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This alpine meadow sits just below Cispus Point (Trip 8) in the Goat Rocks Wilderness.

Southern Mount Rainier and the Goat Rocks

The undisputed king of the Cascade Mountains, Mount Rainier rises 14,410 feet into the Pacific Northwest sky and is visible for hundreds of miles in every direction. The national park that surrounds the mountain is much beloved, not only by locals but also by admiring tourists from around the world. Only the southern part of the mountain is close enough for a reasonable weekend trip from Portland, but that includes some of the park’s best scenery, including amazingly abundant wildflowers, enormous glaciers, stunning mountain views, plenty of wildlife, dozens of waterfalls—the list of wonders is almost endless.

Not far southeast of Mount Rainier is a less famous but just as mind-blowing mountain treasure: the Goat Rocks, the ruggedly scenic remains of an eroded volcano. The trails in both areas are justifiably popular, but with reservations in the national park and careful planning in the Goat Rocks Wilderness, it is possible to enjoy a welcome degree of solitude in your backcountry adventures. But even if you have to share it, the outstanding mountain scenery in both areas will delight you and keep you coming back time and again.