Historic Packwood, WA, is considered the dream of recreational enthusiasts,
and White Pass ski area (18 miles beyond Packwood) has 1,510 vertical
feet, ski lifts, great family skiing/ snowboard programs, terrain for
all ages, and all in stunningly beautiful surroundings. They also offer
lessons and rentals for classical cross-country, skating, or snowshoeing.
(see the proposed expansion plan for White Pass)
Begin your winter sightseeing at local Skate Creek Sno-Park
or Johnson Sno-Park, both of which offer cross-country skiing, snowshoeing,
and miles and miles of trails for the snowmobile zealot. Autumn offers
harvest colors, and some of the Cascade's best weather. Spring brings
wildflowers and babies of all shapes and sizes, and summer offers hiking,
shopping, Western charm and hospitality, and opportunities galore with
special events like the Cascade Bicycle Club's-High Pass Challenge in
September (which begins and ends in Packwood), and the annual SCCA's
Solo Autocross events at the Hampton Mill (Tour & Pro Solo in August).
Our Mt. Rainier vacation rentals will serve as your
home base for all the above activities and more. Mt. Saint Helens, Mt.
Adams, and Mt. Rainier tease with scenic vistas and dare to separate
fear from the adrenalin junkies who hone their skills with extreme sports
on their peaks and slopes. They also tempt the not-so-extreme with a
more refined sense of activity
So, bring your binoculars, and see if you can spot the
elusive Mountain Goats for which the Goat Rocks area is named. Birders,
bring those same binoculars to Swofford Pond which hosts an excess of
nesting and breeding birds, water fowl, and raptors of every kind, or
travel to the winter feeding grounds of the Elk and Bighorn Sheep just
another day trip from our Mt. Rainier vacation rentals.
Getting to our Packwood, WA vacation rental
lodge and cabin is half the fun! Start
relaxing as soon as you leave the I-5 corridor. Head east on beautiful
Hwy 12, Washington's White Pass Scenic Byway, and "Playground of Volcano
Country". Discover the mysterious and misplaced Tibetan Yaks (in Ethel),
visit the DeGoede Bulb Farm and show gardens, whose fields are a profusion
of color, and enjoy a living reminder of the Wild-West by stopping in
Glenoma (by the Fire Department) to see the American Buffalo up close
and personal.
Cameras are as must! Even the most amateur photographer
can capture Mount Adams (at mile marker 114) and Lakes Mayfield and
Riffe at spectacular viewpoints. Hwy 12 is seldom traveled without seeing
an array of wild life: elk, deer, coyotes, raccoon, bald eagles, or
porcupine (one of our trips included a doe with twin fawns still sporting
their spots). For those with more domesticated taste, the countryside
is also filled with cattle, horses, sheep, and llamas.
View the stark contrast in life-zone changes ranging
from plateau's, low lands, and river valleys, to sub-alpine forest and
even the drier and open steppes on the eastern side of White Pass.
Don't forget your lap top!
Both Rainier View Lodge and Hall Creek Cabin come complete
with WIFI. If you didn't research activities before you arrive, you can do so using the Recreation
page of our website, or if you don't find what you need there, additional information is included in
the Welcome books inside each of the houses, including the closest local golf courses, information
about local hiking, etc.
But don't take our word about these vacation rentals, read what our visitors say
here.
And to preview some of these wonders, visit our
Photo Gallery.
