Today, roadwork is being done:

south of Puyallup on hwy 161

southeast of Paradise Inn on hwys 706 and 123.

I suggest checking on road construction projects before going to Mt Rainier.

The trail to Carter and Madcap Falls was in great shape.

The "snowfields to cross" selection for snow conditions above is for Paradise, which is completely covered in snow still. We went up with that in mind with a visiting relative who wanted to just see Rainier up close. We hiked just a tiny bit (in regular running shoes or hiking boots, among our group.) Poles helpful as it's squishy/slushy (at least on the parts of the trail closest to the parking lot.) I saw one group going up with snowshoes but I don't know if they are needed. I even saw a few people in sandals ... not sure I'd recommend that. 

The traffic due to road construction was expected. We had to wait about 10 minutes to get into the park and then 10 minutes when leaving as there is a portion that is only one lane. Kiosk at entry was not open so no one was checking passes when we went through around 10:30am. Parking not an issue at Paradise but the overflow lot was already being utilized (we saw several spots open in the main lot, which is where we parked.) The visitor center was also open. 

On the way down the mountain, we made a few stops. First at Narada Falls where we ended up opting to not hike down for a better view of the waterfall since it was kind of steep and a bit muddy and the mid to late-60s adults I was with preferred to pass. Still can view the falls from the top where the parking lot is. 

Second stop was Christine Falls. Parking is a bit more limited here but if you see parking, I'd recommend stopping. Albeit steep, it's a very short walk/hike to see the falls and you have a nice view of the bridge with the falls behind it. 

Our last stop was Carter Falls trail. It's about a 2-mile hike roundtrip to the falls. We just hiked down to the river where you can get a great view of Rainier in the background. Next time will have to go to the falls. 

Overall, great visit to Rainier with great weather. It was so warm I wish I had had shorts on. 

If you're heading to Paradise on a weekday this Summer don't forget to allot extra time for the road construction delays! It was especially slow just before the park entrance where cars were stacking up due to having to go through the booths to pay for park entry.

Other than that, the drive is fine though there isn't an actual parking lot for Carter Falls if you're starting from the Wonderland Trail. Lots of nice roadside parking which was fairly full when we got there in the late morning.

The trail starts out by walking along the White River river bed and then crossing it on a log bridge. There are views of Rainier in this area.

After that it's gentle steady forest incline with glimpses of the river off to the right. There are some nice areas by Carter Falls to sit and take a break or you can head right to Madcap Falls which is just slightly further up the trail, and worth the stop in my opinion.

Overall the trail was in great condition and it didn't feel too busy despite the full parking area (it seemed like most people just quickly got out of their cars to see the views by the river and then headed further up to Paradise).

Got to the park around 2 PM and surprisingly, it wasn’t as busy as it usually is. Probably because it was cold and cloudy.

The hike begins with a river crossing and then follows a wide, smooth path through the forest. After a gentle start, the trail climbs steeply for less than a mile up to Carter Falls. Just a short walk beyond — not even 0.2 miles — is Madcap Falls.

Overall it’s a nice and easy hike, with a good mix of views and flowy trail. There were still quite a few people out, but the trail is wide enough to not feel crowded.

On the way back, Tahoma came out. Always a treat.

Actually started this hike from Longmire for a bit longer day. It's a nice walk through forest to Cougar Rock, although the road is often in view, at one point so close you can almost touch it. The sounds of the river make up for this somewhat. Very few people on this stretch, as it's still too early for Wonderland Trail trekkers. 

Once I hit Cougar Rock, the trail got quite crowded. Cross the river and follow a very wide and smooth path before climbing steeply in under a mile to Carter Falls. Madcap Falls is just beyond, far short of the 0.2 mile noted in the guide. Mud and snow patches began just beyond Madcap, and the snow became close to continuous about 0.5 miles later. I turned around at that point. The trail as far as Madcap is in great shape though.

I would note that all the elevation is gained in under a mile, and more than a few hikers commented to me on the unexpected steepness. 1.4 total miles from Cougar Rock seems pretty benign, but at over 700 feet elevation gain per mile, it is something more than an easy walk. Both falls are pretty though, and worth the effort.