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Majestic Mount Rainier National Park, located in Washington, is one of America’s finest. It makes a good day trip from Seattle, but I suggest sticking around for a few days.
Introduction to Mount Rainier National Park
Mount Rainier National Park was established on March 2, 1899, as the 4th national park in the United States. It protects 369.3 square miles (956.6 square kilometers) including all of Mount Rainier. 97% of the park is preserved as wilderness.
Iconic Mount Rainier, standing 14,410 feet (4,392 meters) is the centerpiece of the national park. It was named by British Royal Navy officer George Vancouver (1757-1798) in honor of his friend, Rear Admiral Peter Rainier (1741-1808). There are many indigenous names, including Taquoma and Tacobet.
The snow-capped volcano is just the beginning of what you can see and do while visiting. The park offers over 260 miles of incredible hiking trails, waterfalls, pristine lakes, and plenty of outdoor activities. Check the official website for detailed information.
Because of the winter season approaching, much of the park was already closed when we visited. Heavy snowfall caused closure of the road past the Paradise area, so we were limited to only one day in the section between the Nisqually entrance and Paradise.
Mount Rainier National Park Entrance Fees
It costs US$30 per vehicle (as of January 2025) and is good for seven days, but if you have an interagency pass, park entrance is free. There are five entrances to the park, including Nisqually (main entrance open year-round), Stevens Canyon, White River, Carbon River, and Mowich Lake (fee machine only). You’ll need a timed entry reservation if entering at Nisqually, Stevens Canyon, and White River during summer months. They cost US$2 each (as of January 2025).
Visitor Centers at Mount Rainier National Park
There are four visitor centers at Mount Rainier. We were able to visit the Longmire Museum, which is open year-round. Other visitor centers include the Henry M. Jackson Memorial Visitor Center at Paradise, Ohanapecosh Visitor Center, and the Sunrise Visitor Center. They’re open seasonally.
Accommodation at Mount Rainier National Park
For accommodation within the park, there are a few options available, including two lodges and four developed campgrounds. We stayed in Ashford, which is a small town just west of the Nisqually entrance. Other accommodation is available further west in Elbe and to the southeast in Packwood.
The lodges are the National Park Inn at Longmire (open year-round) and the Paradise Inn in Paradise (open mid May through early October).
Campgrounds are located at Cougar Rock, Ohanapecosh, White River, and Mowich Lake. Camping fees are US$20 (as of January 2025) except for Mowich Lake, which has no fee. Cougar Rock and Ohanapecosh, which both have 179 sites, are open from late May to late September. White River, with 88 sites, is open late June to late September. Mowich Lake, with 13 primitive sites, is open from early July to early October. Keep in mind Mowich Lake requires a wilderness permit. You can make reservations online for Cougar Rock and Ohanapecosh, and the other two are first come, first served.
Restaurants at Mount Rainier National Park
The only meal we had at park facilities was at the National Park Inn. It was jam packed and we had to wait a good 30 minutes for a table. I had a corned beef sandwich while Marisol had clam chowder. Tim had what looked to be a delicious chili. We all enjoyed our meals very much, and the friendly service.
Activities at Mount Rainier National Park
Fishing, wilderness hiking and camping, climbing, boating and other activities are available. Check the official website for more information on these activities and a schedule of ranger guided programs.
Safety at Mount Rainier National Park
Park rangers take wildlife safety very seriously. Many potentially dangerous animals live in the park including bears and mountain lions. It’s best to keep a safe distance from these animals.
Mount Rainier, as stated earlier, is an active volcano and there is a high risk of geohazards. It’s good to check all warnings and safety information when you arrive in the park. There are geohazard warning sirens in place in the park’s most popular areas, but out on the trails, you’re on your own. If you feel the ground rumbling, hear a loud roaring sound, or notice a rapid rise in water levels, it’s time to get to higher ground immediately.
Longmire Historic District
16 years before Mount Rainier National Park was established in 1899, James Longmire (c. 1820-1897) built a 13-mile trail from Ashford to a hot springs he discovered in what is now the Longmire Historic District. By 1890, he had built cabins and a small hotel, attracting up to 500 guests each summer by the turn of the century. His family also built a trail to the Paradise area, six miles away.
By 1906, the National Park Service allowed competition to move in and the first National Park Inn was built, causing a rift in their relationship with the Longmire family. In the 1910s, the park’s headquarters moved to the area, remaining there until 1977.
