Mount Rainier
National Park
Standing at 14,410 feet, Mount Rainier is the tallest mountain in both Washington and the entire Cascade Range, and the sixth highest peak in the contiguous United States. It’s home to 25 major glaciers and, while classified as an active volcano, it hasn’t erupted in over 1,000 years.
Designated as the nation’s fifth national park on March 2, 1899, Mount Rainier is one of three national parks in Washington, alongside Olympic and North Cascades.
Though best known for its iconic summit, Mount Rainier National Park also features more than 260 miles of maintained trails that wind through old-growth forests, river valleys, and vibrant subalpine meadows.
Mount Rainier At a Glance
$30 per vehicle for 7 days or FREE with the America the Beautiful pass.
If visiting from outside of Washington, then Seattle Tacoma International Airport (SEA) is the main airport in Western Washington and the best airport to fly into to visit Mount Rainier. From there, the drive will be 1-2.5 hours depending on the part of the park you’re driving to.
If you want to get the full Mount Rainier National Park experience, then the best time to visit would be from June to October.
For the 2025 season, reservations are now required for the Sunrise Corridor from July 11th through September 1st (plus all weekends and holidays through mid-October) from 7am to 5pm. Reservations will cost $2 per vehicle and will become available 2-3 months in advance, with additional slots opening the night before. Get reservations and learn more before you visit!
Different Areas of the Park
Mount Rainier National Park is huge and is made up of 5 developed areas to explore, Paradise, Sunrise, Longmire, Carbon River & Mowich and Ohanapecosh. Paradise, on the southern slope of Mount Rainier, is the most popular area of the park, known for great views of meadows, mountains, wildflowers, and of course, epic views of Mount Rainier! Sunrise, in the northeast corner of the park, is the highest point in the park that can be reached by car at 6,400 ft and the second most visited area.
30 Fun Things to do at mount Rainier National Park
Visiting Mount Rainier? In this guide we’re sharing the best things to do at Mount Rainier, itinerary options, plus everything you need to know before you go!
How to Visit Mount Rainier from Seattle (5 Day Trip Ideas)
In this guide we’re not only sharing how to visit Mount Rainier from Seattle, but also five Mount Rainier day trip ideas, covering the major areas of the park!
How to Hike the Mount Fremont Lookout Trail
In this guide we’re sharing everything you need to know before hiking the Mount Fremont Lookout trail in Mount Rainier National Park in Washington, including trail stats, what to bring, and more!
Videos
We are back in Washington and it feels SO good! We are kicking off our time in our former home state with a jam packed 24 hours at Mount Rainier National Park! We hiked to a fire lookout for sunset, walked among huge trees, crossed a cool suspension bridge, saw waterfalls, and even had a snowball fight! And the best part? Mount Rainier was out the entire time!
