Mt. Rainier Backpacking Trip Report

Trip Overview

We spend two nights in the backcountry (September 26-28, 2025), starting at the Dry Creek Trailhead. Our first night is at Lake George Camp, the second at South Puyallup River Camp, and then we hike out on Sunday. If you’re interested in planning a similar trip, here’s how we approach it.

Permits & Passes

We reserve our wilderness permit in advance through recreation.gov (wilderness.gov redirects there). If you expect to pick up your permit after 12pm, be sure to let the rangers know you need a “late pickup”—otherwise, they may not hold your permit past noon.

You also need a park entrance pass. We use the very reasonably priced America the Beautiful Pass, which covers entry to all national parks for a year.

After a certain point in the season, they remove the “bear poles” that people can use to safely store food (up high) at campsites. Since they’re coming down today, we bring our own bear-safe food canister for smellables. They also lend out complimentary bear canisters at the wilderness info centers, where you pick up your permits before setting out.

Packing & Planning

I keep re-using and evolve this packing list that covers shared gear (tent, stove, bear canister), personal items, and a few fun extras. Feel free to use it as a reference:

Route Map

Here’s our planned route on Gaia GPS:

Our Itinerary

Friday, September 26th

• Take a half day at work; leave Seattle after lunch
• Pick up permits at Longmire Wilderness Info Center (let them know if you arrive after 12pm)
• Park at Dry Creek Trailhead and start hiking
• Hike about 4.5 miles to Lake George Camp (aiming to arrive before dark)

The Lake George campsite boasts a primitive pit latrine:

Saturday, September 27th

• Hike about 3 (steep) miles to South Puyallup River Camp
• Set up camp, then day-hike or explore nearby
• Relax and chill; let the mountain seep into our subconscious

Insane walls of columnar basalt near S. Puyallup River Camp:

Sunday, September 28th

• Hike back to the car
• Grab a burger at the In n’ Out Burger imitation restaurant in Puyallup on the way home
• Go home and coodle our cats 🐱

Safety & Communication

We share our itinerary with family and have a plan in place:

• If we’re not back by Sunday night, a family member alerts the rangers at Longmire
• Permits are secured and our route is approved by the ranger station
• We bring a bear canister and follow food storage guidelines
• Emergency contacts are set

Looking Forward

Next weekend we’re headed to the Olympics! Expect another trip report post like this one.