In 1916, the Rainier National Park Company was formed and purchased the family’s property, effectively ending the family’s association with the park. The company, intending to market the hot springs, had the water tested, but it was concluded that they had no medicinal properties. Coupled with the opening of the lodge in Paradise, the test made the Longmire properties unprofitable.
Today, the buildings in Longmire make up the Longmire Historic District, a National Historic Landmark. Most were built in the late 1920s in the National Park Service Rustic style. Although the park headquarters are no longer located there, many of the buildings are still in use. You can see them on the 1 ¼ mile long Historic Longmire Walking Tour, which can also be done in a car.
National Park Inn
You can start exploring the area at the National Park Inn. Today’s structure is actually the Longmire Springs Hotel annex, which was originally built in 1916. In 1918, the Rainier National Park Company moved the annex next to the National Park Inn. They also demolished most of the Longmire properties in order to “improve the appearance” of the area. The original National Park Inn was built in 1906 and burned down in 1926. The annex assumed the name of the old National Park Inn, was renovated in 1936, and rebuilt in 1990.
General Store
The General Store next door was originally the Hiker’s Center. It was built in 1911 by the Tacoma and Eastern Railroad. Inside, you can buy park memorabilia and supplies.
Service Station
Nearby is the Service Station, which was built in 1929 and provided automobile services to visitors for many years.
Longmire Museum
The tiny Longmire Museum, built in 1916, was the park’s first headquarters. The park superintendent decided to demolish the building in 1928, but Chief Naturalist C. Frank Brockman stepped in and convinced him to save it for a museum. Brockman created the museum exhibits, and some are still on display today. They cover the park’s wildlife and history. The museum was moved to its current location in 1978.
Outside the entrance, there’s a piece of a Douglas fir that began to grow in 1273, along with a timeline of world events listed on the rings.
Wilderness Information Center
The Wilderness Information Center, open from May to October, is where visitors can obtain wilderness permits and get information on backcountry hiking and camping. It was completed in 1930 and served as the “new” Administration Building, replacing the museum as park headquarters. The library is directly across the road.
Nisqually River Suspension Bridge
The road continues past housing for park employees and officials until it comes to a gorgeous suspension bridge over the Nisqually River. It was built in 1924 to access a planned campground across the river and rebuilt in the 1950s. Before the bridge, visitors used a small pony bridge to cross the river.
On either side of the bridge, you can look out onto the Nisqually River. It’s fed by the Nisqually Glacier on Mount Rainier and empties into Puget Sound.
Community Building
At the end of the trail is the Community Building, which was built in 1927 to serve campers. It’s located next to the former Longmire Public Auto Campground, which opened in 1925 and closed to the public in 1989. The building is now a meeting, lecture, and training center.
Before heading back to the National Park Inn, make sure you get a fantastic look at Mount Rainier from the banks of the Nisqually River outside the Community Building.
Trail of the Shadows
Once you finish with the Longmire Historic District, the Trail of the Shadows is a wonderful way to delve into the Longmire family’s contribution to the park. It travels through the old James Longmire homestead, settled in 1883, 16 years before the park was established. The trailhead for the 0.7 mile long loop is across the street from the National Park Inn.
First Part of the Trail
We did the trail in a clockwise direction, and started by crossing over a small creek and into the forest. The trees towered above our heads.
A few steps later, we came to a section inundated with water. In some places, it was bubbling up from the ground and the trees had died. This is the first evidence that there were hot springs in the area. We then continued through the forest, sometimes along a boardwalk.
We came to what looked like the remnants of a fountain or bath. It wasn’t labeled like other highlights on the rest of the trail, so we weren’t 100% sure what it was.
Longmire Cabin
About halfway through the trail, we stumbled upon the last remaining cabin built by the Longmires. The family built several cabins in the 1880s to accommodate visitors to their hot springs resort. This specific cabin was built in 1888 and was very simple inside.
Hot Springs
After passing a section of Longmire Meadow, we came to an original hot spring bath built in 1920. It was supposed to be part of a new resort, but after tests determined the water had no medicinal value, plans were scrapped. The original resort, Longmire Medical Springs Resort, sat nearby. It was demolished in 1920 to make way for the new resort.
Further along, we came to a point where there was a good quantity of water bubbling up from the ground. We could even hear the sound of the bubbles and smell the sulphur.
Longmire Meadow Overlook
At the end of the Trail of the Shadows, there’s an overlook of Longmire Meadow with Mount Rainier in the background. The ridge to the left is an ancient volcanic lava flow called Rampart Ridge. The lava stopped when it reached two glaciers that were joined together. The glaciers on both sides of the ridge, once 1,200 feet high, melted to form meadows.
