AMERICA’S WIDE-OPEN WONDERS

Mount Rainier National Park

Volcanic mountain & alpine meadows
Washington
Mount Rainier National Park · NPS Photo / Emily Brouwer · Photo credits
A PLACE TO REMEMBER

Make room for the wonder.

Mount Rainier rises above forest, waterfalls and high meadows in a landscape that changes markedly with the seasons. Choose a park entrance and one main area rather than assuming every mountain road will be open.

A fan-shaped waterfall cascades over lava cliffs with a rainbow in its mist.
Narada Falls is one of dozens of waterfalls created by the glacier and snow-fed creeks and rivers of Mount Rainier.
NPS Photo / E. Brouwer · Photography credit
A hoary marmot with white frosted fur rests on a rock beside white flowers in a meadow.
From small amphibians and hoary marmots to the black bears and elk, many animals call the wild places of Mount Rainier home.
NPS Photo · Photography credit
Sunset paints the glaciers of Mount Rainier in pink and gold.
Mount Rainier at sunset from Gobblers Knob Lookout.
NPS Photo / Emily Brouwer · Photography credit
BUILD YOUR OWN PARK DAY

Places to consider

  • 01Paradise area
  • 02Longmire
  • 03Sunrise area when accessible

Choose the stops that suit your time and your party. These are ideas for exploring, rather than a fixed itinerary or a promise that every road, trail or facility will be open.

Before you set out

Check the day’s road and entrance arrangements. Snow, fog and weather can change plans; mountain views are never guaranteed.

Give the day room

Allow time for the approach, parking and breaks. Pick walks for the least mobile members of your party, and leave space for weather or a change of plans.

Bring your group

Confirm vehicle access, drop-off and parking with the park. Check any guided tours, transport and accessibility arrangements before fixing the rest of the itinerary.

Official park visitor guide ↗Current conditions ↗

Check the official NPS guide for current access, fees, passes, reservations and permits. Gateway names identify useful surrounding communities or access areas, not exact entrance directions. Photographs may show earlier seasons or conditions.