Mount Rainier National Park

Mount Rainier National Park protects one of the most majestic and iconic mountains in America — Mount Rainier, a massive 14,411-foot glaciated volcano that towers over the landscape of western Washington, the highest peak in the Cascade Range and the most heavily glaciated peak in the contiguous United States. An active volcano cloaked in 25 major glaciers and vast snowfields, ‘the Mountain’ rises in solitary grandeur above the surrounding forests, visible for a hundred miles, an ever-present icon of the Pacific Northwest.

Established in 1899 as the fifth national park in the nation, Mount Rainier is a paradise of subalpine beauty: the famous wildflower meadows of Paradise and Sunrise, which blaze with color each summer beneath the glaciers; ancient old-growth forests of towering Douglas fir, hemlock and cedar; rushing rivers and waterfalls; and the great mountain itself, a magnet for hikers and mountaineers. Visitors hike the meadow and forest trails, drive to the high viewpoints, climb the glaciated summit, and stand in awe of the ice-clad volcano. Majestic, glaciated and beloved, Mount Rainier is a treasured icon of Washington and the Cascade Range.

Mount Rainier National Park offers superb recreation — hiking the famous subalpine wildflower meadows and trails at Paradise and Sunrise (and the 93-mile Wonderland Trail around the mountain), driving to the high viewpoints, mountaineering the glaciated summit (a serious climb), exploring the ancient old-growth forests and waterfalls, wildlife watching, snowshoeing and skiing in winter (Paradise is one of the snowiest places on Earth), and camping. Hiking the wildflower meadows beneath the glaciers and taking in the great mountain are the signature draws. The combination of the iconic volcano, the meadows, the forests and the glaciers makes the park a premier destination.

Summer (July through September) is the prime season, when the subalpine wildflower meadows at Paradise and Sunrise burst into spectacular bloom, the high roads and trails are open (snow lingers late at this elevation), and the weather is clearest for views of the mountain. Fall brings color and quiet, while winter blankets Paradise in record snow (great for snowshoeing, though high roads close). A timed-entry reservation may be required for the popular corridors in summer. The summer wildflowers and clear mountain views are the highlights; reserve ahead, come early, and be ready for clouds (the Mountain is often hidden).

Mount Rainier was sacred to the Native peoples of the region, who knew it by names such as Tahoma/Takhoma. As the Pacific Northwest was settled and the mountain drew climbers and admirers (John Muir among them), a campaign to protect it led to the establishment of Mount Rainier National Park in 1899 — the fifth national park in the nation. The historic Paradise Inn and the park’s rustic architecture followed. The park preserves the great glaciated volcano, the wildflower meadows, the ancient forests and the rivers, a treasured and iconic landscape of Washington and a landmark of the early national park movement.

Mount Rainier is an active stratovolcano, a massive cone built up over hundreds of thousands of years by countless eruptions, rising to 14,411 feet — the highest peak in the Cascades. It is the most heavily glaciated peak in the contiguous United States, cloaked in 25 major glaciers and vast snowfields that feed the rivers radiating from it. Though quiet now, it remains an active volcano, and its glaciers and steep slopes pose hazards of debris flows (lahars). The volcanic cone, the heavy glaciation, and the rivers and valleys carved by ice and water created the great mountain and its dramatic landscape.

Mount Rainier’s range of habitats hosts black bears, elk, mountain goats on the high crags, black-tailed deer, marmots and pikas in the meadows and high rocks, foxes, and a rich community of birds, including the gray jay, ptarmigan and high-country species, while the old-growth forests and rivers shelter their own wildlife (and salmon run in the rivers below). The range from ancient forest to alpine creates diverse habitat. The park is a fine place for wildlife watching, with the mountain goats, the marmots whistling in the wildflower meadows, and the forest and high-country wildlife among the highlights.

