Mt. Rainier National Park USA in Spring or Fall
Visit Washington State's Tallest Mountain and Park in the Off Season
Oct 15, 2009
Mount Rainier, the highest mountain in the Cascade Range as well as being an active volcano, towers over the surrounding Northwest landscape. A 3-hour drive (87 miles) from Seattle, Washington, and 136 miles from Portland, Oregon, Mount Rainier National Park’s rich forests, waterfalls, meadows of wildflowers and abundant wildlife lure hikers, sightseers and mountain climbers.
Fall and spring are less crowded seasons to visit Mt. Rainier National Park, offering autumn colored leaves and waterfalls full from spring runoff. The park’s 26 major glaciers form the largest collection of permanent ice in the U.S. outside of Alaska. Its 236,000 acres of pristine wilderness are a paradise for hikers and mountain climbers.
Driving or Bus Touring Mt. Rainier National Park
Take in the beauty of Mount Rainier while driving from the Nisqually entrance at the park’s southwest corner through thick fir forests to Longmire, where the rustic National Park Inn’s north porch offers a stunning view of Mount Rainier, especially at sunset. The Longmire Museum, one of the National Park Service’s oldest operating interpretive museums, showcases interesting rock, plant, animal and history exhibits housed in the historic building.
Along the road from Longmire to Paradise, at the base of Mount Rainier, Narada Falls is a spectacular sight, with the Paradise River cascading 168 feet off a ledge. At Paradise, the Henry M. Jackson Memorial Visitor Center has information and maps for many hikes up Mount Rainier, such as the steep 5-mile Skyline Trail to Panorama Point for spectacular views. Bus and customized group tours from Seattle through the park are also available.
Spring and Fall Hiking in Mt. Rainier
Mount Rainier National Park features 260 miles of maintained trails. Hikes vary from easy to strenuous. At Paradise, the Nisqually Vista Trail, an easy self-guided nature walk, explores the lush alpine Paradise meadows. Near the southeast corner of the park, the 1.3-mile Grove of the Patriarchs Trail showcases old-growth forest of Douglas firs, Western red cedars and hemlocks more than 1,000 years old.
The strenuous 93-mile Wonderland Trail circles Mount Rainier and is divided into different sections. The 30-mile hike from Paradise to Sunrise passes lakes, waterfalls and Box Canyon, one of the most unusual river canyons in America. The 16.5-mile portion of the Wonderland Trail from Sunrise to Carbon River travels through a primitive area of the park to view Mystic Lake, Winthrop and Carbon Glaciers.
Off the Beaten Path at Mr. Rainier
Sequestered in the northwest corner of the park, the Carbon River and Valley hold the only temperate rain forest in the park. The self-guided Carbon River Rain Forest Trail is a half-mile loop among huge Sitka spruce, Douglas fir and Western red cedar. The 7-mile round-trip hike to Carbon Glacier leads to the only glacier in the contiguous U.S. that extends to the low elevation of 3,600 feet.
Mountain climbers are drawn to Mount Rainier’s towering summit. Its challenging steep slopes and glaciers provide training for many American mountaineering expeditions. Climbing Mount Rainier is rigorous, and permits are required for climbs over 10,000 feet. Guide services, such as Rainier Mountaineering, offer one-day instruction to five-day seminars.
Lodging and Dining at Mt. Rainier
Mount Rainier features two hotels—the Paradise Inn in popular Paradise and the National Park Inn near the park’s southwest entrance. The Paradise Inn, a massive wooden lodge, has 118 rooms, 86 with private baths. The historic inn’s spacious lobby features two massive stone fireplaces and peeled-log ceiling beams. The National Park Inn, nestled in Longmire’s forest, includes 25 rooms, 17 with private baths.
Dining options range from the cozy Paradise Inn’s dining room (where entrees include trout, salmon and steak) to the National Park Inn’s charming family-style dining room with a similar menu. The Henry M. Jackson Visitor Center in Paradise offers a snack bar. The Sunrise Day Lodge’s cafeteria serves fast food and snacks.
Mount Rainier National Park is a mountain wonderland known for its dense forests, meadows of wildflowers, glaciers and variety of hiking. Visit the park during fall or spring (and miss the summer crowds) when waterfalls run full and brilliant autumn colors are displayed. Experience other Western U.S. national parks, such as nearby western Washington’s Olympic, central California’s Yosemite and Wyoming's Yellowstone.
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