September, 2025
Today I drove back towards the entrance to Mt. Rainier National Park, not up the mountain to Paradise, but back down the hill about 5 miles, still well within the national park. There is one spot on the drive up this road, after you enter the national park, where you drive across a very short bridge and off to the left is your first full view of Mt. Rainier. I shared that view when I first drove into the national park on this camping trip, in this blog post. I loved the view, so I drove back down there today so I could spend more time there.
That short bridge, where I paused for that view and photo, crosses Kautz Creek … hence the name of this blog post. 🙂
I arrived and parked in the parking lot. Hey, almost no one is here, super!
But then, wow, not two minutes later, more folks arrived. I have yet to meet any unpleasant people up here on any of my trips up this mountain, whether camping or just on a day-drive up here. In fact, I offered to use one of the cell phones owned by the young couple on the left in the photo below, and take a picture of the whole family. They loved it.
And then I crossed the road and headed over to the trail that led down to Kautz Creek.
At the bottom end of that wooden path, was a nice large area to sit, several signs to read, but, unfortunately the shrubs were so large that there was no view of the creek! I could hear it, and I could almost see it through the greenery, but not quite. On prior years’ visits here, the creek was visible from this spot, but not today.
On the other hand, there was a peek-a-boo view of Mt. Rainier in the distance. Hmmm, maybe if I zoom in and change the settings on my camera, I can get a better photo of that mountain.
Ah, yes.
I sat and listened to the creek for a bit. Then I walked around and read the signs, many of which had photos in them. I’ll share just a few of the signs here. Click to enlarge the images here.
I often research history and geology, things like that, before I visit a place, but I always learn more after I get somewhere and then read the signs and talk with local folks. The power of this mountain is amazing … the wind, the snow and ice, the water. The mountain has a climate all its own, and it controls hundreds of thousands of acres, miles and miles and miles of land in all directions.
And then I walked back up the boardwalk, back towards the parking lot and my pickup truck.
Part way back, I noticed this trail off to the side (below). Hmmm, it’s several miles long, with a few trails heading off from it too.
It sure is enticing.
But I didn’t bring a backpack with me with water and other hiking necessities required for a hike of that length. I’ll just have to put this one on my list for another day, or another camping trip up here. What a beautiful world with so many wonderful things to see and do. How blessed I am!
I hope the same for all of you folks too. Find places or ideas or hobbies that fascinate you and learn about them. Or write a book (or a booklet, or a blog) about what you already know and share it. There is so much about this world to love.
We here in Montana like to think our mountains are the best, biggest, worst, etc. But my gosh your Mt. Rainier is something else! It’s taller by far than anything in Montana, and it stands alone so like you say it controls the weather, the rain, the enviroment for miles around it. And it’s an active volcano. Amazing mountain. Wife and I are loving the photos and stories. We love Fridays. 🙂
Thanks Tim, and your wife. Always good to hear from you folks. 🙂
We don’t often see Mt. Rainier from eastern Washington. Usually we see Mt. Adams, or Mt. Hood down in Oregon, or the north Cascades, not even Mt.Baker which is another gorgeous mountain in WA. The state of Washington is a whole lot larger than most people in the USA think. Washington is the 18th largest state in the union of all 50 states, including Alaska and Texas, it’s huge! So sometimes we gotta drive a bit to see things. I like reading Ann’s blog instead. 🙂 Great photos.
I’ve been camping in eastern Washington three times now, and I’m always surprised that I can’t see the huge mountains that are on the west side of the Cascades … tho you already know you don’t see them. Yes, the State of Washington is much larger than most people think, and it has two entirely different, separate weather/ecology systems west/east. It’s fascinating. I’m looking forward to seeing more of eastern WA. 🙂
How did you know that there was a trail or boardwalk down to that area? We’ve driven up to Mt. Rainier a number of times and never knew that, there wasn’t a sign that we remember. How do you find these things? You are really amazing at what you find and what you learn. Wonderful photos. Thank you!
How did I know? Good question, Cindy. On my first drive up here, I had noticed the view of Mt. Rainier from that bridge, so I pulled over into the parking and intended simply to walk back to the bridge and get some photos. But I noticed other people walking off into the woods, so I followed them! And that’s how I knew there is a boardwalk trailer here. Oddly, there is no sign!
Amen. Everything you said. What a beautiful world. And what a powerful mountain. I’ve read that glaciers there are receding because of climate change. Why are we doing that?!
Yes, glaciers that were sometimes completely and amazingly under some of the road bridges are not only gone from under the bridges, but can no longer be seen even further up the mountain. They’re just gone. It hurts.
You got that right, we do live in a beautiful world!
Amen. 🙂
The power of that mountain!! I’ve been on top, it is absolutely amazing probably the most incredible stunning thing I’ve done or seen.
Oh my word, you’ve been up there?! You’re a hero. How cool. Thanks Steve.
Just a short walk in the woods, but so beautiful. And, that mountain!
Nice of you to take photos of those folks.
Thanks Olivia. 🙂
My great-grandmother from near Bavaria in Germany was Kautz by birth. I wonder if a relative of hers was here and that’s how that creek got its name. Do you know the history of that Kautz person or the creek name?
Greg, thank you for asking! I didn’t share the info that I had. I forgot to do that. So here it is … the Kautz connection.
The creek is named after U.S. Army Lieutenant August V. Kautz, who led the first recorded attempt to climb Mount Rainier in 1857. He reached within 400 feet of the summit but turned back due to darkness and freezing winds.
But that guy was the FIRST recorded “white” person to ever attempt the summit. I’d bet native folks had reached the summit prior to 1857. But it is one heck of a mountain! Here’s to August Kautz. I hope he’s a relative of yours Greg.
Best wishes!
Always appreciate views of Mt. Rainier. We’ve been camping up there a number of times, sometimes at Cougar Rock, sometimes further down the hill. Thank you for the info about the Japanese students who helped build that boardwalk that you walked on, and the other work they did. We are so much better when we work together. And, we know you know this! Thank you for such a lovely blog. 🙂
Janey
You are so welcome, both of you, Jim and Janey. I’m sure hoping we get to go camping together one of these days. Warmest wishes.
You just stop and talk with people, and find the best in people, and the most gorgeous views on the planet. Wish I could follow you around the world. Oh, wait, I guess I am doing that by following your blog. 🙂 Thanks for sharing. Really appreciate all the effort and time, and money, it takes for you to take and edit photos and write this blog. Best wishes, always.
Gosh, nice comment Eileen. Thank you. Keep on following me please. 🙂
Yep, used to live in eastern WA and we never saw Mt. Rainier. I guess the Cascade Mts. blocked the view. The Cascades are huge, they don’t get their due, because Rainier and Baker and other mountains are more well known. But the Cascades are a huge mountain range and really gorgeous. I’ve driven over to see Rainier, oh my gosh it’s stunning. I’ve looked online for photos of Rainier from the east, from eastern WA, and I can’t find any! But it’s so huge, there must be some. Ann, do you know of any?
Nevada, I do not know of any photos of Rainier taken from eastern Washington, and I can’t find any online. It still seems strange to me that there aren’t views of Mt. Rainier from the east, but as you say the Cascade Mountain range is also HUGE. So it blocks the view. And, the “Cascades” themselves are truly magnificent and gorgeous. Ah me, what a wonderful place to live. 🙂