Mount Rainier National Park
At 14,410 feet, Mount Rainier is the tallest volcano in the Cascade Mountain Range and the most glaciated peak in the continuous United States. Just 60 miles southeast of downtown Seattle, the volcano is clearly visible from the city on a clear day. Mount Rainier’s last major eruption occurred about 1,000 years ago, producing a powerful mudflow that reached Puget Sound and significantly altered the landscape. While there have been reports of volcanic activity and minor events since then, such as steam explosions and potential ash clouds in the 19th century, Mount Rainier has remained relatively quiet. In recent times, a swam of earthquakes that began July 8, 2025 has scientists closely watching the volcano and reinforced the need for local communities to have volcano evacuation plans in place.
People have been coming to Mount Rainier for over 9,000 years. Archeological findings suggest that Native Americans hunted, gathered, and conducted spiritual and ceremonial activities on the mountain. Their descendants maintain a special connection with the mountain to the present day. In the late 1800s miners, entrepreneurs, and tourists recognized the mountain’s potential to provide wealth and recreation. They came to the region with the hope to prosper, to recreate, and simply to breathe the clear mountain air. Inspired by the natural beauty, numerous mountain clubs, scientists, and communities successfully lobbied Congress to create Mount Rainier National Park in 1899. It became the nation’s fifth national park. In 1964, the Wilderness Act legally protected over 97% of Mount Rainier National Park as wilderness, the highest level of protection for federal lands. Its close proximity to the heavily populated Seattle-Tacoma region, Mount Rainier National Park is a very popular destination and saw 2.4 million visitors in 2024 alone. On weekends and peak-season, there can be long lines to enter the park and the park service have even instituted a time-entry policy for vehicles to address the issue.
There are 28 named glaciers found on the steep, rocky slopes of Mount Rainier. Some of these glaciers are up to 750 feet deep and receive a significant amount of annual snowfall helps maintain their size even with a warming climate. The Paradise region of Mount Rainier National Park sits at an elevation of 5,440 feet and is known as one of the snowiest places on Earth with an annual average snowfall of around 645.5 inches (about 54 feet). The record snowfall occurred during the winter of 1971–1972 when 1,122 inches (nearly 100 feet) of snow fell on the Paradise region of the park. Today, Paradise is a very popular destination for visitors to the park as it is the location of the visitor center, the Paradise Inn, and numerous trails that lead to spectacular views of the Mount Rainier’s summit and waterfalls.
Mount Rainier’s wilderness is an evolving landscape of forests, meadows, glaciers, and craters. The lower elevations of the park are dense old-growth forest and there are numerous opportunities for hiking in the forest. One of the more impressive waterfalls in the park is the 168-foot Narada Falls which can be partially seen from the road and fully viewed after a short hike to an overlook. The Paradise area is an alpine region where the tree line ends and gives way to the rugged slopes of Mount Rainier with the summit in view. There are numerous trails to explore in Paradise, but some can be steep since they are on the base of the mountain. Also in this sub-alpine region you will find numerous meadows which offer great opportunities for wildlife viewing.
