HIGHLIGHTS: Mount Rainer National Park was created in 1899, and it currently has 235,625 acres of forest (of which 97% is designated wilderness). Nearly two million people come to enjoy the grandeur and beauty of the park each year. It includes Mount Rainier (14,410′), an active volcano encased in over 35 square miles of snow and ice and contains outstanding examples of old growth forests and sub-alpine meadows.
Hikers and backpackers can hike a section or circumvent the entire base of Mount Rainer on the Wonderland Trail. It is a 93 mile loop that has spectacular and sometimes close-up views of the numerous glaciers on the mountain. The driest months are in July and August, and the trail can be particularly challenging in sections (with some difficult fords across cascading streams), but this is a magnificent trail to experience whether you chose to day-hike or thru-hike the entire trail (in which case the park service recommends 10 to 14 days).
