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Mount Rainier National Park is a spectacular part of the Cascade Mountains and lies in the west of Washington State, about 30 miles northeast of Mount St. Helens.

The park, which covers 368 square miles, was created in 1899 to preserve the dormant Mount Rainier volcano and the surrounding area. The peak was sculpted by ice, and 41 glaciers remain around the summit area.

Coniferous trees dominate and the lower slopes have dense forests of giant Douglas firs, western red cedars, and mountain hemlocks. During the warm months the alpine meadows are covered with wildflowers that bloom progressively higher up the slopes as the summer passes.

The park’s wildlife is abundant and varied and includes deer, Roosevelt elk, bears and mountain goats and there are also more than 140 bird species.

One of the park's most scenic drives runs from the Nisqually entrance to Paradise. This 80-mile drive winds through river valleys, lowland forests and glaciated peaks and offers some magnificent views. En route you will find a variety of exhilarating walking trails, some more taxing than others, enabling you to fully appreciate the natural splendor that abounds here.