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Mount Rainier National Park Things To Do

view of Rainier not seen from top of Rainier - Mount Rainier National Park
view of Rainier not seen from top of Rainier
by richiecdisc
Reviews and photos of Mount Rainier National Park attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Mount Rainier National Park sightseeing.
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Mount Rainier National Park Things To DoTips 1 - 10 of 79  
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MARMOTS
  • Tip Rating:
    • mtncorg
  • By mtncorg on December 16, 2003
  • Mount Rainier National Park Page by mtncorg
    • Marmot ambling through the meadow of Yakima Park - Mount Rainier National Park
    Marmot ambling through the
    meadow of Yakima Park
    by mtncorg
    Along with the moutain goat, marmots are symboliic of the alpine regions of the Cascade Range. Here in the different parks around the timberline of Rainier you can find them wathcing you from atop rocks, or whistling, or simply waddling through the meadows trying to fatten up for the long winter ahead.

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  • Address: MRNP, Tahoma Woods, Star Rte, Ashford, WA 98304
  • Phone: 360-569-2211
  • Directions: Year-round access is via SR 706 to the Nisqually Entrance in the SW corner. Limited winter access via Hwy. 123 in the SE corner. The Carbon River/Mowich Lake area (NW corner) via SR 165 through Wilkeson. Summer access via Hwy. 410 on the N and E sides.
  • Website: www.nps.gov/mora/
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    NISQUALLY GLACIER
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    • mtncorg
  • By mtncorg on December 16, 2003
  • Mount Rainier National Park Page by mtncorg
    • Nisqually Glacier from Paradise trails - Mount Rainier National Park
    Nisqually Glacier from
    Paradise trails
    by mtncorg
    Nisqually Glacier is one of the 25 glaciers encricling the vastness of Rainier. Very dramatic, the glacier begins on the crest of the volcanic cone and drops 9000 feet down the mountain to where the Nisqually River is born below from the icy snout. The vast crevasse fields are amazing. For all of the huge size, the glacier is far from the largest one on the mountain, that honor being held by the mammoth glaciers on the north side of the mountain.

    You can easily visit the grand viewpoint by way of a short walk from the Paradise parking area.

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  • Address: MRNP, Tahoma Woods, Star Rte, Ashford, WA 98304
  • Phone: 360-569-2211
  • Directions: Year-round access is via SR 706 to the Nisqually Entrance in the SW corner. Limited winter access via Hwy. 123 in the SE corner. The Carbon River/Mowich Lake area (NW corner) via SR 165 through Wilkeson. Summer access via Hwy. 410 on the N and E sides.
  • Website: www.nps.gov/mora/
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    Sunrise
  • Tip Rating:
    • chewy3326
  • By chewy3326 on December 3, 2005
  • Mount Rainier National Park Page by chewy3326
    • Mt. Rainier from Sunrise - Mount Rainier National Park
    Mt. Rainier from Sunrise
    by chewy3326
    At around 6,200 feet, Sunrise is the highest road-accessible point in the park. The views here are great, and there's a visitor center and day lodge. The meadows of Yakima Park are very beautiful, and you can see many wildflowers around here. While we were visiting (late June) there was still snow on the ground in many places. Even if you're not much of a hiker, walk over to the Emmons Vista for a good view of the mountain, and the Emmons Glacier, the largest in the lower 48 states.

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    SUNRISE
  • Tip Rating:
    • mtncorg
  • By mtncorg on December 16, 2003
  • Mount Rainier National Park Page by mtncorg
    • Massive Emmons Glacier tumbling off Mt Rainier - Mount Rainier National Park
    Massive Emmons Glacier
    tumbling off Mt Rainier
    by mtncorg
    Here is the other epicenter of tourist activity. The parking lot here is much larger than that of Paradise - for a reason. For the best pictures and to find a parking spot, come early in the day. Afternoon will find you shooting directly into the sun. Sunrise is also higher than Paradise by 1000 feet - 6400 ft/1950 m. The approach road branches off WA 410 about 7 miles into the Park. For the first five miles, the road gains elevation slowly until crossing the White River, whereafter, the road goes up a little over 2000 feet in the next 11 miles, including a couple gargantuan switchbacks. There are grand views from the road and strategic pull-outs offering the visitor and opportunity to pull out the camera.

