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Mount Rainier National Park
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
poi · United States

Mount Rainier National Park

natureadventure
Recommended stay: 1 day
Getting around: Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is about 2-2.5 hours from the park's main entrances; a car is necessary, and the Paradise and Sunrise areas are on opposite sides of the mountain, requiring a drive around rather than through.
Hours: Open year-round, 24 hours; Paradise stays accessible year-round (snow permitting, with tire chains sometimes required), while Sunrise typically only opens July through September.

Mount Rainier dominates the Seattle skyline on a clear day, and up close it's an active (though currently dormant) stratovolcano draped in glaciers — the most heavily glaciated peak in the contiguous US. Paradise, the park's most popular area, offers wildflower meadows in summer with the mountain as a backdrop and some of the best short-hike-to-big-view ratios of any US park; summiting the mountain itself is a serious mountaineering undertaking, not a casual hike.

Mount Rainier National Park FAQs

Can I hike to the summit?

Summiting Mount Rainier is a technical, glaciated climb requiring mountaineering skills, gear, and typically a guide — not something to attempt casually; most visitors instead hike trails at Paradise or Sunrise with the mountain as the view.

When do the wildflower meadows bloom?

Typically late July through August at Paradise, depending on snowmelt timing that year.

Is Sunrise open year-round?

No — the Sunrise area, on the drier east side of the mountain, is usually only accessible from about July to September due to snow.

How many days do I need?

A single day covers Paradise's main trails well; a second day lets you also visit Sunrise if timing allows, since the two areas require a long drive between them.

How far is it from Seattle?

About 2-2.5 hours' drive to the main entrances, making it a feasible (if long) day trip or an easy overnight.

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