National Park Feature: Mount Rainier
“Ascending 14,410 feet above sea level and visible from up to 300 miles away, Mount Rainier is the highest volcanic peak in the contiguous United States. Its glaciers provide water for five major river systems, and its subalpine valleys are carpeted in wildflowers every summer. Old-growth forests, hiking trails, wildlife, waterfalls, campgrounds, lakes, and wilderness opportunities abound on and around a legendary peak that towers above all others in the Cascades.”
That’s the opening line introducing Mount Rainier National Park in our book, Wilderness & Wonder: An Illustrated Guide to the National Parks.
Catch a glimpse of the book below in ADG’s latest trip to the majestic mountain:
The following sections dive into six of our favorite things about Mount Rainier National Park:
The Mountain
The mountain itself is the keystone of the entire park, the epic central feature creating a landscape unlike any other. As alluded to in our Wilderness & Wonder book, the mountain is unique in that it’s the tallest of its kind in the contiguous United States. It’s so tall that, on a clear day, it can be seen from hundreds of miles in any direction.
Yet, the majesty of the peak is just the first characteristic of the mountain worth commenting on. There are also the unique glacial aspects of the peak that stand out. Quoting the National Park Service:
“It [Mount Rainier] has the largest alpine glacial system outside of Alaska and the world’s largest volcanic glacier cave system (in the summit crater). Visible throughout the region, Mount Rainier shapes the physical environment, inspires the human experience, and defines the identity of the Pacific Northwest.”
Diverse Wildlife and Park Ecosystems
Due to the dramatic elevation changes throughout the park, Mount Rainier National Park supports diverse ecosystems and preserves habitats for a wide range of wildlife.
Depending on their adventure plans, visitors may explore tree-lined paths in ancient old-growth forests on the park’s lower slopes. Further up, wildflower-lined hiking trails wind through verdant meadows. Further still, snowfields rest upon a rocky peak that some 5,000 people courageously summit each year.
Within Those Landscapes, Wildlife Awaits
Mount Rainier was set aside as a national park because logging interests threatened to clear-cut the mountain, a threat that conservationist John Muir successfully fought against, allowing wildlife to thrive in the park.
As for that wildlife, Park Service employees have documented the presence of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, insects, and fish. Again quoting the National Park Service rangers that care for Mount Rainier:
“At Mount Rainier you can find 65 mammal species, 14 species of amphibians, 5 species of reptiles, 182 species of birds, and 14 species of native fish. Invertebrates probably represent 85% of the animal biomass in the park. About half of the birds observed in the park nest here and many are migrants that winter in the southern United States or Central America. Resident amphibians can be found in both aquatic environments or on land and reptiles are typically found in upland habitats. Some of the more popular mammals like elk and black bear range in many habitats throughout the summer. Mountain goats typically remain in alpine or subalpine life zones. Several animals in the park are either federally or state protected/sensitive species. Mount Rainier works to protect habitat that limits these animals from much of their former ranges.”
To that last point made by the Park Service, perhaps one of the best stories out of Mount Rainier (and a good example of why national parks are so important) is the story of the park’s efforts to reintroduce the Washington Fisher, a member of the weasel family that had been over-trapped to the point where none remained in the state. The park’s reintroduction program has established a healthy fisher population in the region.
Historical Significance
Established in 1899, Mount Rainier is the 5th-oldest national park, preserved for its unique landscapes and wildlife. However, the park almost didn’t happen. As mentioned earlier, logging corporations had plans to cut old-growth timber from the mountainside, which almost came to fruition.
However, conservationist John Muir intervened and advocated for the creation of a national park to preserve the mountain in perpetuity. Muir wrote letters to politicians, gave speeches before concerned stakeholders, and pressured opinion leaders and influential figures of the time to set aside the mountain and its surrounding landscape as a national park.
The mountain also holds immense significance for Indigenous tribes that have frequented the region for thousands of years. This region is the ancestral homeland of the Cowlitz, Muckleshoot, Nisqually, Puyallup, Squaxin Island, Yakama, and Coast Salish people.
Recreational Opportunities
The “Things To Do” sections on the National Park Service’s resource lists, pamphlets, and websites for Mount Rainier are long and varied. Simply put, there is a wide range of activities for visitors to consider, including options suitable for people with disabilities, older people, and children.
A core activity for park visitors is hiking and backpacking. The Wonderland Trail is so world-famous for being one of the most beloved backpacking trails that we featured it in our Wilderness & Wonder national park coffee table book:
“Ninety-three miles long and encircling Mount Rainier, the Wonderland Trail is a backpacker’s dream. Experienced hikers begin the journey in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction, stopping each night at the many campgrounds along the trail. Even experienced outdoor enthusiasts list this adventure as challenging, as the trail plunges into subalpine forests and climbs to alpine ridges, leading to significant elevation changes.”
Other activities in the park include day hiking, cycling, swimming, fishing, camping, volunteering, reading, and listening to interpretive exhibits, as well as ranger-guided activities and sightseeing.
Big Rocks, Big Sky
Lastly, two more aspects of Mount Rainier are not as well-known, yet are no less incredible. For one, the mountain features columnar basalt and other unique volcanic rock formations, making the park a valuable resource for geologists and other researchers.
Also, Mount Rainier is a dark sky preserve, meaning the park’s night skies are so splendid and clear that viewing the park at night can be just as incredible as viewing it during the day.
Art of Mount Rainier National Park
National park art is the perfect way to commemorate a once-in-a-lifetime journey to one of America’s 63 national parks. In addition to featuring Mount Rainier in books like Wilderness & Wonder and 63 Illustrated National Parks, the artists of Anderson Design Group have rendered ten original illustrations and national park posters that celebrate one of America’s truly unique gems, including illustrations that tip the hat to the mythical monsters said to live in the park!
We at Anderson Design Group create art of adventure, so when you're done exploring Mount Rainier National Park, consider decorating with Mount Rainier art, available as framed prints, posters, metal signs, notecards, or postcards.
-Ren Brabenec
Anderson Design Group Staff Writer
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