Within an easy drive of Seattle, Tacoma, Yakima and Portland, Mount Rainier National Park hosts almost 2 million visitors per year. It centers on 14,410-foot Mount Rainier, an active volcano encased in over 35 square miles of snow and ice and surrounded by old growth forest and stunning wildflower meadows
Most of the park's visitors arrive on sunny summer weekends and on holidays, filling the park's limited parking area to capacity. To avoid the crowds, try to visit during the week, or in other seasons.
Mount Rainier National Park is open all year, but access is limited in winter, via the Nisqually Entrance in the southwest corner of the park only, via Hwy. 123.
There are 147 miles of roads and 240 miles of maintained trails in the park. If you only have one day to visit Mount Rainier, concentrate on one or two areas and explore them in detail. Try some of these ideas:
- Longmire Historic District: Open daily year-round. The site of James Longmire's homestead, lodging, and mineral springs resort, and the first park headquarters. Visit the Longmire Museum and National Park Inn. On the road from Longmire and Paradise, see Christine Falls or Narada Falls.
- Paradise: Open daily from late-May to mid-October. One of the snowiest places on Earth, Paradise received 1,122 inches of snow in the winter of 1971-72 and it gets an average of 630 inches per year. Visit the Jackson Visitor Center, the Historic Paradise Inn, or hike a trail through the subalpine meadows. Between Paradise and Ohanapecosh, see Reflection Lakes, Box Canyon, or the Grove of the Patriarchs.
- Ohanpecosh: Open daily from late-May to mid-October. A good destination when the rest of the park is wet and foggy. Explore the Grove of the Patriarchs near the entrance, or hike the 1.1 mile nature trail along the Ohanapecosh River through old growth forest. Between Ohanapecosh and White River, consider a short sidetrip east to Tipsoo Lake.
- Sunrise: Open July to early October, Jackson Visitor Center open winter weekends and holidays. A popular destination, Paradise provides outstanding views of Mount Rainier and its glaciers, and trails through subalpine meadows.
- Carbon River Rainforest and Mowich Lake: A short trail near the Carbon River entrance station takes you into a temperate rain forest. The road to Mowich Lake, the largest and deepest lake in Mount Rainier National Park, is unpaved and does not open until early July.
Getting to Mt. Rainier National Park
Mount Rainier National ParkAshford, WA
(360) 569-2211
Visit their website Mt. Rainier National Park for directions