    At Sunrise, there is another large visitor center, a ranger station (backcountry and climb permits available), a cafeteria and picnic areas. There are many trail possibilities - Sunrise lies within the flower-filled meadows of Yakima Park. A short walk takes you to the very grand Emmons Vista, a point standing 2000 feet above the White River far below. The immense icefields of Emmons Glacier tumble down off the top of Rainier. Look carefully and you might make out climbing parties as they slowly pick their ways through the oceans of crevasses.

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  • Address: MRNP, Tahoma Woods, Star Rte, Ashford, WA 98304
  • Phone: 360-569-2211
  • Directions: Year-round access is via SR 706 to the Nisqually Entrance in the SW corner. Limited winter access via Hwy. 123 in the SE corner. The Carbon River/Mowich Lake area (NW corner) via SR 165 through Wilkeson. Summer access via Hwy. 410 on the N and E sides.
  • Website: www.nps.gov/mora/
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    Longmire Museum
  • Tip Rating:
    • chewy3326
  • By chewy3326 on December 23, 2005
  • Mount Rainier National Park Page by chewy3326
    • Tree Cross-section - Mount Rainier National Park
    Tree Cross-section
    by chewy3326
    In the southwestern corner of the park is the Longmire Museum, which has interesting exhibits inside (one compares the height of Mt. Rainier to its surroundings with Mt. Everest, and states that from base to summit, Rainier is actually taller). Outside the museum is a cross-section log/tree that shows how old the patriach tree really is (I don't remember exactly, but it's over 1000 years old.)

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  • Directions: On the Longmire-Paradise Road, southwestern part of the park
  • Website: www.nps.gov/mora
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    Nisqually Vista Loop
  • Tip Rating:
    • chewy3326
  • By chewy3326 on December 6, 2005
  • Mount Rainier National Park Page by chewy3326
    • Mount Rainier National Park Things To Do
    by chewy3326
    I hiked the entire length of the trail, yet I don't know anything about the actual trail conditions. While I was at Paradise, there was still 5 feet of snow on the ground, and trail markers marked out the entire trail. The loop leads from the visitor center through forest to two good viewpoints of the mountain the Nisqually Glacier. Like many other of the Mount Rainier glaciers, it's terminus was covered with snow, making it not the most attractive glacier. Still, it’s worth a look. From there, the trail winds through what would probably be meadows back to the visitor center.

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  • Directions: Paradise, Henry Jackson Visitor Center
  • Website: www.nps.gov/mora
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    PINNACLE PEAK
  • Tip Rating:
    • mtncorg
  • By mtncorg on December 16, 2003
  • Mount Rainier National Park Page by mtncorg
    • Pinnacle Peak and the Castle from Plummer Peak - Mount Rainier National Park
    Pinnacle Peak and the Castle
    from Plummer Peak
    by mtncorg
    6562 ft/2000 m, this peak and its neighbor, the Castle, can also be climbed, though these are more difficult than Plummer. Lots of tedious loose rock here mean a helmet would come in handy - especially with others on the same route. The rock of the Tatoosh, like Rainier and most of the Cacades is rotten, crumbly vocanic stone. Routes that are easy affairs in other ranges can become quite hairy affairs in these rocks.

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  • Address: MRNP, Tahoma Woods, Star Rte, Ashford, WA 98304
  • Phone: 360-569-2211
  • Directions: Year-round access is via SR 706 to the Nisqually Entrance in the SW corner. Limited winter access via Hwy. 123 in the SE corner. The Carbon River/Mowich Lake area (NW corner) via SR 165 through Wilkeson. Summer access via Hwy. 410 on the N and E sides.
  • Website: www.nps.gov/mora/
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    UNICORN PEAK
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    • mtncorg
  • By mtncorg on December 16, 2003
  • Mount Rainier National Park Page by mtncorg
    • On the trail underneath the spire of the Unicorn - Mount Rainier National Park
    On the trail underneath
    the spire of the Unicorn
    by mtncorg
    6917 ft/2108 m, this peak crowns the Tatoosh Range. Unicorn is one of the more difficult peaks of the Tatoosh, though with some stamina and basic mountaineering skills, one can manage. From Snow Lakes, you go up the huge boulders on the southwest to a park high above the lakes. Then up the snowfields of Unicorn Glacier to the crestline of Unicorn. The last 50 feet are class four to low class five climbing made much more dramatic by the exposure of 2500 feet straight down to the Snow Lakes below. To leave the top, it is easiest to rappel one rope length. Take a helmet. Most of the climb is class three.

