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Paradise can be found at Mount Rainier National Park
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Hiking in Paradise at Mount Rainier National Park, Washington
Paradise is not only a state of mind at Mount Rainier National Park, it’s a real destination! Perched at an elevation of 5,400 feet, panoramas from Paradise are incredible on a clear day—Mount Rainier’s snowy summit seems reach-out-and-touch-it close. Even on a seemingly nice day, though, the weather here can change quite dramatically and quickly so be prepared. One minute you’re taking in the jaw-dropping views, and the next you’re wondering how something so huge can be completely obscured by clouds.
Even if you’re not staying overnight at Paradise, take a look inside Paradise Inn. Originally built in 1917, the historic inn’s rustic interior and furnishings are simplistically beautiful. Huge stone fireplaces at either end of the spacious lobby make warming up on chilly day a real pleasure. Comfy chairs and even a piano invite visitors to linger as long as you’d like. The inn’s fine dining restaurant is an unexpected treat featuring Northwest cuisine (try the bourbon buffalo meatloaf!), and the gift shop is filled with unique Northwest art and other souvenirs. Cold sandwiches, drinks, and coffee are available from a small snack shop.
The brand new Henry M. Jackson Visitor Center opened last October at Paradise and is the best place to learn about the geology, glaciers, flora, fauna, and hiking trails—everything you need to know about Mount Rainier and the surrounding Tatoosh Mountain Range. The beautiful new visitor center is more sustainable and less expensive to operate than the former one (which still stands nearby) and includes a book/gift store and snack bar.
Mount Rainier is the most heavily glaciated peak in the lower 48 states, so now’s your chance to get a close-up look at one of the largest—Nisqually Glacier—from a hiking trail. Pick up a map at the visitor center or ask a park ranger to point the way. It’s easy to get confused by the many intersecting trails around Paradise, but having a map will make sure you stay on course. Plenty of “Don’t be a Meadow Stomper” reminders are posted along the routes, so enjoy the lovely wildflower meadows from the established trails only. A colorful carpet of magenta paintbrush, yellow glacier lilies, purple lupine, monkey flower, asters, as well as resident black-tailed deer, are especially abundant in July and August—but so are the crowds—so you might want to plan your trip accordingly. Panorama Point is a popular destination for photographers—every direction features another gorgeous view.
Serious mountain climbers attempting the 8+ mile trek with 9,000 feet of elevation gain to Mount Rainier’s summit, team up in Paradise, so you’ll likely see these gear-laden mountaineers on the trails. You can spot their first stop—Camp Muir, elevation 10,188 feet—through binoculars. Many climbing expeditions leave Paradise in the afternoon, climb 4.5 miles over 4,700 vertical feet to Camp Muir, and sleep there for a few hours in a primitive stone and plywood shack, or pitch their own tent. The push for the summit begins in the wee hours after midnight. Weather and stamina permitting, climbers summit about eight hours later, and then immediately hike back down to Paradise. Most of the steepest climbing must be done in the dark and early in the day before the sun can melt the snow and cause avalanches and rock falls.
You can save the park’s usual $15 entrance fee by visiting July 18-19 or August 15-16. The National Park Service is offering fee-free weekends this summer at over 100 parks, and luckily Washington’s Mount Rainier is one of them.
* A free weekend shuttle up to Paradise leaves from several points inside and outside Mount Rainier National Park. The shuttle runs through September 6 on weekends and is a great way to enjoy the forested mountain scenery and wildlife while someone else drives, plus you avoid the hassle of finding a parking spot at Paradise.
* If you’d rather drive yourself, the Nisqually entrance in the southwest corner of Mount Rainier National Park is open year-round and is the most common access point into the park. Beginning here, the road is known as the Nisqually-Paradise road, and is by far the most popular 20-mile drive inside the park.
* No camping at Paradise, but you can make a reservation at Cougar Rock and Ohanapecosh campgrounds online or by calling 877-444-6777. Campground reservations strongly suggested.
* To continue sight-seeing in Washington… Seattle is just a two-hour drive from Mount Rainier National. Park. For information on what else to see and do around Mount Rainier National Park, visit http://www.visitrainier.com
Mount Rainier National Park
Ashford, Washington
Phone: 360-569-2211
http://www.nps.gov/mora
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