Tolmie Peak

Starting from the Mowich Lake trailhead — already the most remote corner of Rainier that most visitors never bother reaching — you'll wind through subalpine meadows and old-growth forest before climbing steadily to Eunice Lake, a jewel of a tarn that reflects Rainier so perfectly you'll think someone Photoshopped it. From there, the trail kicks up toward the historic fire lookout perched on Tolmie Peak, where the final push gets steep and rocky enough to remind your knees this isn't a stroll. The reward is one of the most iconic views in the entire park: Rainier's massive north face filling the sky, with wildflower meadows cascading below you. The whole out-and-back runs roughly six and a half miles with about a thousand feet of climbing — manageable for most hikers who are comfortable with sustained uphill. Photographers and anyone who wants Rainier without the Paradise crowds will be in heaven.