Campground · Mount Rainier National Park
A backcountry camp that takes a 19-mile hike from Sunrise.
Overview
Map
Plan your stop
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Mount Rainier Tour Guide
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Mount Rainier National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Mount Rainier audio tourMore stories near here in the app
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Guide
Ipsut Creek Campground is a backcountry overnight stop in Mount Rainier’s Carbon River country, among the northwest corner’s old-growth forest and temperate rainforest. It suits hikers who want to spend the night deep in this part of the park, not anyone looking for a drive-up camp. Overnight camping in the park’s backcountry requires a wilderness permit.
From the campground, the Carbon Glacier Trail is a 17-mile round trip to view the glacier’s terminus. Give it a full day, and stay well back: rocks can fall from the melting glacier. The Carbon River corridor is worth the effort for its deep forest and river setting, but getting here is a major backpacking commitment.
Wildlife
466 sightingsMountain GoatMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
383 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
10 sightingsWolverineMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
58 sightingsElkMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
574 sightingsMule DeerMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
1,853 sightingsHoary MarmotMost seen around 6 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Mount Rainier. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
Keep exploring
ModerateIpsut Pass from Mowich Lake2.8 mi · 1.3 hr · 3.4 mi awayA short Wonderland Trail climb to a ridge notch above Mowich Lake.
ChallengingKnapsack Pass Trail2.9 mi · 3 hr · 3.4 mi awayA rough, unmaintained climb to a high notch above Mowich Lake.
ModerateTolmie Peak Trail6.5 mi · 3.5 hr · 3.4 mi awayA 1933 fire lookout frames Eunice Lake and Mount Rainier.
ChallengingSpray Park–Ipsut Pass Loop16 mi · 12 hr · 3.4 mi awayAlpine meadows, Spray Falls, and a tough climb over Ipsut Pass
ModerateSpray Park Trail6 mi · 4.5 hr · 3.4 mi awayClimb through open meadows for Rainier views and a waterfall detour.
ModerateSpray Falls Trail4 mi · 3 hr · 3.4 mi awayA forest roller ends at a 354-foot waterfall over a lava cliff.
ChallengingGolden Lakes and Sunset Park Trail18.8 mi · 10 hr · 3.5 mi awayA strenuous out-and-back to a lake cluster and a 1922 patrol cabin.
ChallengingLake James Trail25.9 mi · 14 hr · 4.1 mi awayA long backcountry climb through Windy Gap to a tucked-away lake.
Sight · 0.4 mi awayIpsut FallsA two-tier waterfall at the end of a long forest approach.
Sight · 1.3 mi awayRanger FallsThree tiers of falling water reward a long Green Lake walk.
Sight · 1.3 mi awayChenuis FallsA 168-foot cascade at the end of a long riverside walk.
Sight · 2.7 mi awayTolmie Peak Fire LookoutRainier rises above Eunice Lake from this historic lookout's rocky perch.
Sight · 3.1 mi awayCarbon River Old MineA fern-framed mine entrance from Rainier’s short mining boom.
Sight · 3.4 mi awayMowich LakeA wooded island, clear water, and trails into the quiet corner.
Campground · 3.4 mi awayMowich Lake CampgroundPrimitive lake camp, with Spray Park and Tolmie Peak nearby.
Sight · 4.2 mi awaySpray FallsA 354-foot veil spills over lava into a boulder-filled gorge.Parkwolf’s Mount Rainier ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
