Mount Rainier National Park
Mount Rainier National Park
Towering over Puget Sound, Mount Rainier is the most beloved landmark in the state of Washington. This active volcano has the largest alpine glacial system in the contiguous United States bringing climbers from around the world to test their strength year after year. The park's rich conifer forests, waterfalls, spectacular subalpine wildflower meadows and abundant wildlife offer unlimited pleasure to outdoor enthusiasts of all kinds.
At A Glance
In The Park
Superintendent: David UberuagaPhone Number: 360-569-2211
Entrance Fees: Individual Pass (valid for 7 days): $5; Vehicle Pass (valid for 7 days): $15; Commercial Tour Fees: $25-$200 (varies depending on seating capacity); Mount Rainier Annual Pass: $30
Sights: Longmire; Paradise Valley; Narada Falls; Nisqually Glacier; Nisqually Icefall; Ohanapecosh River; Sunrise; Mount Rainier; Mount Baker; Mount Adams; Emmons Glacier; Carbon River; Temperate Rain Forest; Carbon Glacier; Mowich Lake
Endangered Species: Spotted Owl; Gray Wolf; Grizzly Bear; Bull Trout (threatened); Chinook Salmon (threatened)
Important Dates
Established as Park: March 2, 1899By The Numbers
Acres: 235,625.00Highest Point: Mt. Rainier (14410 feet)
Annual Visitation: 1,113,601 (2006)
Location
Latitude / Longitude :46.856700 / -121.728260 (map it)
State: WA
Nearby Big City: Longmire, WA
Gateway Communities: Packwood, WA; Randle, WA; Goose Prairie, WA; Longmire, WA; Glenoma, WA; Enumclaw, WA; Buckley, WA; Morton, WA; Black Diamond, WA
Nearby Airports: Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA); Yakima Air Terminal (YKM); Portland International Airport (PDX)
Green Features
Has Recycling? : YesHas Shuttle System? : No
Has Volunteer Program? : Yes
In Detail
Activities & Programs Throughout the year, you can enjoy numerous activities, from nature walks and fishing to cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. Certain activities and programs may have been affected by the flood. Alwa ... read more.
Animals at Mt Rainier Bald eagle (Haliaetus leucocephalus) Living in coastal woodlands and along waterways, the bald eagle feeds on fish it grabs from the water with its talons, as well as salmon carcasses. Although sti ... read more.
At Your Fingertips Park Headquarters and Information (360) 569-2211 Emergencies 911 Wilderness Information www.nps.gov/mora Camping Information (360) 569-2211 Campground Reservations reservations.nps.gov Rainier Mo ... read more.
Camping at Mt Rainier Spend a night camping in Mount Rainier's lowland forests. There are over 600 campsites, half of which are available on a first-come, first-served basis; register at individual campgrounds. Although ... read more.
Hiking Trails Burroughs Mountain Trail — strenuous The five-mile loop trail crosses high mountain meadows and ridges. Beginning at Sunrise, walk along the subalpine meadows and watch for pika and marmots, sm ... read more.
Human History 5000 B.C. to A.D. 1800s — American Indian tribes live in the foothills of the mountain they call "Takhoma." 1792 — British explorer Captain George Vancouver names the mountain Mount Raini ... read more.
In A Nutshell On November 6 and 7, 2006, almost 18 inches of rain fell on Mount Rainier National Park in 36 hours. Park rivers became a churning mass of mud, trees, and rocks causing extensive damage to park roads ... read more.
Just For Kids MOUNT RAINIER A Walk in the Woods Walk the Trail of the Shadows at Longmire or the Hot Springs Trail at Ohanapecosh. These and other short nature trails have self-guiding booklets or interpretive tra ... read more.
Land of Ice Volcanic activity built Mount Rainier, but it is glaciers that shape it. True glaciers consist of at least three layers: snow, mixed snow and ice, and pure ice. They are formed because the mountain's ... read more.
Lodging & Dining Due to a two-summer, planned rehabilitation, the Paradise Inn will be closed, but the National Park Inn is open year-round. Because of limited space, book as far in advance as possible, especially in ... read more.
