Absolutely loved this place!! Things I wish I’d known when booking this campsite:

1. It is the best site in the whole park to camp. From clean bathrooms, to dishwashing stations, to its walk in/out trailhead to 2+ hikes, to its creeks, and proximity to the river and Sunrise area - it cannot be beat. We would have spent a week here if we’d known how great it was.

2. We stayed in Loop C. We’d read that Loop C may have less tree cover or shade than A or B, but I disagree. We were in space C15, and it was perfect and shady and a creek ran right by us. Loop D is the only loop that felt sunnier, but it also has the riverside spaces, which are amazing to get in the evening.

3. Although it’s first come - first serve, I’d also say it’s “finders keepers.” What I mean is that most other first come first served campsites in national parks I’ve been to typically have a car line, where a ranger eventually lets you in one at a time to get sites as they become available. This one is the wild Wild West - you drive in, and circle all 4 loops until/if you find a spot. A little stressful if you try for A, and the car behind you speeds on to B and gets the one available spot :) We arrived early (6am) on a Wednesday in August and had to wait half an hour for a spot to clear out for us. When we left on a Friday, there were 4 open spots around us (just in loop C) still at 9am. If we did it again; we’d pull up around 8am, as campers are packing up their spots. Many become available right around then.

4. $20/night cash in envelopes at the campsite ranger station

5. Definitely walk down the wonderland trail to the river in the evening with your camping chair for some epic views of Mt. Rainier and sunset.

6. Bring your bug spray!

7. No lights in the bathrooms.

8. Water jug fill-up stations in each loop.