Introduction
You can’t miss Mount Rainier! At 14,411 feet, Rainier is the highest mountain in both Washington and the 48 contiguous states. So on a clear day, you’ll see it dramatically dominating the horizon… beckoning you to visit.
Mount Rainier is crowned by the largest, single-peak glacier system outside of Alaska. It is the focal point of Mount Rainier National Park, which includes 378 square miles and occupies the eastern half of Pierce County. No matter which side of the mountain you visit, you’ll enjoy spectacular views!
The Mount Rainier region offers wonderful opportunities for year-round recreation. In the spring, summer and fall, you can enjoy hiking through alpine and forest terrain – there are 210 miles of trails in Mount Rainier National Park, plus 34 waterfalls and 62 lakes! And that’s just counting those inside the park boundaries. The surrounding national forests and Cascade foothills attract hikers year-round.
Want to do some serious climbing or even summit Mount Rainier? One of several guide services in the area will be happy to assist you.
The Mount Rainier region offers many more activities, too. Horseback riding, mountain biking, fishing, steam train rides, a wildlife park – plus wonderful shopping and dining.
You can visit Mount Rainier National Park year-round via the southwest Nisqually entrance. Drive to Paradise at the 5,500-foot elevation for a breathtaking view of “The Mountain” up close. In the summer, the alpine meadows are abloom with wildflowers, and you’re likely to spot wildlife such as deer and marmots.
The Sunrise area, at 6,400 feet, is the highest point to which you can drive in all the Cascades and offers panoramic views and hikes. Another highlight is the Ohanapecosh area with its Grove of the Patriarchs, a stand of 1,000-year old trees. Longmire features a small museum on Mount Rainier’s history, geology and ecology.
In the winter, you can go cross-country skiing and snowshoeing through Mount Rainier’s winter wonderland. Incredible downhill skiing is available just outside the park’s boundaries at Crystal Mountain and White Pass.
In fact, there’s so much to do in the Mount Rainier region year-round that you may want to spend a few nights. There are many lodging choices, including historic inns, B&Bs, cabins and small resorts.
After venturing up the slopes of Mount Rainier, the tallest mountain in Washington (14,410 ft) and the largest volcano in the Lower 48, you will remember it forever as simply "The Mountain." Even though The Mountain towers over the entire Puget Sound, there is nothing like viewing it ‘up close and personal’ at Mount Rainier National Park.
Mount Rainier is located in Pierce County , Washington which is approximately 90km southeast of Seattle . Once known as Talol, Tacoma or Tahoma (meaning ‘mother of waters'), it was named ‘Rainier' in honor of Rear Admiral Peter Rainier by Captain George Vancouver, who was the first European to discover the mountain. Mount Rainier, at nearly 4400m, has the highest peak in the Cascade Range and Cascade Volcanic Arc. It is also the most profoundly glaciated peak in the lower states, with 91km² of eternal snowfields and glaciers.
In the 1700s, the area surrounding Mount Rainier was occupied by Pacific Northwest tribes but by 1899, President William McKinley established it as America's fifth national park in order to protect the glacier caves, ice-filled craters, volcanic craters and, as Congress described, “ the preservation from injury or spoliation of all timber, mineral deposits, natural curiosities, or wonders within said park, and their retention in their natural condition”.
To visit Mount Rainier, the Nisqually River Valley communities allow you to explore the area at any time of the year, and offer accommodation and fun-filled activities. The surrounding communities are friendly and willing to help you with whatever you would like to enjoy and discover!
Find the best accommodation in Seattle
EVENTS
If you are thinking about having a special event or a function, there are several establishments that cater specifically to the event you would like to have. With whatever you desire – a wedding, family reunion, a conference, a baptism - Mount Rainier is sure to provide!
If you would like to get married, there are a variety of places that will provide wedding service that include a venue, flowers, food, photography, live music, video, equipment rentals, etc. These are some of the best wedding choices:
- Copper Creek Inn
- Mineral Lake Event Centre
- Mineral Lake Lodge
If you're looking to get away with your loved one to have a chance for intimacy, relaxation and rejuvenation, here are some of the best retreat choices:
- Wildwood
- Mountain Meadows
- Mounthaven
Want to hold a conference that's unique but also is available to supply all basic needs and more? Want to hold a conference amongst spectacular scenery and oozes charm? This is a small variety of conference choices:
- Gateway Inn
- Alexanders
- The Lodge near Mount Rainier
ACCOMMODATION
Choose from a wide variety of accommodation that will suit your budget and lifestyle. Mount Rainier is able to provide anything from bed and breakfasts, cabins, inns, mansions to camping. The following is just a selected few of the best accommodation in the area.
Bed and Breakfasts
- Rainier Mountain Lodge
- Overnighter B & B
Inns
- Jasmer's Rainier Cabins and Lodging
- The Westwood Chalet
- Three Bears Lodge
Cabins
- Stormking Spa and Cabins
- Cedar Cabin on the Creek
- Snowberry Cottage
Camping
- Shadow Wood
- Gateway Inn
Lodges
- Historic Mineral Lake Lodge
- Almost Paradise Lodging
DINING
There is a wide range of dining opportunities in the area, particularly in Elbe and Ashford, that provide scrumptious, hearty meals. This is a small selection of the many restaurants available to ease your appetite.
- Scale Shack Burgers
- Mt. Rainier Railroad Dining Co. , Sidetrack Room & Hobo Inn
- Rainier BaseCamp Deli
- Copper Creek Inn and Restaurant
ACTIVITIES
There are lots to see and do in Mount Rainier for anyone of any age of any lifestyle. Whether you're interested in simple pleasures such as riding on a horse amongst stunning scenery or into something as extreme as skiing and hiking, Mount Rainier is the place for you.
- Skiing
- Hiking
- Horse Riding
- Vintage Rail Ride
- Mountain Climbing
- Indulge in a spa treatment
- Visit an art gallery
AND MANY MORE!