RELATED TEXT: A mountain of immeasurable inspiration, Mount Rainier is the center of the nation’s fifth national park. It is a place of discovery and of personal triumphs, where family traditions endure.At 14,410 feet, the mountain is the tallest volcano in the Cascade Mountain Range and the most glaciated peak in the continental United States. Basalt columns and other remnants of early eruptions and lava flows reveal Mount Rainier’s ancient geologic history. Glaciers, massive rivers of ice up to 750 feet deep, flow down the rocky slopes. Yet, on the summit, steam escapes from deep within the mountain’s core, a reminder that it is still an active volcano.Above Mount Rainier, millions of stars illuminate the night sky. The park minimizes the use of artificial light. This preserves darkness, through which constellations and planets are remarkably visible. In spring, snow melts first in the foothills. Beneath the old growth forest, flowers bloom and ferns unfurl. Across the subalpine region, summer may only last two months. Adaptations that have taken centuries to develop prove crucial in a race for survival. Profuse wildflower displays and pollinating insects bring life to the meadows. Birds and mammals forage on the abundance before winter quickly returns. Entering the park is a step back in time—a portal into Mount Rainier National Historic Landmark District. Roads, buildings, and other structures were designed nearly one hundred years ago. Massive logs and round river boulders characterize early national park rustic architecture, which harmonizes with the park’s natural scenery.For thousands of years, Mount Rainier has been an important place for Pacific Northwest Indian people. Nearly two million people from around the world now visit Mount Rainier National Park each year. As global development increases, this mountain remains steadfast, a place where people can reconnect with what is important in their lives. RELATED TEXT: Meander moist, moss-carpeted paths through temperate rainforest. Discover the dynamic forces of a glacial river. Mountain-bike a historic road. Spend a night in the backcountry. Visit Mowich Lake—the park’s largest and deepest lake. Camp near the lake or enjoy its serenity from a canoe. Fish the deep waters. Hike to subalpine meadows. A detailed map of Mount Rainier National Park showing roads, trails, and visitor areas with amenities. The map is focused on the area within the park boundary, with a minimum of information on the areas immediately outside of the park. To the north, the park is bordered by Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest and the Clearwater Wilderness. Crystal Mountain Ski Area and Resort is outside of the northeast corner of the park. Wenatchee National Forest and the William O. Douglas Wilderness borders the eastern edge of the park. Gifford Pinchot National Forest and the Tatoosh Wilderness wraps around the southern border of the park. The southwest corner and much of the west side of the park is privately owned. The Glacier View Wilderness borders the southern half of the western edge of the park. The park is roughly square, with mostly straight borders on the west, north, and south sides. The east side pushes out slightly with a squiggly border that follows a mountain ridgeline. The center of the park is dominated by Mount Rainier, drawn with white glaciers radiating out from the summit. All roads and trails are around the mountain on the edges of the park. All park land is shaded green. In the northwest corner a small oblong section of land just outside of the main park is also shaded in green. This section surrounds the Carbon River Ranger Station. Moving clockwise around the park, other visitor centers include the Sunrise Visitor Center and White River Ranger Station in the northeast quadrant of the park, the Ohanapecosh Visitor Center in the southeast corner, the Henry M. Jackson Memorial Visitor Center in Paradise in the south, and the Longmire Museum in Longmire to the southwest of Paradise. The following subsections describe in detail the map legend, park amenities, roads and trails, and Mount Rainier's glaciers. Skip to park information.
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