts, and impressive peaks — including gorgeous behemoths like the Matterhorn. In fact, it was on a breathtaking trail in the Alps that travel expert Rick Steves first fell in love with hiking. However, the problem with traveling to the Swiss Alps is that going there can be a bit expensive, especially if you have to take a long haul flight from North America. Luckily, there is a way you can get that Alps-like feeling right here in the United States: by heading over to Mount Rainier, also known as the "Crown of the Pacific Northwest."

As the third-highest mountain in the contiguous United States standing at an impressive 14,400 feet above sea level, a visit to Mount Rainier National Park will treat visitors to some incredible alpine views of the snowy white peak of this famous volcano surrounded by green fields spotted with wildflowers in summer or brilliant orange leaves in autumn – Mount Rainier is one of the best national parks to visit in September. Also, just like in the Swiss Alps, in and around Mount Rainier, you will also find ski resorts, bright blue alpine lakes, and scenic mountain trails to enjoy. Because of this, Mount Rainier is one of the best places to go in America if you are craving that European mountain town type of vacation. You can even stay in a chalet-style lodge to really up the Swiss Alps vibe.

One of the best ways to experience Mount Rainier is to enter the national park area and do some hiking. If you are looking for a quick, scenic walk you can try out the Nisqually Vista Trail which is a one mile loop that offers stunning views of the mountain. If you want to recreate Rick Steve's multi-day trek, you could try out the rewarding Wonderland Trail which takes hikers in a loop around this incredible volcano offering breathtaking vistas and a life changing experience.

If you aren't a big fan of hiking and are more interested in taking in the scenery in a more leisurely way, you can instead drive around Mount Rainier stopping at overlooks and viewpoints along the way. One particularly popular stop in the park is called Paradise, and deservingly so, considering that Paradise is surrounded by green meadows filled with wildflowers complete with a view of snow capped Mount Rainier in the distance.

If you are looking for even more of that mountain town vibe, you can stay at a local lodge or chalet and simply take in the views from your room while sipping on coffee or hot chocolate. The Silver Skis Chalet at Crystal Mountain is located near the Sunrise entrance of Mount Rainier and offers cozy rooms, skiing opportunities, and a pool to cool off in summer. Other good choices include the Nisqually Lodge and the Loge Alta Crystal Resort.

Located in west-central Washington, the best way to get to Mount Rainier National Park is to fly into either the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport or the Portland International Airport and then drive to the national park. The drive to Mount Rainier from the Seattle-Tacoma airport is a little quicker and can take anywhere from an hour and 30 minutes to a little over two hours (depending on traffic), while the drive from the Portland airport typically takes between two and three hours.

Because Mount Rainier is a national park there is a fee to enter. A standard entrance pass typically costs $30 per vehicle and $25 per motorcycle. Mount Rainier is particularly busy in the summer months and there are often lines at popular entrances on the weekends and parking lots can fill up by late morning. To help with congestion, some of the most popular entrances run on a timed entry system(23), meaning that you need to reserve your entrance time beforehand. Reservations for timed entry usually open up a couple months before the date, so it's a good idea to check the recreation.gov website at least a few months before your Mount Rainier trip to make sure you get your preferred time slot.