Mount Rainier National Park
Skyline Trail in Mount Rainier National Park.
Mount Rainier National Park is one of the most spectacular national parks in the Pacific Northwest. Located in west-central Washington, the park surrounds 14,410-foot Mount Rainier, an active volcano and the highest mountain in the state. Its massive snow-covered summit dominates the landscape and can be seen from many miles away, but once you enter the park, the mountain becomes even more impressive.
Mount Rainier National Park is known for its incredible variety of scenery. Visitors can explore old-growth forests, wildflower-filled meadows, waterfalls, glacier-fed rivers, alpine ridges, and some of the most dramatic mountain views in the country. The park is home to several major visitor areas, including Paradise, Sunrise, Longmire and Carbon River. Each area offers a different experience and provides access to scenic drives, hiking trails, viewpoints, picnic areas, and visitor services.
Paradise is one of the most popular areas in the park and is famous for its wildflower meadows and close-up views of Mount Rainier. Sunrise, the highest point in the park that can be reached by vehicle, provides outstanding views of the mountain and access to several excellent hiking trails. Longmire offers historic buildings, forest trails, and easy access to the southern portion of the park.
Mount Rainier is also one of the most heavily glaciated peaks in the contiguous United States. Its glaciers feed many of the rivers and waterfalls found throughout the park and help create the rugged landscape that makes this area so unique.
Whether you are interested in hiking, photography, scenic driving, wildlife watching, or simply enjoying the mountain scenery, Mount Rainier National Park offers an incredible variety of things to see and do.
Historic Paradise Inn, Mount Rainier National Park.
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About Mount Rainier
Mount Rainier is one of the most unique and impressive mountains in the United States. Rising to 14,410 feet, it is the most topographically prominent mountain in the contiguous United States, standing dramatically above the surrounding landscape and dominating the skyline across much of western Washington.
What makes Mount Rainier even more remarkable is that it is an active volcano. Beneath its massive snow-covered summit is a powerful volcanic system that has helped shape the mountain and the surrounding region for thousands of years.
Mount Rainier is also one of the most heavily glaciated peaks in the contiguous United States. Its large glaciers flow down the mountain’s slopes and feed countless rivers, streams, and waterfalls throughout the park.
Adding to its uniqueness is the incredible variety of landscapes found around the mountain. Visitors can travel from deep old-growth forests to open wildflower meadows, rocky alpine ridges, and glacier-covered slopes in a relatively short distance.
Few mountains combine this level of size, prominence, volcanic activity, glaciers, and dramatic scenery. Mount Rainier is not simply a beautiful mountain. It is a massive and powerful natural landmark that defines the entire region.
Carbon River Rainforest in Mount Rainier National Park.
Mount Rainier National Park is filled with unforgettable attractions that showcase the beauty of the Pacific Northwest. Visitors are especially drawn to Paradise, famous for its sweeping wildflower meadows, close-up mountain views, and popular trails like Myrtle Falls and the Skyline Trail. Sunrise, the highest point in the park reachable by car, offers stunning alpine scenery, panoramic overlooks, and access to memorable hikes. In the Longmire area, guests can enjoy historic park buildings, forested trails, and views of the powerful Nisqually River. The park is also known for its beautiful waterfalls, including Narada Falls and Christine Falls, along with scenic spots like Reflection Lakes, where Mount Rainier often mirrors perfectly on calm water. In the southeast corner, Stevens Canyon and the Ohanapecosh area reveal old-growth forests, rushing rivers, and peaceful natural beauty. Together, these attractions make Mount Rainier one of America’s most inspiring national parks.
Visitors heading up to the Paradise Area of Mount Rainier National Park on the Paradise Road.
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Mount Rainier National Park Fun Facts
Mount Rainier is an active volcano.
Mount Rainier is an active stratovolcano and is considered one of the most closely monitored volcanoes in the United States. Although it has not had a major eruption in centuries, scientists continue to monitor it for seismic activity.
It is the tallest mountain in Washington.
Mount Rainier rises to 14,410 feet, making it the highest peak in Washington State and the most prominent mountain in the Cascade Range.
You can see it from over 100 miles away.
On a clear day, Mount Rainier can be seen from much of western Washington, including Seattle, Tacoma, and even parts of Oregon and British Columbia.
