Located in Ashford, Washington, about an hour and a half southeast from the Washington State capital of Olympia, Mount Rainier National Park is a must-see for any Washington adventure. Its most famous icon is of course Mt. Rainier, the highest point of the State of Washington, standing at 14,410 feet. Additionally, however, the park offers its visitors unlimited hiking, camping, climbing, and wildflower exploration.
Here’s a basic rundown of what you need to know if you’re planning a visit to the park:
Operating Hours/Seasons: While the park is open year round, there are some important factors to consider when planning a trip. Summer (defined as June through August) is obviously the most crowded time of the year. There’s a clear reason for the popularity of this season – wildflowers are in full and beautiful bloom, rain is less likely, and the air is dry and warm. Despite this, expect a summer excursion to Mt. Rainier National Park to include frustrating, bumper to bumper traffic and potentially long wait times at the Nisqually and White River entrances. Traffic can be avoided by entering the park as early as possible (before 10:00 a.m. is ideal), or enter later (after 2:00 p.m.), and consider staying the night at the Paradise Inn (more on that below).
Winter, Spring, and Fall tend to be much less crowded, however, weather is unpredictable during these seasons, which can delay or even cancel the most well-planned of trips. Check out the road status here before you go.
Fees and Passes: There are six type of fees depending upon what you want to do in the park. You can get an annual pass for $50, a single vehicle pass (defined as one private, noncommercial vehicle with seating capacity for fifteen people or less, staying in the park for up to seven consecutive days) for $25, a individual fee (defined as walk-ups or bicyclers staying in the park for up to seven consecutive days) for $10, a motorcycle pass (defined as one motorcycle staying in the park for up to seven consecutive days) for $20, a campground fee for smaller sites for $20 per night, per site, and a group camping fee (defined as 25 – 40 people) for $60 per night, per site.
There are specially-priced passes for seniors, military, and 4th graders under the “Every Kid in a Park” program. Check out all special passes here.
Camping and Hiking Permits: You do not need a permit for basic day hiking. You do need a permit, however, if you are hiking the Wonderland Trail, backcountry camping, or climbing. Mount Rainier has gone though some recent and significant changes in terms of reserving permits for background hiking or camping. The park used to allow individuals to reserve permits in advance, but due to a failure in the system, the park is issuing permits on an only first-come, first-serve basis for the 2016 season. If you are reading this post after 2016, I highly advise you call and ask how the process to reserve a permit has changed.
First-come, first-serve permits can be issued on the same day as your trip starts or one day in advance, but no sooner. You must obtain your permit at one of the Ranger Stations (located at the Longmire Wilderness Information Center at Longmire, the Jackson Visitor Center at Paradise, the White River Wilderness Information Center at the White River Entrance, or the Carbon River Ranger Station, two and a half miles before the Carbon River Entrance.) There are no Ranger Stations at Sunrise or at Mowich Lake. See hours for all Ranger Stations here.
Keep in mind, if you intend to summit Mt. Rainier and/or climb over 10,000 feet or onto a glacier, you must purchase a climbing pass, not a permit. See info on climbing passes here.
There are two main places to stay when visiting the National Park: the National Park Inn and the Paradise Inn. The National Park Inn was built in 1911 and is located in Longmire, Washington, roughly three and a half miles from the Nisqually entrance to the park. The Inn has 25 rooms, an on-site restaurant, and a general store. There are numerous hiking areas around the Inn. There are no TV’s or internet (Paradise Inn is the same).
It is our advice that you opt for the Paradise Inn, for a couple reasons. One, if you plan to stay there for at least a couple nights, it is more worth it to buy a single-vehicle pass good for 7 days, and have a place to park and leave your car for the duration of the time you are in the Park (as opposed to continually moving it, continually fighting traffic, and continually having to search for a parking space). Additionally, you are closer to Mt. Rainier, the more popular hiking areas, and the main visitor center.
The Paradise Inn was built in 1916, and its age shows. It’s still a fun, iconic, and nature-centered place to stay, however, with 121 guest rooms, a dining room, cafe, gift shop, and beautiful central seating area, including a back deck with gorgeous views of the Tatoosh Range and Cascade Range. Paradise Inn offers three main types of rooms: Lodge Rooms, which have one double or two twin beds with a shared bathroom in the hallway; Annex Rooms, with queen, double, or twin beds with a private bathroom, and the Annex Suite with a small living/sitting room. The rooms range from $119 to $281 a night; when you make a reservation, call if you can and request a room with a view of Mt. Rainier. Make reservations here. Keep in mind, Paradise Inn does not have internet in any form, including wi-fi, and there is no cell phone service at the Inn.
Paradise Inn has a restaurant to the left of the main lobby and entrance to the hotel. The menu is limited, but the food is good and the staff is helpful and kind. Pay attention to the napkins on your table – each color represents a popular wildflower you can find in the park (check out more on the back of your menu).
The main activity to do in the park is to embark on one of the numerous day hikes, most of which provide you with awesome views of Mt. Rainier. The park divides it’s hiking excursions into five areas: Longmire, Paradise, Ohanapecosh, Sunrise, and Carbon & Mowich.
Longmire Trails: Includes Trail of the Shadows, Twin Firs Loop Trail, and Rampart Ridge Trail. See a complete map here.
Paradise Trails: Includes Nisqually Vista Trail, Skyline Trail, and Bench & Snow Lakes Trail. See a complete map here.
Ohanapecosh Trails: Includes Life Systems Trail – The Forests & Springs of Ohanapecosh, Silver Falls Trail, and Grove of the Patriarchs Trail. See a complete map here.
Sunrise Trails: Includes Shadow Lakes Trail, Dege Peak, Naches Peak, and Glacier Basin. See a complete map here.
Carbon & Mowich Trails: Includes Carbon River Rain Forest Nature Trail, Chenuis Falls Trail, Green Lake Trail, and Tommie Peak Trail. See a complete map here.
The trails are gorgeous; you will unfortunately have to fight some crowds at the start of the trails, particularly the Skyline Trail, which starts right next to the Visitor Center near the Paradise Inn and summits at Panorama Point at 6,800 feet. Skyline Trail is the most popular, mainly due to the incredible views of Mt. Rainier; you hike towards the mountain for a majority of the way. Most people just hike a few hundred feet and play in the snow, so the crowds thin out as you go. The trail leads you up to even greater views of Mt. Rainier, the Cascade Range and the Tatoosh Range, fun hills to slide down, and connecting hikes like the Paradise Glacier Trail.
As you head back down towards the Inn, check out the Henry M. Jackson Visitor Center located just slightly down the road from the Paradise Inn (if you hiked the Skyline Trail, it will be right there as you end/start the hike).
The Henry M. Jackson Visitor Center is one of the largest in the park with sophisticate exhibits, guided ranger programs, a book store, and a gift shop. Check out the above-link for current hours and upcoming events.
Enjoy the National Park and happy Washington travels!