1-Day Mt. Rainier National Park Tour from Seattle

D1

Day 1 Mount Rainier National Park

• Attractions

  Mount Rainier National Park

  Narada Falls
• Description

  Mount Rainier stands as an icon in the Washington landscape. Mount Rainier, also known as Tacoma, is the highest mountain of the Cascade Range of the Pacific Northwest, and the highest mountain in the state of Washington. Mount Rainier is an active volcano and has the most glaciated peak in the United States. It spawns five major rivers, and the top of the mountain is covered with snow all year round. When snow melts, water flows down in a large volume, and gives Rainier National Park the best waterfalls, vast lakes, and the lush green forests.
  
  Summer (May to October) Itinerary:
  Seattle → Mt. Rainier National Park → Longmire Museum (20 mins) → Christine Falls (10 mins) → Narada Falls (40 mins) → Paradise Visitor Center (120 mins) → Reflection Lake (10 mins) → Seattle
  
  Winter(November to April) Itinerary:
  Seattle → Mt. Rainier National Park → Longmire Museum (60 mins) → Wonderland Trail (60 mins) → Seattle
  
  Note: In the case of heavy snowfall during the winter season, the schedule of going uphill at Mount Rainier National Park may be halted. We will instead enjoy the breathtaking views at the foot of the mountain instead.
  
  Mt. Rainier National Park
  Mount Rainier is circled by the Wonderland Trail and is covered by several glaciers and snowfields totaling some 35 square miles. Carbon Glacier is the largest glacier by volume in the contiguous United States, while Emmons Glacier is the largest glacier in the area. About 1.8 million people visit Mount Rainier National Park each year. In addition, Mount Rainier is a popular peak for mountaineering with some 10,000 attempts per year with approximately 50% making it to the summit. Also, Mt. Rainier in WA is the tallest volcano of Mainland America, the 5th tallest mountain in the entire US territory. The mountain top is covered by snow all year round. When the snow melts, water flows down in large volume, creating beautiful waterfalls and vast lakes while also irrigating the forest land.
  
  Longmire Museum
  Located on the south side of Mount Rainier at 2,700 feet above sea level, Longmire Museum makes up part of the historic Longmire district. Once a ranger office, the building now houses historic exhibits about the park's natural and geological history, and animals. This small museum offers a good historical overview of the park, the Longmire family, and the Native Americans who once traveled through this area. You'll also find old photographs and displays of local plants and animals. It's worth a quick stop.
  
  Narada Falls
  Narada Falls is a short and steep waterfall in Mount Rainier National Park, about 60 meters high. The waterfall is a turbulent stream rushing out of the mountains and forests, and then cascading down from the cliffs for 70 to 80 meters, with a huge momentum and extremely spectacular. The mist-filled stream meanders away, and the dynamic and static scenes are harmoniously intertwined, with beautiful and pleasant scenery.
  
  Paradise Visitor Center
  Paradise is famous for its glorious views and wildflower meadows. When James Longmire's daughter-in-law, Martha, first saw this site, she exclaimed, "Oh, what a paradise!" The park's main visitor center, the Henry M. Jackson Memorial Visitor Center, is located in the upper parking area. Paradise is also the primary winter season area in the park, receiving on average 643 inches (53.6 feet/16.3 meters) of snow a year.
  
  Wonderland Trail
  The Wonderland Trail is a 93-mile hiking trail that encircles Washington's most famous volcano. Each year, hikers vie for permits to embark on a backpacking trip on it, with only a handful scoring the permits to undertake this strenuous hike.