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Mount Rainier National Park

Ashford, Washington, United States

Mt. Rainier from a Distance

Iron in the water turns the ground orange

Mount Rainier is a national park located in Washington state. There are a couple entrances, but during the winter months, only the south-west entrance is open. Mt. Rainier is approximately a 2.5 hour drive from the Seattle area. Although it appears closer, you have to take twisty, winding roads to reach the mountain.

At the time of year we visited, we were only able to drive up to the Longmire area. Driving further up the mountain required snow chains, which we didn't have.

At the Longmire area, there is an Inn (which also contains a restaurant), and a small gift shop. There is also a small museum. The museum is small, and contains a couple "exhibits" and a number of real stuffed animals. We spent about 5 minutes inside, and saw everything. The museum area also provides trail maps (which you can also print yourself from the Mount Rainier website).

There are a number of walking trails you can go on that range from 1 mile to 5 miles. The trails are all very scenic, and provide excellent wilderness views. The trees are very pretty, and there are also other abnormalities like ground that is stained orange from iron bubbling up from mineral springs. The forests are quite nice. The trees are very large, and everything is covered in green moss - even in the winter. There are also several streams, rivers and lakes along the trails.

Climate

Snow covered trees along the trail

It is worth mentioning that the weather at Mt. Rainier is often much different than that in the surrounding area. There may not be snow in Seattle, but there sure is lots of snow on Mt. Rainier! Be sure to dress appropriately. The roads may also be slippery and icy, thus the requirement of tire chains (during the winter months) if you want to drive up the mountain. The Mt. Rainier website provides more information about the current weather conditions and road closures.

Cost

Mt. Rainier Southwest Entrance

The cost for a car to enter the park is $15. This entrance fee allows entry for a 7-day period. There are also annual passes available - check the Mount Rainier website for more information.

Estimated Visiting Time

Longmire Parking Lot

Another view from the Longmire Parking Lot

Mount Rainier is just a park that you can walk around in. Although there is a small museum, it was very small, and took only about 5 minutes to look around in. The museum had a few real stuffed animals in it, and provided a piece of paper with trail maps on it.

Depending on how fit you are, and how long you are able to walk, you could spend anywhere from one hour to a full day admiring the scenery. There are several camp grounds, so you can spend several days here. Depending on the weather (and the time of year), you may want to stay for different lengths of time.