September, 2025
On my last day camping at Cougar Rock (for this year anyway), I drove back to a couple of favorite spots that were close-by, and I walked through the campground one last time, and talked with several people including the park rangers. The entire campground goes to “first-come-first-served” campsites, no reservations, by the middle of September since it’s getting cold up there even during the day, and it’s really cold at night, and no campsites have electricity. The entire campground will close in early October, close completely for the winter. So there aren’t many campers up here this time of year. I had a good time checking out lots of empty campsites and making note of the ones that I might like to stay in during a future camping trip here.
I didn’t take many photos today, this last day. So instead of sharing just those few photos with you, let me share a few of my favorite photos from this week that I haven’t already shared with you already.
In the photo above, the big white truck is parked on the side of the road so I could get out and look at this river bed. I’m told that part of a glacier used to come this far down, years ago, but that now the glacier no longer comes this far down so trees are starting to grow back.
There were four or five of these little rivers running down among the rocks. I was surprised how loud the rivers were, maybe because of the movement of rocks in the water.
It sure was a pretty place.
The photo above was taken when I was up at Paradise. The flowers and greenery were so beautiful, such a gorgeous complement to the mountain.
The photo above was on a sign outside the Lodge at Paradise. The little triangular “huts” are actually on the roof of the second floor of the building! The entire first story of the building was completely blocked by snow, except for one door at the end of the building that was kept clear of snow for access. The Lodge is open year round. My blog page with a photo of the Lodge with NO snow on it is https://www.travelswithtowhee.com/cougar-rock-up-to-paradise/. And here below are two more snow information signs located at the Lodge.
Speaking of glaciers receding over the years, the photo below is of the headwaters of the Nisqually River. The glacier that feeds the river used to come all the way down, completely covering the valley from side to side, all the way down past where I was standing on a bridge to take the photo below. I hate climate change. But I drive a big white truck that pollutes. Sigh.
Ah, but here below is a lovely little river that hasn’t changed in MANY decades, so I’m told by some local folks who live nearby who happened to be walking there when I was there.
And, there are so many mountains here, not just Mt. Rainier. There are so many that most of them don’t have a name.
But, mostly, it’s all about Mt. Rainier. The steps and stone walkway in the photo below are right outside the visitor center and so are very popular for a short hike. The words at the bottom of the photo truly are engraved in the stone steps. While I was here, I took photos of probably a dozen different families, or single people, using their phones to take the photos, of them standing above or to the side of those words. Everyone loved it. Me too. 🙂
Over to the side of those steps above, was a pathway, with benches. This family from Japan was sitting, talking, enjoying the day. They didn’t speak much English, but just enough that I could understand. They’d just returned from quite a lengthy hike, were about to go into the visitor center and have some lunch, when this Golden Mantled Ground Squirrel ran out to them and continued to run in between their feet. I tried to get a video of the squirrel but I couldn’t keep up with her, she was too fast! One of the women gave me her email address and I emailed the photo below to her.
Late one afternoon, late in the week here, I opened the curtain on the trailer window that’s on the road side of the trailer. I usually keep that curtain closed for privacy. I looked out the window … wow, Mt. Rainier! I knew I could see the mountain if I walked 15 feet away from the trailer, but I hadn’t realized I could see it from inside the trailer.
Another day, actually one of the first days that I was here, I was outside my trailer exploring the woods that were close to me. I found these two stumps, of trees that had been cut down. They do that in campsites if there is any question about the health of a tree and any danger of one being blown down while there are campers nearby. But look who jumped up onto the tree stump ….
Little Towhee! My little Towhee bird camping buddy. At first I thought those tan pieces of debris on top of the stump were wood chips. Little Towhee corrected me. They are autumn leaves that had fallen there from the surrounding trees. Little Towhee is one smart bird.
We walked around a bit more, a little deeper into the woods and found this more natural spot.
We both just sat and enjoyed the woods, other birds chirping, and this wonderful autumn day.
Eventually, on this last day, it was time to hitch up. I often do that in the late afternoon of my last day so I don’t have to do that in the morning if it’s raining in the morning. Ok, all is good, I’m all hitched up.
The weather the next morning was gorgeous, same as it had been all week. It was such a pleasant drive home. Towhee the Trailer is back in her storage spot. Little Towhee the bird and I are home doing laundry, paying bills, and looking through the photos, with super good memories.
And, I am going to see if I can find a professional print-making company and have a copy made from my original large-resolution copy of the photo below, then have it matted and framed for my wall. What a blessing to have seen it first-hand myself. Life is so wonderful.
