The gate was open and I hit the trailhead at about 11am. The road to the trailhead is a 15 mile dirt road that's in pretty good condition and takes you up to 5,000 feet with some spectacular views of Rainier before you even get out of the car. Before arriving at the trailhead you have to stop and pay a $25 fee at a check point - the Northwest Forest Pass doesn't cover you.

The trail was in great shape today, and not too crowded when I set off. I started by following the path along Mowich Lake which then veers left and heads over to Eunice Lake. The trail around Eunice Lake was still covered in slushy snow, but the microspikes stayed in my pack and I didn't need to use them. 

The ascent from Eunice Lake up to the Tolmie Peak Lookout which sits at an elevation of 5,900 feet was snow free and easy, and featured a couple switchbacks followed by a final jaunt up the ridge, affording amazing views of Rainier and Mount St. Helens on one side of the ridge, and northward toward civilization on the other side, though this side was covered by a low cloud blanket as I made the trek.

There were about a dozen people at the top when I got there, and another dozen or so joined by the time I left a half an hour later. It's a great spot up at the top - be sure to bring a camera. I bumped into three other hikers who had the same camera as me - a Sony a6000, which is a relatively compact mirrorless camera that is ideal for hiking and backpacking.

Trip stats from Strava (link below): Distance - 6.6 miles, Moving time - 2:02:32, Elapsed time - 3:03:05, Elevation gain - 1,754, Pace - 18:24/mi, Calories burned - 1,165.

This hike is probably our favorite hike we've ever done (and we do a lot of hikes). The view of Rainier from the lookout and from other parts of the trail was absolutely spectacular. These pictures don't do it justice! The road coming in was a little rough, about 10 miles+ of washboard dusty and dirty roads. We were worried that it wouldn't be sunny because it was cloudy in Seattle and all the way up the mountain until we were 3 miles from the campground parking lot. All of a sudden Rainier popped up and we had to pull over on the way to take a photo. We parked by the Mowich campground and the trailhead was a little bit down the road. The trail wasn't too steep and there weren't too many rocks which we appreciated! There were at least 10 different kinds of wildflowers and they were very enjoyable. We got to the top (near the lookout) and walked a little further to the edge of the peak (along the spine). It was a little treacherous and I probably would skip that part, the views from the lookout were good enough. We had a snack and made our way down, which took an hour or so. Overall, amazing hike, amazing day. 

Thank you to the users below who posted about the road to the trailhead opening on June 30, 2017. This was my first time in the Mount Rainier National Park area and WOW! 

Once you get onto Mowich Lake Rd, expect rough gravel and a lot of dust the whole 17 miles. Your speed/time will depend on your vehicle and driving style but we made it fine in a little mini cooper. The one lane bridge section over the river is very scenic. There are a couple of pull out scenic points and though it may seem long, keep going! You will know when you've made it.

The trailhead is clearly marked as you start out near Mowich Lake. The hike begins with gentle up and down for the first half mile or so until you reach the fork - stay left/lower for Eunice Lake and Tolmie Peak.

The next phase of the trek involves slight to moderately uphill switchbacks - but this isn't a boring hike. You are catching peekaboo views of gorgeous scenery, listening to the sounds of a waterfall, and eventually reaching the first significant snow patches and meltwater leading to Eunice Lake. Sunglasses are helpful here. It's melting quickly so step carefully, enjoy the view!

From the lake you can look up towards the fire lookout you are climbing towards. I saw a couple people inflate tubes and get in the lake. Again, a lot of mushy snow here so be careful. 

After getting through the snow, you are on the final uphill stretch to the fire lookout where you are treated to a mindblowing view of Mt. Rainier with Eunice Lake in the foreground. It's simply unbelievable. The little lookout station has some history of the place including its namesake. 

Opening day at Mowich! The road is in good shape, no car eating potholes this year. There is still some now on the ground at the end of the road and in patches around the lake, but the trail is snow free until you hit the Eunice Lake basin. It still has 1-2 feet of snow, but is fairly hard packed and wasn't hard to traverse. Eunice lake still has some ice on it, but is mostly melted out. Lots of avalanche lily along the way where the snow has just melted out, but still too early for most other flowers.

The switchbacks up to the lookout were snow free and there were only a couple patches up top. The trail is in great condition, a big thank you to the park staff who got it ready for the season.

I had the lookout to myself for an hour or two as I waited for sunset.