Search

Cultural History Pages:

Search for a tour by category:

Search site:

Renton to Mount Rainier National Park

  • Distance: 51 miles
  • Routes: SR 169, SR 165
  • Estimated Driving Time: 90 minutes

Tour Overview

This tour runs southeast from Renton through Maple Valley and Black Diamond to Enumclaw, then drops south until it approaches Mount Rainier National Park. The road crosses many rivers and gorges, often picturesque, and terminates within sight of the peaks of the Cascades. The major interest of the route, however, is the old mining country it traverses. Once the richest coal area of the state, these sections of King and Pierce counties are today spotted with small towns. Many of the small communities along this route offer visitors plenty to see and do. Their atmosphere is laid back and the valley offers beautiful scenery year round.

Key Waypoints along Renton to Mount Rainier National Park

Renton

The largest and most active trading center in the vicinity of Seattle, which covers the flats formed by the Cedar... Visit

Enumclaw

Many of the first settlers were from Scandinavia. The Indian name was given by Frank Stevenson, a resident of the... Visit

Wilkeson

In the heart of what was once a rich coal-producing region, Wilkeson, has been transformed into a ghost community by... Visit

Mowich Entrance to Mount Rainier National Park

This entrance is announced by a wooden sign. The Tolmie Monument nearby commemorates the arrival here in 1833 of Dr.... Visit

All waypoints on this leg

Side trips along Renton to Mount Rainier National Park

Gaffneys Lake Wilderness Lodge

Ravensdale

Take this six-mile loop through inactive and active mining country, including the small town of Ravensdale.

Flaming Geyser Park

This seven-mile trip takes you to a park with more than three miles of freshwater shoreline along the Green River featuring the methane seeps that the park is named for.

Green River Gorge

This 10-mile round trip brings you to a scenic gorge and the historic district of an old mining town.

Sumner

Drive this 26-mile round trip that brings you to some interesting features, including fish screens, ns, Power Flume, Connell Prairie Block House Monument, Sumner.

Carbonado

Drive this 2 mile loop for a tour through the remnants of a “model” mining community, which passed into virtual oblivion when the Pacific Coast Coal Company abandoned its operations here in the late 1820s.

Carbon River Entrance to Mount Rainier

This tour has 1 leg, 17 waypoints, 7 side trips, and covers 51 miles.