Sunrise, Mt. Rainier National Park

There is another very popular destination for tourism on The Mountain - Sunrise. At 6,400 ft, it is the highest point on the mountain that you can drive to. There are wonderful views, including looking down into Emmons Glacier,  a great old visitor's center,  and open meadows for hiking.

After viewing Rainier from the top of Crystal Mountain by way of the gondola, we drove back into the national park for our last stop on this two day trip.

 View from the parking lot at Sunrise.

 The Visitor's Center

 After checking with a Ranger about easy trails to get good views, we stayed on mostly flat trails this day, still recovering from the day before. 

 The trails took us to several great overlooks. 

 There isn't much left of the Emmons Glacier, or any of the others either. 

 We then wandered a bit more, catching views and enjoying wild flowers. The wild flowers are not abundant like they are at Paradise, but they add to the beauty none-the-less. 

 Alpine Jacob's Ladder - I think

 Veronica

  Alpine daisies and creeping phlox

Then it was time to move on down the road, but not too far.  Sunrise Point was full to overflowing on the way up, but now it was uncrowded. Here you can get an almost 360° view. 

Afternoon clouds were moving in again. The Mountain makes its own weather. 

 Mt Adams beyond the Tatoosh range. 

 Beautiful Sunrise Lake glows green down below. 

 And then it really was time to move on down the road and head for home, but with more views along the way.

And of course we can get more distant views right here in our neighborhood, whenever the sky is clear and "The Mountain is out".