Mount Rainier National Park

城市概覽

History The indigenous people who lived in the region had many names for the mountain dominating the skyline. The words used by Lushootseed and Cowlitz speakers are commonly anglicized as Tahoma, "snow-covered mountain". Archaeological evidence exists of seasonal camps in the subalpine meadows flanking the mountain. The park was established as America's fifth national park in 1899 (following Yellowstone in 1872 and Yosemite, Sequoia, and General Grant National Parks in 1890). The founding of Mount Rainier National Park was led by local groups, including mountaineering clubs, newspaper editors, businessmen's associations, and University of Washington faculty, and by scientists throughout the country, primarily geologists. It was designated a National Historic Landmark District in 1997 as a showcase for the "NPS Rustic" style architecture of the 1920s and 1930s.

Landscape Mount Rainier, at 14,410 feet, is the most prominent peak in the Cascade Range, and in the entire contiguous U.S. The mountain stands nearly three miles higher than the lowlands to the west and one and one-half miles higher than the adjacent mountains. Mount Rainier is a decade volcano, considered quite dangerous because it is close to Seattle and Tacoma, and encased in over 35 sq mi (91 km2) of snow and ice, enough to cause massive flooding and dangerous lahars if there were a large eruption. It last erupted approximately 150 years ago. In addition to the mountain, the park contains outstanding examples of old growth forests and subalpine meadows. The park contains 26 named glaciers across 9 major watersheds, with 382 lakes and 470 rivers and streams and over 3,000 acres of other wetland types. The park's total area is 235,625 acres, of which 97% is designated Wilderness.

Flora and fauna The park is part of a complex ecosystem. Vegetation is diverse, reflecting the varied climatic and environmental conditions encountered across the park’s 12,800-feet elevation gradient. Approximately 58 pe

如何抵達

There are three main approaches to the park:

Southwest Entrance (the Nisqually Entrance), between the town of Ashford and the historic park headquarters in Longmire. This is the closest entrance to Seattle and the Puget Sound region, and the closest entrance to the facilities at Paradise. East Entrances, along WA-410 past Greenwater and along WA-123 through Ohanapecosh. This is the closest entrance to Yakima and eastern Washington, and to the facilities at White River and Sunrise. The Nisqually Entrance and the facilities at Longmire are open daily year-round. For the rest of the park, access is limited outside of summer.

Facilities at Paradise and Ohanapecosh are open daily from late-May to mid-October. WA-410 south of Crystal Mountain typically opens in late May, and closes in November. Facilities at Sunrise, and Sunrise Road, are open July to early-October. The Visitor Center at Paradise, and Paradise Road, move to winter hours between November to March, opening for weekends and holidays. The Northwest Entrances on WA-165 are closed permanently. The Fairfax Bridge, 3 mi (4.8 km) past Wilkeson and Carbonado and before Carbon River Ranger Station and Mowich Lake, is permanently closed due to structural deterioration. See the WSDOT announcement for more details. These entrances have minimal facilities and are mostly used for hiking access.

By plane Tourists from afar usually land at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), 84 miles and about two hours driving northwest of the park.

By car Access to Mount Rainier is generally by car. Parking at Sunrise and Paradise can be problematic during summer weekends, and in all areas of the park around summer holidays, so if possible try to visit mid-week.

from Seattle To get to Paradise by car, take I-5 south to Tacoma and follow Tacoma directions. It takes about 2½ hours to get to Paradise from Seattle. To get to Sunrise by car, take I-5 south to I-405, and north on I-405 to WA-167 south, or I-90 east to I-405,

當地交通

By car Most visitors explore the area by car, utilizing the parks 147 miles of roads that travel to each of the park's five main areas:

Longmire (southwest corner). Paradise (south side). Ohanapecosh (southeast corner). Sunrise/White River (east side). Carbon River/Mowich Lake (northwest corner). Parking can be difficult or impossible to find on sunny summer weekends at Paradise, Sunrise, Grove of the Patriarchs, and at trailheads between Longmire and Paradise. Try to visit these areas on weekdays, arrive early in the day, and carpool to the park. Parking is not permitted along road edges. Park roads are winding and road shoulders are narrow. The maximum speed limit is 35 mph in most areas. Allow plenty of travel time during your visit.

By foot Most of the park can only be seen from the extensive network of 240 miles of maintained trails. These are some of the most popular and rewarding trails in the Pacific Northwest.

必看景點

1 Longmire (on the south side of the mountain, about 9 miles east of the town of Ashford on State Route 706). With the establishment of Mount Rainier National Park in 1899, Longmire became park headquarters. The site, located at 2700 ft elevation, had previously served as James Longmire's homestead, lodging, and mineral springs resort. Although park headquarters are no longer at Longmire, the original headquarters building houses a museum that tells the story of the early days of the park and about the park's natural and geological history, and animals. A ranger or volunteer staffs the museum to assist with park information and book and map sales.. All of Longmire is now designated a national historic district. (updated Jun 2020) 2 Paradise (19 miles (30 km) east of the Nisqually Entrance and 12 miles (19 km) east of Longmire). The park's most popular destination, Paradise is famous for its glorious views and wildflower meadows during the summer and hosts record snowfalls in winter receiving on average 641 inches (53.4 feet/16.3 meters) of snow a year. Hiking trails lead through meadows and up onto the mountain's snowfields, making this a great place for dayhikers. Paradise is also the prime winter-use area in the park due to the huge amount of snow it receives. Winter activities include snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and tubing. The road between Longmire and Paradise is plowed throughout the winter. This area also includes The historic Paradise Inn, a concessioner-operated hotel, offers lodging, a dining room and a gift shop. The Paradise Inn is usually open from mid-May to early-October and is closed in the winter. The Guide House houses the Paradise Climbing Information Center, where visitors can obtain climbing permits and hiking and backcountry camping information and the historic Paradise Ranger Station. The Jackson Visitor Center is open throughout the summer and with limited days and hours in the winter. Inside the visitor center are accessible restrooms,

體驗活動

Hiking

Southwest area trails Just past the Nisqually Ent