Mount Rainier National Park

Mount Rainier is a great glaciated volcano rising over four thousand metres above the lowlands of Washington, its ice-clad summit visible from Seattle on a clear day. Around it spread the park's famous subalpine wildflower meadows at Paradise, waterfalls, ancient forests and the classic Wonderland Trail encircling the mountain.

Background

The park dates from March 2, 1899, and covers 236,381 acres, including the whole of Mount Rainier, a stratovolcano rising 14,406 feet (4,391 m) and the highest point of the Cascade Range. Elevations climb from 1,600 feet to over 14,000 feet. More than 25 glaciers flow down the volcano, among them Carbon Glacier, the largest by volume in the contiguous United States, and Emmons Glacier, the largest by area. There are some 10,000 summit attempts each year, with approximately 50% succeeding. Ninety-seven percent of the park was designated wilderness in 1988, and on February 18, 1997, it became a National Historic Landmark for its rustic NPS architecture of the 1920s and 1930s.

Source: Wikipedia, "Mount Rainier National Park"

What you'll find

• Paradise - the wildflower meadows below the summit, glorious in late summer.
• The mountain itself - the glaciated active volcano dominating the skyline.
• Waterfalls and old forest - the cascades and ancient trees of the valleys.
• Sunrise - the high viewpoint on the mountain's north-east side.

When to go

Mid to late summer for the famous wildflower bloom at Paradise, when the snow finally clears the meadows; the season is short. Winter is deep snow, and the summit is climbed only by the well-prepared.

Things to know

The wildflower season is short and the park hugely popular then, so Paradise and its parking fill early, and timed entry may apply. The mountain makes its own weather, so clouds often hide the summit. Snow lingers into summer at altitude.

Nearby

Seattle is a couple of hours away; Mount St Helens and the Cascades lie to the south.

Key facts