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Introduction
Mount Ranier National Park is a popular tourist attraction in U.S. and one of the popular national parks of the country as well. Located in the state of Washington, Mount Rainier
Park spreads over 368 square miles of area and includes entire part of Mount
Rainier and hence the name of the park. This U.S. national park established as
the fifth national park in USA on March 2, 1899. In 1997, park was designated a National Historic Landmark District due to its “NPS Rustic” style architecture.
Mount Rainier – the reason behind the popularity of Mount Rainier National Park, is the highest point in the Cascade Range. The surrounding valleys, subalpine wildflower meadows, waterfalls and 91,000 acres of old growth forest add more color to the attraction of the park. Mount Rainier National Park has got a complex ecosystem where you can find diverse vegetation, and species of more than 800 vascular plants, 63 mammals, 16 amphibians, 5 reptiles, 18 native fishes and 159 birds.
Visiting Mount Ranier
In order to explore Mount Rainier National Park, it is always better to have a car, as you have so much to explore here. There are five developed areas in Mount Rainier, which include Longmire, Ohanapecosh, Paradise, Carbon/Mowich and Sunrise. Various facilities are available in these areas including hotel, restaurant, visitor center and campgrounds etc.
Camping: There are a number of campgrounds available in Rainier National Park. You can go for camping in any of the campgrounds like Cougar Rock, Ohanapecosh, White River, Mowich Lake, Ipsut Creek, and Sunshine Point etc.
Hiking: Mount Rainier Park is a hiker’s paradise, with a number of trails for hiking available. In the northwest area, you can find trails like Carbon Glacier Trail, Carbon River Rain Forest, Chenuis Falls Trail, Lake James Trail, Moraine Park Trail, Mystic Lake Trail, Northern Loop Trail, Spray Park Trail, and Windy Gap Trail. In the northeast area, there are trails like Burroughs Mountain Trail, Crystal Lakes Trail, Glacier Basin Trail, Mt. Fremont Lookout Trail, Naches Peak Loop Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, Palisades Lakes Trail, Shadow Lake Trail, Sourdough Ridge Trail, Summerland Trail and Owyhigh Lakes Trail. In the southwest area, you will find trails like Bench Lake Trail, Camp Muir Trail, Comet Falls Trail, Eagle Peak Trail, Emerald Ridge Trail, Gobblers Knob Trail, Golden Lakes Trail, Indian Henrys Hunting Ground, Klapatche Park Trail, Lake George Trail, Pinnacle Peak Trail, Rampart Ridge Trail, Skyline Trail, Snow Lake Trail, Trail of the Shadows and Van Trump Park Trail. In the southeast area, you will find trails like Grove of the Patriarchs, Indian Bar Trail, Life Systems Trail, Shriner Peak Trail, Silver Falls Trail and Three Lakes Trail.
Winter Activities: Rainier National Park gets different looks during the winter. You can go for various exciting activities during winter, which include ranger-guided snowshoe walks, Paradise snowplay, skiing, snowboarding, and camping.
Opening Hours
Mount Ranier Park remains open throughout the year. However, it attracts most tourists during the months of July and August.
Henry M Jackson Memorial Visitor Center at Paradise:
May 15 to September 6: From 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
September 7 to September 15: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Ohanapecosh Visitor Center:
June 13 to October 12: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Sunrise Visitor Center:
July 3 to September 7: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
How to Reach
Air: Those who are coming down by air, need to land at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA).
Road: You can find round trip bus tours by Gray Line of Seattle, the ply from downtown Seattle to the park.
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