Planning a Trip

Getting There

If you're coming from Seattle and your destination is Paradise (the park's most popular area), head for the southwest (Nisqually) park entrance. Take I-5 south to exit 127 and then head east on Wash. 512. Take the Wash. 7 exit and head south toward Elbe. At Elbe, continue east on Wash. 706.

If you're coming from Seattle and are heading for the northeast (White River) park entrance en route to Sunrise or Crystal Mountain, take I-90 to I-405 south. At Renton, take Wash. 169 south to Enumclaw, then pick up Wash. 410 heading east. Note that in winter, only the road from the Nisqually entrance to Paradise is open.

From the south, head north on I-5 to exit 68 and then take U.S. 12 east to the town of Morton. From Morton, head north on Wash. 7 to Elbe and then turn east on Wash. 706, which will bring you to the Nisqually (southwest) park entrance.

If you don't have a car, but still want to visit Mount Rainier National Park, book a tour through Mt. Rainier Tours (tel. 888/293-1404 or 206/768-1234; www.mtrainiertours.com), which charges $73 for adults and $49 for children ages 3 to 12 for a 10-hour tour starting in Seattle. These tours spend most of that time in transit, but you get to see the mountain up close and do a couple of hours of hiking at Paradise.

Visitor Information

For more park information, contact Mount Rainier National Park, Tahoma Woods, 55210 238th Ave. E., Ashford, WA 98304 (tel. 360/569-2211; www.nps.gov/mora).

Park Admission

The park entrance fee is $15 per vehicle. Another option, if you plan to visit several national parks in a single year, is the America The Beautiful Pass, an annual pass good at national parks, national recreation areas, and other public recreation areas. The pass costs $80 and is available at all national park visitor centers. If you're over 62, you can get an America the Beautiful Senior Pass for $10, and if you have a disability, you can get a free America the Beautiful Access Pass.