The largest campground near the popular Paradise area, Cougar Rock puts you within easy driving distance of Mount Rainier’s famous wildflower meadows and the Skyline Trail without needing to be right in the (extremely busy) Paradise parking lot itself. Sites offer flush toilets and potable water, no hookups, set among old-growth forest that provides genuine shade and shelter. Given Paradise’s parking is notoriously limited in peak summer, staying at Cougar Rock and arriving early to the trailhead is a smart strategy many repeat visitors use. Reservations for this popular campground fill up well in advance for July and August dates.