THE COUGAR ROCK CAMPGROUND
Year round access to the southwest corner of Mt Rainier National Park is via state route 706 to the Nisqually Entrance.
Cougar Rock is a great campground to stay at while exploring the Paradise area of Mt Rainier National Park. Paradise is the most popular destination in the park. From the visitor center many miles of hiking trails spread out across the area and commanding views of glacier clad Mt Rainier will entrance you. The campground is very large, with seven loops and 188 spaces. Even with so many sites in a relatively small space there are lots of sites with interesting features like terraced table areas, stone stair steps and the occasional private forest glade. Each loop has a slightly different personality and many surprise you with lovely views. The elevation is high enough that clouds pass by around you. The alpine trees and blueberry bushes buffer individual campsites, while chipmunks and blue jays provide company & entertainment. The most spacious sites are those at the loop ends and the R sites bordering the entrance road. Some of the R sites are very large and wooded, their proximity to the main road is not noticeable except in peak traffic times during the day.
Bench and Snow Lakes Trail: Enjoy two lakes along this one trail. In summer this area is an excellent place to see bear grass and meadow flowers, in the fall blueberries. The trail is a succession of gradual ups and downs crossing low ridges, reaching Bench Lake after 3/4 mile, then continuing another 1/2 mile to Snow Lake. Trail head: Stevens Canyon Road, 1.5 miles east of Reflection Lakes. 2.5 miles 2 gorgeous hours.
The National Park Service Cougar Rock Campground