Mount Rainier National Park
Mount Rainier National Park is best known for its towering volcanic peak and stunning alpine landscapes. Located in the state of Washington, Mount Rainier is the highest mountain in the state and an iconic symbol of the Pacific Northwest. The park is renowned for its majestic glaciers, pristine lakes, lush meadows adorned with wildflowers, and old-growth forests. At the heart of the park stands Mount Rainier, an active stratovolcano with its snow-capped summit reaching an elevation of 14,410 feet (4,392 meters). Visitors can embark on a variety of activities, including hiking, climbing, camping, and wildlife watching. The park’s extensive trail system offers opportunities for both casual strolls and challenging treks, leading to breathtaking viewpoints, cascading waterfalls, and serene alpine meadows. Mount Rainier National Park is also home to an abundance of wildlife, including black bears, elk, mountain goats, and marmots, adding to the park’s allure.
VISIT Mount Rainier National Park:
Park Details
Mount Rainier National Park was established on March 2, 1899, and has a total area of 236,382 acres (369 square miles, or 957 square kilometers).
| Address | 55210 238th Avenue East, Ashford, WA, 98304 |
|---|---|
| Phone | 360-569-2211 |
| Hours | Open all year, 24 hours a day |
| Entrance Fee | $30 per vehicle, valid for 7 days |
| Learn More | Official Website |
When to Visit: Weather vs. Peak Visitation
Mount Rainier National Park is the 49th most visited park in the country.
We crunched 30 years of historical weather and/or park service data to find the best months to visit Mount Rainier National Park. We looked for the optimal temperatures, the least amount of snow and rain, and stayed away from peak visitation months if we could help it. All this data then helped us paint a picture as to what the absolute best time to visit Mount Rainier National Park is.
Our data shows the best months to visit Mount Rainier National Park are July, June, August & September.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Park Visits | 12,933 | 11,743 | 32,101 | 29,632 | 106,136 | 219,641 | 365,200 | 378,305 | 184,166 | 74,355 | 48,248 | 39,161 |
| Precipitation | 281 | 185 | 193 | 128 | 94 | 65 | 24 | 30 | 60 | 152 | 305 | 270 |
| Avg Temp | 38 | 41 | 45 | 51 | 58 | 63 | 70 | 70 | 67 | 56 | 45 | 38 |
| Max Temp | 50 | 53 | 60 | 68 | 76 | 79 | 84 | 84 | 81 | 73 | 59 | 49 |
| Avg Temp | 29 | 29 | 32 | 36 | 42 | 46 | 52 | 52 | 48 | 41 | 34 | 28 |
| Min Temp | 13 | 14 | 21 | 26 | 31 | 37 | 42 | 43 | 36 | 29 | 21 | 11 |
Mount Rainier National Park Road Trips
Many family vacations consist of stringing one or more national parks together during a week-long trip. Creating these types of trips is our specialty! Here are the road trips we've created where Mount Rainier National Park is visited.
| Trip Name | Trip Miles | Trip Days |
|---|---|---|
| The Seattle Area Ski Trip | 441 | 7 |
| Mt. Rainier Scenic Byway Road Trip | 325 | 4 |
| Olympic, Mount Rainier to Mount St. Helens | 396 | 7 |
Other Nearby National Park Sites
From national monuments, to historic sites to seashores and more, here are the other parks closest to Mount Rainier National Park.
| Name | Distance |
|---|---|
| Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area | 81 mi |
| Fort Vancouver National Historic Site | 95 mi |
| Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve | 104 mi |
| Olympic National Park | 112 mi |
| Lewis and Clark National Historical Park | 113 mi |
| North Cascades National Park | 113 mi |
| San Juan Island National Historical Park | 125 mi |
| Gulf Islands National Park Reserve | 159 mi |
| Whitman Mission National Historic Site | 166 mi |
| Pacific Rim National Park Reserve | 186 mi |
Nearby Campsites & RV Parks
If you are looking to pitch a tent or park an RV at a campsite near Mount Rainier National Park, here is a list of the closest campsites in the surrounding area. They all have slightly different amenitites, so its best to check them all out instead of just chosing the first on the list.
| Name | Details | Miles Away |
|---|---|---|
| Cougar Rock - Mount Rainier National Park | Enumclaw, WA more | 6 miles |
| White River - Mount Rainier National Park | Enumclaw, WA more | 6 miles |
| Mowich Lake - Mount Rainier National Park | Enumclaw, WA more | 8 miles |
| Ipsut Creek - Mount Rainier National Park | Enumclaw, WA more | 10 miles |
| Evans Creek | Carbonado, WA more | 11 miles |
| Ohanapecosh - Mount Rainier National Park | Enumclaw, WA more | 12 miles |
| Big Creek | Ashford, WA more | 13 miles |
| Summit Creek | Randle, WA more | 14 miles |
| Silver Springs | Greenwater, WA more | 14 miles |
| La Wis Wis | Packwood, WA more | 14 miles |
Nearest Ski Resorts
For those of you who are the diehard outdoors type, visiting a national park on a ski trip can be quite the adventure. Here are the ski resorts within 100 miles of Mount Rainier National Park:
| Name | Location | Summit | Difficulty Score™ | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crystal Mountain | Enumclaw, WA | 7,012 ft | 65% | 12 mi |
| White Pass | Naches, WA | 6,550 ft | 51% | 22 mi |
| The Summit at Snoqualmie | Snoqualmie Pass, WA | 5,420 ft | 68% | 43 mi |
| Mission Ridge | Wenatchee, WA | 6,820 ft | 60% | 69 mi |
| Stevens Pass | Leavenworth, WA | 5,845 ft | 56% | 69 mi |
| Ski Bluewood | Dayton, WA | 5,670 ft | 43% | 78 mi |
| Badger Mountain | East Wenatchee, WA | 3,800 ft | 39% | 89 mi |
Nearest Airports
When visiting a National park, many people are faced with either a very long drive across country, or a much shorter flight. For those of you looking to fly into Mount Rainier National Park, we've listed the closest airports in the area.
Large Airports
A large airport has scheduled major airline service with millions of passengers per year. This type of airport always accepts international flights. Here are the closest large airports to Mount Rainier National Park.
| Name | Code | City | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle–Tacoma International Airport | SEA | Seattle, WA | 49 mi |
| Portland International Airport | PDX | Portland, OR | 96 mi |
| Vancouver International Airport | YVR | Vancouver, BC | 175 mi |
| Calgary International Airport | YYC | Calgary, AB | 457 mi |
Medium Airports
A medium-sized airport has scheduled regional airline service. This type of airport may or may not accept international flights. Here are the closest medium-sized airports to Mount Rainier National Park.
| Name | Code | City | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boeing Field King County International Airport | BFI | Seattle, WA | 54 mi |
| Yakima Air Terminal McAllister Field | YKM | Yakima, WA | 60 mi |
| Snohomish County (Paine Field) Airport | PAE | Everett, WA | 77 mi |
| William R Fairchild International Airport | CLM | Port Angeles, WA | 120 mi |
| Tri Cities Airport | PSC | Pasco, WA | 131 mi |
| Bellingham International Airport | BLI | Bellingham, WA | 139 mi |
| Victoria International Airport | YYJ | Victoria, BC | 146 mi |
Credits: Campground data provided by USCampgrounds.info. Map shapes from CartographyVectors. Weather data from NOAA. Airport data from OurAirports.com. Images from Unsplash, Flickr and Parks&Trips. All data has also been updated and augmented by Parks&Trips.