Sunrise at Reflection Lakes & Sunset at Tipsoo Lake | Mt. Rainier Photography

STOP: Before you go any further, please read this post about Leave No Trace. Mt. Rainier National Park is being loved to death, and irreparable damage is being done to these fragile ecosystems. Do not visit this area if you cannot commit to practicing Leave No Trace.

I recently blogged about scouting locations at Mount Rainier for where I wanted to shoot sunrise and sunset once the wildflowers bloomed. Now, I'm excited to share the photos from that magnificent trip!

My first stop: Tipsoo Lake at sunset. I hopped in my car after work around 5 p.m. on a Tuesday and was at the mountain around 7 p.m. I wandered around the lake marveling at the spectacular and colorful wildflowers before heading up to my sunset viewpoint.

I wasn't alone at my viewpoint. In fact, there were quite a few other photographers up there with me. It was fun being surrounded by people who also loved photography and appreciated this glorious mountain as much as I did. We had an unspoken camaraderie, quietly sitting and shooting away as the breathtaking sunset unfolded before us.

I had every intention on staying well past sunset and shooting some astrophotography here, but I got a little nervous being by myself in such an isolated location. So, I decided to pack up and head down to my car just after the sun faded. For those of you who don't know, I recently converted my Subaru Outback into a little camper. I'll share more on that in another blog post, I'm sure.

I snuggled into my sleeping bag, set my alarm for 3 a.m., read a few chapters of Harry Potter, drank a beer, and hit the hay.

At 3 a.m., I woke up and immediately got on the road. The drive from Tipsoo Lake to Reflection Lakes is about an hour. I think I might have taken a bit longer because I got a little freaked out driving in such complete darkness. I felt like the only person on earth. I've never experienced anything quite like it.

I arrived at Reflection Lakes a little after 4 a.m. to find several other cars already parked there. I wasn't sure if they had the same idea as me, camped there overnight, or what, but nobody was out yet setting up or anything.

I strapped my headlamp on and got to work setting up my gear.

I tried to get some photos of the stars here, but since I don't have much experience in that real, struggled a bit. I think it was actually already a bit too light out already. I'd love to come back with a bit more research under my belt and shoot when it's truly the darkest point in the night!

As dawn drew closer, a few fellow photographers stumbled out of their cars and even more arrived at the lot to capture the show.

I really don't have words to describe what it was like to watch the day begin in this spot. So, I'll let the photos do the talking for me.

After I had my fill at Reflection Lakes, I decided to head up to Paradise for a few more quick shots before I had to get to work.

I ran into a little marmot friend and watched him do his thing for a while with another photographer. It's those little special moments with nature that just fill my heart. He was so cute, so we had a little photoshoot!

It was truly an incredible trip that I'll remember forever. I can't wait to do it again!