Mount Rainier History As the face of Mount Rainier constantly changes depending on weather, season and time of day, so does the mountain's interior. Its inner rumblings remind us that it is a mountain whose story is still ... read more.
Mt Rainier Campgrounds Cougar Rock 173 yes $15/$12 Ipsut Creek 28 Not advised $8 Ohanapecosh 188 yes $15/$12 Sunshine Point 18 yes $10 White River 112 yes $12 * For additional RV information, visit www.GoRVing.com or cal ... read more.
Oh, Ranger! "Do you get to just hike around the park everyday?" That is the question visitors often ask me on the park's trails. My quick answer is "yes" and then I attempt to explain the many facets of a visito ... read more.
Preserving the Park Old-growth forest is defined as having stands of trees more than 200 years old, but they may be much older. In Mount Rainier and Olympic National Parks, many trees are 500 to 1,000 years old! Diversi ... read more.
Sights to See "Of all the fire mountains which, like beacons, once blazed along the Pacific Coast, Mount Rainier is the noblest." — John Muir The following sights are a sampling of the best Mount Rainier ... read more.
Walking at Hiking at Rainier With more than 260 miles of trails, Mount Rainier is a hiker's paradise. The floods in November 2006 altered the entire landscape of the park, making hiking a little more challenging. Many of the tra ... read more.
Welcome to Mount Rainier Welcome to Mount Rainier, Olympic and North Cascades National Parks! Congress gave these spectacular mountain reserves their common mission when it established the National Park Service in 1916. All ... read more.
Who's Who National Park Service (NPS) Since its founding in 1916, the NPS has endeavored to preserve America's parklands for generations to come. It is responsible for preserving and protecting the environment ... read more.
Recent News
- Park to Reopen Today after Crews Repair Road, Channel Kautz Creek November 21, 2008, 9:56 am
- Rainier Landmark Meets Wrecking Ball November 18, 2008, 11:29 am
- Green Ethics: Values, Hard Work November 17, 2008, 9:05 am
- Flooding closes Mount Rainier November 13, 2008, 11:15 am
- Decision Expected on Rule about Guns in Parks November 10, 2008, 10:07 am
- Program to Examine Future of Mount Rainier National Park October 23, 2008, 11:57 am
- Park Shifts to Winter Mode October 16, 2008, 5:08 pm
Mt. Rainier In Depth
- Mount Rainier National Park
- Activities & Programs
- Animals at Mt Rainier
- At Your Fingertips
- Camping at Mt Rainier
- Hiking Trails
- Human History
- In A Nutshell
- Just For Kids
- Land of Ice
- Lodging & Dining
- Mount Rainier History
- Mt Rainier Campgrounds
- Oh, Ranger!
- Preserving the Park
- Sights to See
- Walking at Hiking at Rainier
- Welcome to Mount Rainier
- Who's Who
- Event Calendar
- Mt. Rainier Map
- Mt. Rainier Photos
- Recent Mt. Rainier News
News from the Parks
November 21, 2008 - 10:01am
I always look forward to getting my Frommer's newsletter every week. Not only are they budget travel saavy, they inspire me to get out there no matter the weather! Here are their top five picks for cozy camping.
November 21, 2008 - 9:56am
The Nisqually Road in Mount Rainier National Park will reopen today, a day earlier than expected. The road, and the park, have been closed since Nov. 12 when Kautz Creek jumped its banks and flooded the main road into the park.
November 21, 2008 - 9:55am
Reporting from Glacier National Park -- No one knew what to expect on the trail to Grinnell Glacier one late summer morning, but a second bull moose less than an hour out was hardly a good sign. During September and October -- mating season -- it's always best to give the spindly-legged animals plenty of room.
November 21, 2008 - 9:07am
An upcoming National Park Service (NPS) rule change could greatly benefit mountain bicycling by improving the administrative process for opening trails to bicycles. IMBA has been asking the agency to revise its policies since 1992, because the current "special regulations" process is needlessly cumbersome and treats bicycles like motorized vehicles.
November 21, 2008 - 8:55am
On our recent trip to Hawaii we had a feeling that things were less busy than usual. Now there are some numbers to back up our hunch: The national parks in the state saw a drop in attendance of more than 50,000 visitors during the month of October.


