Carbon River and Mowich Lake Accessibility

SR165 Carbon River/Fairfax Bridge is closed: no access to Carbon River or Mowich Lake from SR165

There is NO public access to Carbon River & Mowich Lake from SR 165. The bridge is closed to pedestrians, bicycles, and vehicles and there is no alternate route: WSDOT News Release, 4/22/25.

 

View of the Carbon River near the Chenuis Falls trailhead.

NPS Photo

 

Carbon River Ranger Station

NPS Photo

Carbon River

Carbon River is in the park’s northwest corner and receives high amounts of rainfall. The climate and plant communities found here resemble that of a temperate rainforest.

Carbon is reached via the Carbon River Road, off State Route 165. Visitors to the Carbon River area should be prepared to navigate around road and trail washouts and expect to encounter hazards including downed trees, snow, and changing weather conditions.

Part of the Carbon River Road was washed out by the 2006 flood and is closed to vehicles past the Carbon River park entrance; this 5 mile section is now referred to as the Carbon River Trail. Bicycle and pedestrian traffic are permitted on the Carbon River Trail.

Carbon River and Mowich Lake - The Quiet Corner, provides an overview of the history of the area. Learn more about how the Carbon Glacier has shaped the area in the video below, or watch videos about Carbon River.

Mowich Lake

Set in a glacial basin surrounded by fragile wildflower meadows, Mowich Lake is the largest and deepest lake in Mount Rainier National Park. The lake is open for fishing and non-motorized boating. The area is generally open mid-July to mid-October. Mowich is reached via State Route 165. The road is unpaved after the first three miles and is rough with potholes and washboard sections.

Check the road status prior to visiting the Carbon & Mowich area.

Parking

Carbon River

Carbon River Ranger Station

• 1 standard accessible space

Carbon River Entrance Area

• no designated spaces

Mowich

Mowich Lake

• 2 standard accessible spaces, the parking lot is gravel

Paul Peak Trailhead

• no designated spaces, parking lot is flat gravel

Public Buildings

Carbon River Ranger Station

The ranger station is located on the Carbon River Road, 2.5 miles (4km) before the park boundary. There is an accessible parking space near the entrance to the building. There is a short gravel path that leads from the paved parking area into the building. Park information, wilderness camping, and climbing permits are available inside at the information desk. There are souvenirs and educational items for sale in a small alcove. There are no restrooms in the ranger station.

Restrooms

The restrooms in the Carbon/Mowich area are all vault toilets without sinks or running water. There is hand sanitizer available in the restrooms.

Carbon River

Carbon River Entrance Area

Restrooms are accessed via a paved path from the parking lot.

• 2 vault toilets

Mowich

Mowich Lake

Restrooms are accessed from the parking lot, via a gently sloping gravel and rock road.

• 2 vault toilets, not marked accessible but have grab bars and flat cement floors

Paul Peak Trailhead and Picnic Area

Restrooms are accessed from the gravel parking lot, via a flat gravel path.

• 2 accessible vault toilets

 

One of the picnic tables near the Carbon River Entrance Area.

NPS Photo

Water Fountains and Refill Stations

There is no drinking water available in Carbon or Mowich.

Wifi and Cell Service

There is no wifi or cell service available in Carbon or Mowich.

Lodging

There is no lodging available in Carbon or Mowich.

Dining

There is no dining available in Carbon or Mowich.

Picnic Areas

Carbon

There are several picnic tables at the Carbon River Entrance.

Mowich

Mowich Lake Campground Picnic Area

There are several picnic tables at the edge of the campground that are available for people who are not camping. The path to the picnic tables from the parking lot is sloping, uneven gravel. There is an accessible picnic table to the right of the vault toilets.

• 2 vault toilets, not marked accessible but have grab bars and flat cement floors

• 2 accessible picnic tables

Paul Peak Trailhead Picnic Area
The Paul Peak Trailhead Picnic Area is located at the Mowich Lake Entrance. The parking lot and path to the restrooms is flat gravel.

• 2 picnic tables

• 2 accessible vault toilets

Camping

Carbon

The Ipsut Creek Campground is located 5 miles (8 km) from the Carbon River Entrance, via the Carbon River Trail, a former road that is closed to vehicles. The road is rough, with areas of gravel, tree roots, potholes and bumps.

• Ipsut Creek is a backcountry campground, a wilderness camping permit is needed.

• There are two vault toilets.

• There are some picnic tables.

Mowich

The Mowich Lake Campground is located 6 miles (9.5 km) from the Mowich Lake Entrance and is reached from the parking area via a gently sloping gravel path:

• There are two accessible parking spaces in the gravel lot next to the campground.

• The 8 sites at the campground are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

• Mowich is a primitive campground with no running water, there are two vault toilets that are not marked accessible but have grab bars and cement floors.

• Tent camping only.

• There are no designated accessible sites.

• Sites are very close together with 4 inch (10cm) tall tent pads.

• There is an accessible picnic table next to the vault toilets and on the other side of the campground close to the paths leading to the lake.

 

Viewpoints

Carbon River Entrance

There are views of the river just before the parking lot at the Carbon River Entrance. There are many views closer to the river along the Carbon River Trail.

Mowich Lake

There are glimpses of the lake along the road in the mile before reaching the parking lot. The best unobstructed view of the lake is just before the parking lot; it is a nice spot for photos of the small ‘peninsula’ that juts out into the lake.

Trails

Carbon River Entrance

The 5-mile (8km) Carbon River Trail is a former road that is no longer open to vehicles. The trail ranges from gravel to river cobbles to hard-packed dirt and sand and is mostly wide and flat. It is open to pedestrian and bicycle traffic.

The Rainforest Nature Trail is a 0.3 mile (0.5km) former loop trail on old boardwalk. Sections of boardwalk are broken or sparse. The loop no longer connects on the far side.

Mowich Lake

Most of the trails to the lake from the road or the parking lot are steep at the beginning, with several stairs. There are narrow and rocky sections with roots on the ground. The flattest route to reach the lake is a section of the Lake Shore Trail which begins in the campground in between sites 19 and 20. It is hard-packed gravel and slopes downward at the start, which is narrow. The trail then widens, sloping upward and then becoming mostly flat as it leads to the lake edge.

Things to Do

• Stop for a picnic and enjoy the views at Mowich Lake.

• Enjoy views of the river along the Carbon River Trail

• Take a non-motorized boat on Mowich Lake

Winter at Carbon and Mowich

The Carbon River area remains open through winter. The Mowich Lake area is closed for winter, usually from mid-October to mid-July.

NPS Mobile App

The NPS App is accessible and includes alt text for images. Mount Rainier National Park does not have cell service in many areas; download the NPS App prior to coming to the park. Features available include:

• Audio descriptions of exhibits along trails and roads

• Things to do in the park

• Details about amenities

• News, calendar, and passport stamp locations

• Audio description tours of the visitor centers

 

 

Area Maps:

 

Map showing the accessibility features around the Carbon River area.

 

A map of the accessible features of Mowich Lake.

 

Explore other areas of Mount Rainier National Park: