Mowrich Lake Road

Mowich Lake Road, Highway 165, is located in the Snoqualmie Mt. Baker National Forest, five miles south of Wilkeson, WA. This gravel 17-mile dirt road climbs to just over 5000 feet and ends at Mowich Lake in the Mt. Rainier National Park. On your way to the lake, there are fantastic views of Mount Rainier and the surrounding hills and valleys.

Along this road is Evans Creek ORV, a dedicated 4x4 park with marked trails for 4x4 vehicles, quads, and motorcycles. This park has a fantastic campground with over 40 campsites and vault toilets.

Set in a glacial basin surrounded by beautiful wildflower meadows, Mowich Lake is the largest and deepest lake in the Mount Rainier National Park. There is non-motorized boating and fishing at the lake. The Mowich Lake campground is located near the parking area and supports tent camping only. There is access to many hiking trails, including the Pacific Crest trail which traverses the U.S. from Mexico to Canada. This campground is one of the many overnight stops the distance hikers use.

Because this road travels into the Mt. Rainier National Park, there is a fee to travel to the lake when you enter the park at about the nine-mile mark. The fee is paid using cards at a kiosk as you enter the park. The fee for traveling to the lake is $30 per vehicle and is good for seven days. You can also pay online before you visit. Because of the easy access, the lake is very crowded on weekends.

This road is only open seasonally from mid-July to mid-October, depending on snowfall.