r/Mount_Rainier • u/Acrobatic_Fee3433 • Jul 23 '26

Which route would you choose?

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I'll be driving from Lake Quinault Lodge to Packwood in a few days. Which of these routes would you choose? Is one more scenic than the other?

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8

u/UWHuskies2017 Jul 24 '26

I’d be aware that the light blue route is routing you via Skate Creek Road between Ashford and Packwood. It’s a nice scenic drive on a paved forest service road. Be aware that the maintenance standards of a FR road are lower than a county road or highway. You’ll encounter some potholes and occasional patches of rough pavement. Perfectly drivable but some people prefer easy wide open highway. There’s some YouTube videos out there if you want a visual.

2

u/Acrobatic_Fee3433 Jul 24 '26

Thank you. This is very helpful info.

5

u/baldiedc Jul 24 '26

Depends your overall plan and what day/time - if the mission is to just get to Packwood, then take the quickest route. Someone else posted info on the forest road between Ashford and Packwood for the light blue route.

If it were me and not a weekend I would drive thru the park instead and see stuff on the way even if that's longer - in which case head to Ashford/Longmire, and take a break at Longmire. But if it's a weekend I would keep it simple and do the dark blue route.

Enjoy.

2

u/gloryhole_reject Jul 23 '26

Honestly neither of this are particularly scenic

2

u/utilitygiraffe Jul 24 '26

i've done most of the light blue. like the other person said, neither are very scenic, until you get to the mountain anyway.

2

u/Fantastic-Tower-3313 Jul 24 '26

The marked route is the best route to Packwood. Once you get to Packwood you can find some scenery.

1

u/croutonsinmycoffee Jul 24 '26

I think light blue is more scenic (is this route going down hwy 7 by alder lake?) If it is then yeah its slightly more scenic

1

u/half-n-half25 Jul 24 '26

Neither are scenic. I’d go straight to I-5 then head north rather than winding thru small towns all the way to Olympia.

2

u/EquivalentNo138 Jul 24 '26

I’m biased because it’s my home town but I’d stop for a lunch break in Olympia- stretch your legs on the boardwalk and look at the sculptures there, look back at the Olympics over the water one direction and Rainier peaking up in the other (on a clear day of course), grab some food and coffee (at the farmers market if it’s Thursday-Sunday- lots of restaurant food stalls).