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Pacific
Northwest
VISITOR INFORMATION
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Rainier the Mountain
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Rainier NP
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of Mt Rainier
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Ashford
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 Westwood
Chalet
Cozy Cabin Near Nisqually
Entrance to Mount Rainier NP. Hot Tub, Decks, Amenities.
www.westwoodchalet.com
800-790-0328 |
Mount
Rainier National Park
Description of the
Park
Mount Rainier
National Park was designed from a master plan which
included such things as roads with scenic lookouts, trails and visitor centers. The
roads were carefully engineered to make the least impact on the landscape, so you will
notice they are narrow, and trees grow close. This creates a wonderful atmosphere to
quickly transport you beyond the reminders of the nearby urban belt and bring you to the
many beauties of the park which are easily accessed in short walks that ring the
mountain. The further you are willing to hike, of course, the more you will see of
the views, vegetation, wildlife, rivers, waterfalls, springs and canyons.
 The park has
more than 300 miles of trails that are
usually snow-free from mid-July through September. They range from short walks from
viewpoints and visitor centers to the 93-mile Wonderland Trail which completely encircles
the mountain. A circuit of the latter takes about 10-14 days. There are a
number of self-guiding nature walks. Ask at the visitor centers about naturalist
talks and walks in summer, and snowshoe walks in winter. Horses are allowed on 100
miles of the trails.
The mountain is encircled by old-growth forest,
filled with majestic Douglas-fir, red cedar and western hemlock. In the wettest area
of the park near Carbon River in the northwest, some botanists contend the vegetation is
an example of temperate rain forest. In summer the Park puts on displays of
wildflowers that carpet the sub-alpine meadows. The greening meadows follow the zone
of contact between advancing springtime and retreating winter, up the
mountain. The best time to see the flowers is mid-July to mid-August.
The area abounds with wildlife which is readily
seen upon the open, sub-alpine landscape. You can usually see birds, marmots,
chipmunks, chickarees, squirrels, pikas and deer without wandering too far. Elk and
black bear are more elusive. To see mountain goats, you'll have to hike up to the
high country where they live. If you are serious about seeing wildlife, you will
need to be on the trails well before 11:00 am.
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Go Northwest!
Bookstore
Best selection of books on the
Northwest.
Click here!
 Washington's
Mount Rainier National Park: A Centennial Celebration
by Tim McNulty, Pat O'Hara. March 2000, Mountaineers Books, Paperback
or Hardcover,
144 pages, (non-fiction). In this, the official book of the
centennial, Pat O'Hara and Tim McNulty view the mountain through all its
facets: from the geologic and climatic forces that continue to shape it,
to the rich legacy of humans' relationship with it, to its delicate
ecosystems and what will be needed to protect them for the future.
Order
now...
 Mount
Rainier National Park: Tales,
Trails, & Auto Tours
by Jerry Rohde, Gisela Rohde (Contributor), Larry Eifert (Illustrator)
December 1996,
Paperback, 310 pages, (non-fiction)
Order
now...
Mount
Rainier National Park:
Including a Perilous Paradise
by Ron Warfield, Jeff Nicholas (Editor), Nicky Leach (Editor)
June Spectacular color photography with
beautifully written essays.
Order
now...
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keep Go Northwest! online.
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