Mount Rainier National Park protects a remarkable range of Pacific Northwest ecosystems across its great elevation gradient — from the lush, ancient old-growth forests of Douglas fir, western hemlock and red cedar in the lowlands, through the subalpine wildflower meadows (a glory of summer color), to the alpine zone and the barren glaciers and rock of the high mountain. This range, the heavy precipitation, and the glaciers support diverse life and feed the rivers. The wildflower meadows and old-growth are especially treasured. Protecting the forests, the meadows, the glaciers and the rivers sustains a globally significant Cascade ecosystem.

Mount Rainier, ‘the Mountain’ that towers over western Washington, holds a treasured and iconic place in the Pacific Northwest, its majestic glaciated cone an ever-present symbol visible for a hundred miles and beloved by the people of the region. Sacred to Native peoples, a magnet for climbers and admirers, and protected as one of the earliest national parks, Mount Rainier embodies the grandeur of the Cascades and the natural beauty of Washington. With its wildflower meadows, ancient forests and glaciers, the mountain is a cherished icon of the state and one of the great volcanic peaks of America.

Mount Rainier National Park is in west-central Washington, about two hours southeast of Seattle, with the popular Nisqually entrance (to Paradise) via State Route 706 from Ashford, and the Sunrise area (highest accessible point by road) via State Route 410 (seasonal). An entrance fee applies, and a timed-entry reservation may be required for the Paradise and Sunrise corridors in summer. The park offers visitor centers, the historic Paradise Inn, campgrounds, the meadow and forest trails, and high viewpoints. High roads are seasonal (snow). Check the National Park Service for reservations, road status and conditions before visiting.

The National Park Service protects the glaciated volcano, the wildflower meadows, the ancient forests, the rivers and the wildlife of Mount Rainier National Park. Visitors help by staying on trails (the fragile subalpine meadows are easily trampled and slow to recover — never walk on the wildflowers or off-trail in the meadows), keeping their distance from wildlife (never feeding the marmots or other animals), protecting the rivers’ water quality, packing out everything, following timed-entry and climbing permits, and practicing Leave No Trace. Protecting the meadows, the old-growth, the glaciers and the wildlife sustains this globally significant and treasured Cascade ecosystem.

Mount Rainier demands respect — the weather is notoriously fast-changing and severe (storms, whiteouts and cold can strike any month at elevation; carry layers, rain gear and the essentials), and climbing the glaciated summit is a serious mountaineering undertaking requiring skill, gear, a permit and glacier training (crevasses and rockfall kill climbers). Stay on trails (and off the fragile meadows and snowfields’ hidden hazards), keep back from river edges and cliff drop-offs, watch for hypothermia even in summer, and be aware of the volcano’s lahar (debris-flow) hazard in the valleys. Respect the mountain’s weather, the glaciers and the wilderness.

An entrance fee applies; a timed-entry reservation may be required for the Paradise and Sunrise corridors in summer. Stay on trails; never walk on the fragile subalpine wildflower meadows. Summit climbing requires a permit (and a climbing pass/registration). Backcountry camping requires a permit. Camp only in designated areas. Keep distance from and never feed wildlife. Pets are restricted (not allowed on trails). Drones are prohibited. Collecting is prohibited. Pack out all trash. High roads are seasonal. Check the National Park Service for reservations, permits and current rules before visiting.

The gateway towns of Ashford, Enumclaw and Packwood lie around the park, with the Gifford Pinchot and Mount Baker-Snoqualmie national forests, Mount St. Helens to the south, the Cascade Range, and the cities of Seattle and Tacoma (about two hours away) in the broader region. The Cascade Range and the Puget Sound region define the area. Mount Rainier anchors the premier mountain icon of Washington, a centerpiece of a Cascades and Pacific Northwest adventure, visible from across the region and beloved as ‘the Mountain.’

Visit in summer (July to September) for the spectacular subalpine wildflower meadows at Paradise and Sunrise — hiking the meadow trails beneath the glaciers (staying on the trails to protect the fragile flowers) — and come early on a clear day for the best views of the mountain (often hidden in clouds). Drive to Sunrise, the highest point reachable by road, explore the ancient forests and waterfalls, and reserve timed entry if required. Leave the serious glaciated summit climb to prepared mountaineers, carry layers for fast-changing weather, and watch for marmots and mountain goats.