It is one of America’s most photographed mountains.
Because of its dramatic prominence and year-round snow-covered summit, Mount Rainier is one of the most photographed mountains in North America.
Mount Rainier has more glaciers than any other mountain in the lower 48 states.
Mount Rainier is home to 25 named glaciers, containing more glacier ice than all the other Cascade volcanoes combined.
It creates five major rivers.
The mountain’s glaciers feed five major river systems:
Nisqually River
Carbon River
Puyallup River
White River
Cowlitz River
These rivers provide water to communities, agriculture, and wildlife throughout western Washington.
Paradise receives enormous snowfall.
The Paradise area averages around 650 inches of snow each year, making it one of the snowiest places on Earth where snowfall is regularly measured.
Mount Rainier is known for one of America’s greatest wildflower displays.
Every summer, Mount Rainier’s subalpine meadows fill with colorful wildflowers, including lupine, paintbrush, avalanche lilies, beargrass, and asters. Peak bloom usually occurs from late July through early August.
The park protects ancient forests.
Mount Rainier National Park protects magnificent old-growth forests filled with Douglas fir, western red cedar, western hemlock, and silver fir. Many trees are more than 500 years old.
The park is home to incredible wildlife.
Wildlife found in Mount Rainier National Park includes:
Black bears
Roosevelt elk
Mountain goats
Marmots
Pikas
Black-tailed deer
Coyotes
More than 180 species of birds
Mount Rainier is a paradise for hikers.
The park contains more than 260 miles of maintained hiking trails, ranging from easy nature walks to challenging alpine adventures.
The Wonderland Trail circles the mountain.
One of America’s most famous backpacking routes, the Wonderland Trail is a 93-mile loop that completely circles Mount Rainier. Along the way, hikers climb and descend more than 22,000 feet.
Only about 10,000 people reach the summit each year.
Although thousands attempt the climb annually, only about 10,000 climbers successfully reach the summit in a typical year. Nearly every route requires glacier travel, crampons, ropes, and mountaineering experience.
Paradise Inn is a historic mountain lodge.
The beautiful Paradise Inn opened in 1917 and is one of the last remaining grand mountain lodges built in the national park rustic style.
Mount Rainier became a national park in 1899.
Mount Rainier National Park became America’s fifth national park on March 2, 1899, preserving one of the country’s most spectacular volcanic landscapes.
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Sunrise Area of Mount Rainier National Park.
Mount Rainier National Park is a majestic Pacific Northwest treasure, where towering peaks, wildflower meadows, ancient forests, and glaciers create an unforgettable sense of wonder. It invites visitors to slow down, breathe deeply, and experience the beauty, power, and magic of one of America’s most iconic mountain landscapes.
The historic Paradise Inn was built in 1916, and rests on the south slope of Mount Rainier.
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Christine Falls in Mount Rainier National Park.
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Wildflowers along the Skyline Trail in Mount Rainier National Park.
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Nisqually Entrance (Paradise Corridor) in Mount Rainier National Park.
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A view of Mount Rainier along the Skyline Trail.
Shannon admiring Emmons Glacier along the Burroughs Mountain Trail in Mount Rainier National Park.
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Wildflowers in a subalpine meadow in the Paradise Area of Mount Rainier National Park.
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Here we are on top of Second Burroughs along the Burroughs Mountain Trail in Mount Rainier National Park.
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Sunrise Day Lodge, Mount Rainier National Park.
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Reflection Lake in Mount Rainier National Park.
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Shannon with Emmons Glacier in Mount Rainier National Park, which is the largest glacier in the lower 48 states.
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Mount Freemont Lookout in the Sunrise Area of Mount Rainier National Park.
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The historic National Park Inn (1906) that sits in the Longmire Area of Mount Rainier National Park.
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Sunrise parking lot, Mount Rainier National Park.
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Shannon at the top of the Skyline Trail in the Paradise Area of Mount Rainier National Park.
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Sunrise Area in Mount Rainier National Park.
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Mount Freemont Lookout in the Sunrise Area of Mount Rainier National Park.
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Carbon River Rainforest in Mount Rainer National Park.
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A view along the Skyline Trail in the Paradise Area.
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A view from the Paradise Road in Mount Rainer National Park.
