Mt Rainier National Park Areas
Click on area on map or select area
NE
SE
Paradise
SW
NW
MPG V2.7, January 2010
December 1, 2009
Background
Note.-- The northwest (Carbon River and Mowich Lake) area, the Southwest (Nisqually entrance) area and the Paradise (south-central) area have been updated. The other two areas, the northeast (White River and Sunrise) and southeast (Ohanopecosh), are scheduled for early 2010.
For the purposes of presenting a photography guide to Mt. Rainier NP, I have divided the NP into quadrants, based on the four access highways and entrances to the NP, and the Paradise area where the main visitors center is located. These areas will be presented in general below where you can get additional information with the link for each area, see the travel overview for a map and general travel information.
You can also click on the map or links above to navigate to individual area. You can get a larger view of the map NP map (560KB jpg).
Seasonal Conditions
Currently the entire NP is in winter operations mode as all the roads, except one, into the NP are closed at or near the NP entrances. Only the Nisqually (SW) in open and only to Paradise. That road, however, is controlled at a gate just east of Longmire. The highway from there to Paradise is checked and cleared of snow before the gate is open, usually by 9 am. The gate closes to Paradise traffic about 4 pm every day.
In addition, only the Jackson Visitors Center is open weekends and holidays (10 am to 5 pm) at Paradise. The winter operation mode continues until late spring, May through June, when roads, facilities and trails are opened as the snowmelt season progresses through spring into summer. You can get current information at the news, conditions, and monthly reports Web pages.
Area Overview
The Paradise area is most visited area of the NP with the Jackson Visitors Center, Mountain Guide Center, and Paradise Inn. This area is also the longest drive from Seattle, Tacoma, or Portland, as it's just south of the mountain and near the center of the Park, accessible only by the highways inside the Park. Next to the Sunrise area the Paradise area has the closest view of Mt. Rainier with many short trails to viewing areas, great for photographs.
The Northeast area is most easily accessible area of the NP from Seattle, with the White River entrance and the road to Sunrise with the visitors center which opens July through September. It is accessed via highway 410 from Seattle on the way to Cayuse Pass or from Yakima over Chinook Pass. Highway 410 continues south into the Park as highway 123 to the southeast area and highway 12 as well as highway 706 to Paradise.
The Southeast area is the most accessible entrance from Portland via Interstate 5 to highway 12 or via the backroads east of Mount St. Helens Volcano Monument to Randle. It can also be accessed via highway 12 from Yakima over White Pass at Naches where it splits with highway 410 to Chinook Pass. You can also access the area via highway 7 at Morton to Elbe.
The Southwest area is the most accessed entrance for visitors from Tacoma via highway 7 south of Tacoma, or via highway 161 from Puyallup. The highway becomes 706 at Elbe to the Park entrance, to Paradise (Jackson visitors center), and onward to highway 123 in the southeast area. This area can also be accessed via highway 52 at Randle off highway 12 to highway 706 at Ashford.
The Northwest area is accessed from either Seattle or Tacoma via highway 165. It is the least accessible as it's via rural highways from various locations to the split to the Carbon River entrance and the Mowich Lake entrance, each with their own access to the NP. In addition the Carbon River road is closed at the NP boundary (trail only), and the Mowich Lake road closes seasonally, usually October or the first significant snowfall to early July, earlier depending on snowmelt.
Resources
Below are sources for additional information about Mt. Rainier and the NP.
Please send e-mail if you have any questions.