National Parks Explorer: Mount Rainier National Park

Mount Rainier was named after Peter Rainier, a British naval officer who never gazed upon the crown jewel of the Cascades. It's pronounced "rain ear", but could easily be "rain ee er" because of the tremendous amount of precipitation that falls. Many out of town visitors never see the mountain because of the persistent cloud cover. Locals might see it from a distance 150 days a year and dream of the chance to visit on the weekend.

Mount Rainier's story began less than a million years ago. It is a young volcano, and still considered active. It last erupted in the 1890s, a few small explosions at the summit. Over the course of about half a million years, the volcano built up to over 16,000 feet in height, and lost its top during an eruption. The current height is 14,410 or 14,411 feet depending on who you ask.

While the mountain was created by fire, it was shaped by ice. Mount Rainier has the greatest concentration of glaciers in America outside Alaska. The glaciers carved out deep valleys and are the source of several rivers, which provide downstream habitat for seven endangered salmon species. While the glaciers are currently retreating, the mountain still receives hundreds of inches of snow annually.

Logging and tourism have always been important in the area surrounding Mount Rainier, and its protection as a national park in 1899 meant no more logging, and an increase in tourism. James Longmire was one of the first to capitalize on tourism, building a mineral spa in the meadow which now bears his name.

The park is divided into a few different areas, and those are all by location. From southwest counterclockwise, they are Longmire, Paradise, Ohanapecosh, Sunrise, and Carbon River. Longmire is named for James Longmire, mineral spa owner. Paradise is a meadow, given the name by Mrs. Longmire when she commented, "This must be what paradise looks like." Ohanapecosh is named after an Indian word meaning "standing at the edge". The Ohanapecosh River dominates this area. Sunrise is on the eastern side of the mountain, facing the sunrise. Carbon River is the northwestern area of the park.

You could also divide the park based on different ecosystem types, all of which are based on elevation. Starting at the bottom, lowland forests dominate. There are some clearings, wetlands, and wide riverbeds, but mostly it is lush forest. Moving higher, the trees change species, size, and density. The forest thins to open meadows. Covered in snow during the long winter, some are very wet during the spring melt. Above the treeline are the glaciers and alpine tundra.

Hundreds or thousands of plants and animals call Mount Rainier National Park home. From towering Douglas fir trees over a thousand years old to tiny thatching ants and everything in between, life is everywhere despite extreme amounts of rain and snow. Black bears, deer, elk, and mountain lions are the largest of the mammals, while birds range from hummingbirds to bald eagles. During the summer, meadows full of wildflowers attract buzzing bees and fluttering butterflies.

97% of the park is designated as wilderness under the Wilderness Act of 1964. In those areas, humans are visitors in the natural world and other than trails, there shouldn't be any sign of people. The developed areas have some historic structures. At Longmire, there is the National Park Inn and the Longmire cabin. Paradise Inn is another rustic lodge at, you guessed it, Paradise. The building style is called NPS Rustic, and incorporates local material into the building to harmonize it with the scenery. Roads were also built with scenery in mind, making every drive a pleasant one. Visitor centers are at Longmire, Paradise, Sunrise, and Ohanapecosh. Campgrounds are White River near Sunrise, Ohanapecosh, Cougar Rock near Longmire, and Mowich near Carbon River. There are numerous wilderness campsites in the back country.
Activities at Mount Rainier National Park include day hikes, camping, biking, wildlife watching, climbing, snow shoeing, cross country skiing, and backpacking. Wilderness trips may require a free wilderness permit. Check with rangers. Let's take a virtual tour of Mount Rainier National Park!