Your best bet would be to check with the tour operator. They will know and should not book unless they can deliver. I was ther in late summer so not concerned.

Agree with previous answer. There is information about trails in NPS website and others. We had an idea what trails to hike and discussed with Park Ranger which was helpful as one of the trails had ice/snow and he recommended against it so we modified our plan. Truly a beautiful Park.

We did Glacier, Olympic, Mt Rainier, and North Cascades National Parks in one trip and spent four days in Seattle. Took us 3 1/2 weeks driving from south eastern Missouri. We spent 2-3 days at each park. Time spent really depends on how much hiking you’re planning to do at each location. We didn’t do much but if you’re a hiker, you may need more time at each. As a result of our schedule we were on the move every few days and it got old. If we do National Parks again, we’ll try to find a home base to minimize the packing and unpacking. Good luck!

The other answers are referring to the Nisqually entrance which is the southwest entrance. It is about an hour drive (if you dont stop) to Paradise. There are nice views and plenty of places to pull over on that road. You can also enter from the white river entrance which takes you to Sunrise. Sunrise also like paradise has jaw dropping views of the mountain and plenty of hiking. I would say the road to Paradise offers more dawdling opportunities but one advantage of going to sunrise might be less traffic, and possibly less of a backup to get in because it is less used than nisqually.

First and foremost, you definitely want to take the Road to Paradise and you definitely want to aim to get to Paradise as early in the day as possible, to beat the crowds. I would head straight to Paradise, and do everything else (waterfalls, any other sightseeing) on your way back to Ashford later in the day. August is high tourist season; the parking lot up there gets very full. We arrived at 9:15 with plenty of parking and by noon when we came back down from hiking, the parking lot was really full. That being said, starting from Ashford, this is what you're going to see: If you're inclined, the Highlander Restaurant (along the road you take to get to the park) will give you a real flavor for the local ambiance. We ate here for breakfast the day we left the park, good food reasonably priced, housed in a former schoolhouse, now a restaurant/bar used by the locals. Don't know if they serve dinner. At the Nisqually Entrance, don't miss the historic wooden arch. There's also a cabin (on your right, after going through the arch, but before the Entrance Booth; it's the oldest building in the park. At Longmire you'll pass the National Park Inn. There's a great, peaceful, level trail across the road from the Inn...the Trail of the Shadows; beautiful in the late afternoon with the sun shining through the old growth forest. I suggest you do it on your way back to Ashford at the end of your day; give yourself an hour or so for this. You'll also pass Christine Falls; a pull-off and you can see the falls from the road. Narada Falls is awesome; also with parking facilities along the road. You can see if from the top, however there are some steep steps you can take to the bottom of the falls to a viewing area/platform; we're in our early 70's and do like to hike, but this is not really too difficult to the bottom of the falls for a senior citizen. If you're lucky, there's a beautiful rainbow to be seen from the bottom. We saw it late in the afternoon. Once at Paradise, you'll find that there are a number of paved trails just off the parking lot. It's up to you how far you want to go; the view from the parking lot itself is breathtaking! In the summer the meadows surrounding the mountain are abloom with wildflowers. Take a camera with a zoom lens so you can really see the glaciers on the mountain. One hike/stroll that is definitely doable for you is the short trek to Myrtle Falls; also very near the parking area. The view from the base of the falls, looking back toward the mountain with the falls in the foreground is stunning. Also, take time to stop in to see the lobby of the Paradise Inn; a National Historic Landmark. The Inn has a restaurant (expensive). There's also a grill just off the parking lot...sandwiches, pizza, etc. The park is really big; I don't think you'll have time to do Paradise and Sunrise both in one day. Paradise is a must see. Depending on how much time you spend there, I don't think you'll have much more time than to get as far east as Box Canyon before heading back to Ashford. Enjoy the mountain, the meadows, the waterfalls, the Inn. Mt. Rainier was the highlight of our two week tour of the state of Washington.

WOW! I agree with all of those who have answered this questions before me. Ashford has many lodges and restaurants. It would be best to call Mr. Rainer National Park. Go online to research the phone number and lodges within the park. There has been a few fronts that have gone through that area so some parts of the park may be closed. I agree with others Paradise Visitor Center is a good viewing and hiking area. Once you enter the park from Ashford you will see a small visitor center where the rangers could give you the best information at this time of year. Enjoy!

You should check conditions on the Mt. Rainier website. When I posted my review the road to reflection lake was still closed. So every year is different but with the warm spring I would be shocked if the trails are closed (excluding the higher elevation trails that is)

He'll love all the great views, and hopefully wildlife in Rainier. I can't speak to fishing or swimming, but he'll definitely be able to rock the camera. If hiking is your deal, you can go from easy to extreme, depending on your fitness level.