September, 2025
There are a few other roads up here, other roads than the one that leads up to Paradise. But I had never been on any of those other roads. The maps of them always scared me with the drop offs and switchbacks. But a neighbor camper at Cougar Rock said that I MUST go to Reflection Lake, that it’s gorgeous! And yes there is part of the road that has a serious drop off along one side of the road but you must go!!
Sigh, ok, sigh, oh my. And so, today, off I went. I drove most of the way up to Paradise but then turned right onto another road before arriving at Paradise. And yes, there then was a stretch of that road where it did have a two-foot high THICK rock barrier. But it was only two feet high, and the drop off immediately on the other side of that barrier went straight down, straight down!, not even any trees. Oh my heart. But I crept along in the truck and got past that part of the road, and then the rest was easy.
In the photo below, the big white truck is parked facing Reflection Lake. You might wonder where everyone is, and why it’s called Reflection Lake. My camper neighbor said “do not stop at the first parking lot because it is always jam-packed full. Keep driving until you get to the second parking lot, there’s almost no one ever there.” So here I am at the second parking lot … yep, just me and one other car there the whole time I was here.
I walked along the road, further along the lake. You can see the big white truck in the distance in the photo below. The large boulders prevent people from trying to get down to the lake since the land there is so steep that people used to try to climb down there but many of them fell and got hurt. So now it’s protected and safe, and it’s beautiful.
I liked all the little trees. I heard another visitor say these little trees must be only a year or two old. Well, no, the weather here is so cold and dry that growth takes a long time here, this high up the mountain.
I was told by a park ranger that these small trees are about 20 years old.
In the photo below, I’m looking further yet down the lake, looking away from the parking lot. It was so quiet here! Just a tiny breeze, the birds, a few scurrying animals in the shrubbery.
And then I turned and looked across the road at the tall trees there. So skinny!
You can tell which direction the wind comes from in the winter storms here. The park ranger told me that trees like these are likely 150 years old, or more.
Then there was a place along that road where I could get a close-up view of some shallow water near the edge of the lake.
And then I looked up, and there she was, directly across the lake … Mt. Rainier! But, no reflection! The breeze was rustling the water there, so no reflection was happening. But back where my truck was parked, I had felt no breeze, so back up the road I trotted, hoping to find some smooth water for a reflection.
And I sure found it! 🙂
What a handsome mountain. And at 14,410 feet, it’s a powerful, majestic mountain!
I sure lucked out on having such a beautiful day, and on the day being almost wind-free so there was a reflection of Mt. Rainier on Reflection Lake. I stayed and walked along the road some more, and sat on a rock or two and just enjoyed the beauty for a couple of hours.
Ah, but then I needed to drive back up the road to get back to the campground, and I knew I had to drive along that really frightening part of the road. But I also knew that I would be on the “up hill” side of the road for this drive, not on the side of the road with the drop off. So I wasn’t quite as scared. I got back just fine.
Here’s the video (below) of the drive back to the main road. Somewhere in the middle of the video you will see the drop off on your left. But at the very beginning of the video, you will see the big/main parking lot here at Reflection Lake and you’ll see how packed it is. That camper neighbor of mine gave me very good advice … keep going to the second parking lot, and don’t tell anyone else about it! Shhhh, don’t tell anyone. 🙂
Absolutely stunning. What a beautiful world you live in.
I sure do, Nebraska. Thanks for coming along. 🙂
How beautiful! I love those small trees, and their age, and the big trees, and what the wind does to them. I bet you have a HIGH resolution version of that mountain and its reflection. You gotta put that on your wall!
Lori, I was thinking about doing exactly that! The original photo is relatively high resolution and I’m pretty sure I will get it professionally printed and framed. Y’all can come and see it on my wall. 🙂
Hey, do you see the mountain bighorn sheep in the photo that’s second from the bottom? Not a REAL mountain sheep but an image of one … in the ice and rock? Made up of the ice and rock? It’s on the right side of the photo, and its face is looking left. It’s great! It’s in the photo just above the video. And, in the photo above THAT one, there is the darkly clothed woman/man in the mountain that’s right in the middle of the mountain. Or, hmmm, maybe it’s a … who knows? 🙂
Jamie, I didn’t! I didn’t see it! Both of the beings you saw, I didn’t see either one, but I sure do now. Thank you! 🙂 Good eyes.
Jamie, I saw that sheep too. Surprised Ann didn’t see it since she sees faces everywhere. 🙂 What an amazing day spent at that lake with Mt. Rainier in reflection. So beautiful.
It sure was an amazing thing to see, that reflection. An amazing day indeed.
My word you find beautiful places! How gorgeous.
It took us awhile to find the mountain sheep, with the curled horn? but we did. That was fun. 🙂
Thanks to Jamie for noticing that mountain sheep, eh? What fun, yes. 🙂
The info about the tall trees was interesting. I never thought of the wind in the winter, but now that you mention it, it really shows. I thought maybe they were diseased. My gosh what a mountain! The video was super!
I’m sure I’ve seen trees like that before, but I never thought about why there are no branches on one side of the trunk before this trip this day. I keep telling people to stop and look and listen … me too! 🙂 Thanks Mark.
Wow! What a beautiful place! And the mountain reflection is amazing! I think mountain driving is an acquired skill. Those of us in the Midwest don’t get enough practice.
PS: I always wonder how you remember so much detail about where you were so many months ago?
Mountain driving is stressful to me when there are drop-offs right at the edge of the road because I’m absolutely terrified of heights. Otherwise, because of the switchbacks and tight turns, I just have to make sure I pull over before I take photos … NOT while driving! Ha! 🙂
That’s true, Dawn, I don’t seem to forget the details, I don’t know why. Maybe the photos remind me? I do take a LOT of photos, many many more than I share here.
Here in Nevada we don’t see much of mountains, must less drive up in them. There are mountains here, but not like Mt. Rainier. Nevada is known for its mountains but most of them are only 3,000-4,000 feet or so in height. There is one big one but it’s no where near as tall or as impressive as Mt. Rainier.
Oh, but Nevada is beautiful! There’s lots of cool stuff to see there. Maybe 15-18 years ago a friend of mine and I spent three-four weeks car traveling in Nevada and Utah and Arizona, and that time was NOT enough time to see even a fraction of what there is to see. So maybe one of these days I’ll hitch up and head down your way. 🙂
Spectacular!
Indeed. 🙂 Thanks Pat.
Absolutely fabulous! So impressive. Your video drive was lovely. Thank you.
You are welcome, Henry, you and your pals. I’m so glad you are here. 🙂