Visiting Mount Rainier National Park: The Complete Guide in 2022

Planning a trip to Mount Rainier National Park and need some help planning your trip? It isn’t uncommon for visitors to Mount Rainier National Park to wonder where Mount Rainier is.  At times it feels like Mount Rainier spends more times hidden by clouds than being seen.  When Mount Rainier makes an appearance it is an impressive sight.  Standing at 14,411 feet tall, Mount Rainier is the tallest mountain in Washington.  She looks like a peaceful snow-covered mountain, but she is actually a massive volcano.    She is one of the most dangerous volcanos in the United States.  While she is currently dormant, that could change.  It is important to visit this park before an eruption changes the face of the mountain.

Here is the National Park Obsessed guide for visiting Mount Rainier National Park, Washington.

The Quick Guide to Visiting Mount Rainier National Park

Mount Rainier National Park Basics

Region: Pacific-West / West Coast / Pacific Northwest

Park Size: 236,381 acres (369.35 sq miles) (956.60 sq km)

Location: Pierce and Lewis counties

Closest Cities: Tacoma, Washington

Busy Season: July to September

Visitation: 1,501,621 (in 2019)

How much does Mount Rainier National Park Cost?

Mount Rainier National Park costs the following:

• 7-day Passenger Vehicle Pass – $30
• 7-day Motorcycle Pass – $25
• 7-day Individual Pass – $15

An annual Mount Rainier National Park Pass costs $55 but it is not recommended you buy this pass. For an extra $25 you can get an American the Beautiful Pass. This $80 pass offers free admission to all 116 fee-charging National Park Units.

When is Mount Rainier National Park Open?

Mount Rainier National Park is open year-round.

Are dogs allowed in Mount Rainier National Park?

Yes, pets are welcome in Theodore Roosevelt National Park but are limited to developed areas such as roads, parking areas, picnic areas, and campgrounds. Pets are not allowed on the trails in the park except the Pacific Crest Trail. Please review the Mount Rainier Pet Policy before bringing your dog to Mount Rainier.

Where are Mount Rainier National Park’s visitor centers?

Longmire Museum – Open Year Around

Henry M Jackson Memorial Visitor Center – Open Year Around

Sunrise Visitor Center – Open Summer Season

Ohanapecosh Visitor Centerl Visitor Center – Open Summer Season

Land Acknowledgments for Mount Rainier National Park

The National Park known as Mount Rainier National Park sits on Cowlitz, Nisqually, Coast Salish, Puyallup land.

Thank you to the Native Land Digital for making the Indigenous territories accessible to all. They have mapped the known territories to the best of the current knowledge and is a work in progress. If you have additional information on the Indigenous nations boundaries, please let them know.

Native Land Digital is a registered Canadian not-for-profit organization with the goal to creates spaces where non-Indigenous people can be invited and challenged to learn more about the lands they inhabit, the history of those lands, and how to actively be part of a better future going forward together.

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