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  • Address: MRNP, Tahoma Woods, Star Rte, Ashford, WA 98304
  • Phone: 360-569-2211
  • Directions: Year-round access is via SR 706 to the Nisqually Entrance in the SW corner. Limited winter access via Hwy. 123 in the SE corner. The Carbon River/Mowich Lake area (NW corner) via SR 165 through Wilkeson. Summer access via Hwy. 410 on the N and E sides.
  • Website: www.nps.gov/mora/
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    CAMP MUIR
  • Tip Rating:
    • mtncorg
  • By mtncorg on December 16, 2003
  • Mount Rainier National Park Page by mtncorg
    • Standing at Camp Muir in early morning light - Mount Rainier National Park
    Standing at Camp Muir in early
    morning light
    by mtncorg
    Camp Muir lies at 10188 ft/3105 m, a little under 5000 feet above your car at Paradise. Trails go up to almost 7000 feet and then you hike up through the Muir Snowfield from there. You are exposed to the sun the entire way up. On a busy weekend, there will be hundreds of people sweating and slogging their way up or down here. With good boots, water, sun protection, maybe some gaiters and stamina, you can easily get up to Camp Muir. Most people will camp here or just beyond. Permits are needed and can be hard to come by becasue of demand. The higher you go, the more of southern Washington you can see.

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  • Address: MRNP, Tahoma Woods, Star Rte, Ashford, WA 98304
  • Phone: 360-569-2211
  • Directions: Year-round access is via SR 706 to the Nisqually Entrance in the SW corner. Limited winter access via Hwy. 123 in the SE corner. The Carbon River/Mowich Lake area (NW corner) via SR 165 through Wilkeson. Summer access via Hwy. 410 on the N and E sides.
  • Website: www.nps.gov/mora/
    • Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    PLUMMER PEAK
  • Tip Rating:
    • mtncorg
  • By mtncorg on December 16, 2003
  • Mount Rainier National Park Page by mtncorg
    • Mt Rainier from atop Plummer Peak - Mount Rainier National Park
    Mt Rainier from atop Plummer
    Peak
    by mtncorg
    Coming up from Reflection Lakes, the Pinnacle trail comes up the north side of Pinnacle Peak, officially ending at the pass between Pinnacle and Plummer Peaks. Many can easily continue up a good bootpath to the south and up to the top of Plummer PEak - 6370 ft/1942 m. You are in the heart of the Tatoosh here and the range is laid out before you. Of course, Mt Rainier looms always dramatically to the north. The few time I have been up here, I have always seen mountain goats, sometimes cooling off in snow banks on warm summer days.

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  • Address: MRNP, Tahoma Woods, Star Rte, Ashford, WA 98304
  • Phone: 360-569-2211
  • Directions: Year-round access is via SR 706 to the Nisqually Entrance in the SW corner. Limited winter access via Hwy. 123 in the SE corner. The Carbon River/Mowich Lake area (NW corner) via SR 165 through Wilkeson. Summer access via Hwy. 410 on the N and E sides.
  • Website: www.nps.gov/mora/
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    More Mount Rainier National Park Tips
    Overview
         		Hotels and Accommodations
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    Things To Do
    Tips: 79 - Photos: 111    		Nightlife
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    Transportation
    Tips: 1 - Photos: 1    		Restaurants
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    Shopping
    Tips: 1 - Photos: 1    		Off the Beaten Path
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    Tourist Traps
    Tips: 1 - Photos: 1    		Warnings or Dangers
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    Local Customs
    Tips: 1 - Photos: 1    		Packing Lists
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    Sports Travel
    Tips: 3 - Photos: 2    		General Tips
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