Quick Note: Some of the LIVE CAMS at Paradise are off line. Hopefully, they’ll be back soon! Mountain wildflowers, great weather and fantastic views of Mt. Rainier all say that August is the time to visit Mt. Rainier National Park! Many people wait anxiously from year to year for this time to come. Well, it’s arrived and everyone who has put off a trip to enjoy the many wonders at Mt. Rainier National Park should pack up the family and friends and either drive, fly, bike or walk to this National Park in a hurry! August is the first month where visitors can see and do almost anything they want without snow restrictions.

Check out this link for flower photos in the “Sally’s Photos” section:  Mountain Flowers

Here are some things to remember when you’re visiting Mt. Rainier. In August the bugs come with the flowers, so pack the bug repellent. The sun is intense in the mountains so also pack sunscreen and make sure you have sunglasses. Sturdy shoes are most helpful if you plan to hike on any of the trails. A backpack with the 10 essentials should always be carried when hiking anywhere at Mt. Rainier. Lastly, if you really want to experience and explore Mt. Rainier National Park, you should  purchase the visitor Guide Book I wrote here ONLINE using one of these links I’ve embedded for you. Mount Rainier DRIVE or HIKE to SEE – A Visitor Guide Book  

Just a reminder – this book is the ONLY tourist or visitor guide book specifically written for the west Nisqually entrance where lakes, waterfalls, rivers, forests and mountain meadows with wonderful views are all easily accessible. This Longmire & Paradise side of the mountain is the most popular because of the variety of things to do and see. (Click this link to see inside pages of the book) Mount Rainier DRIVE or HIKE to SEE visitor guidebook is NOT SOLD inside the park! If you’re visiting Mt. Rainier and are interested in exploring MORE than just the two main tourist areas of Paradise and Longmire, this book has been written for you! Crowds of people frequent both Longmire and particularly Paradise during July and August. This book will help you navigate through these two main crowded tourist areas so you know where to spend your time rather than getting stuck in the parking lots. The Mount Rainier DRIVE or HIKE to SEE book has maps and descriptions of many unmarked sightseeing places, short trails, longer day hiking trails and picnic areas all with colored photos to help with decision making choices. Special favorite places are marked for experiencing the quiet solitude of the Mt. Rainier environment where there are opportunities to listen to the music of the Paradise River or see wildlife in its natural surrounding. The book has a whole section of itinerary suggestions for all the different weather conditions. Tourists without this specific information can be disappointed with their Mt. Rainier visit when the weather is cloudy or nasty at Paradise and they don’t know all the other places to go. The park gives out a map upon entering but it’s just a general map of the whole park without specific places of interest marked. The rangers will give out maps to hiker but this visitor guide book, unlike the park information, both has a map for directions to the point of interest and a trail or sightseeing map with colored photos and descriptive information. The Mount Rainier DRIVE or HIKE to SEE book also becomes a valued photo souvenir after a visit.

Buy this book here ONLINE or buy in Ashford at Whittaker Mountaineering Store before you go into the park!

            

Some more information for this exciting month at Mt. Rainier National Park:

• There is a Visitor Center in Ashford at Whittaker Mountaineering Store. Stop in for any last minute supplies for hiking or anything you forgot plus get the latest information from the Visitor Center attendant before entering the park.
• If you want to take a shuttle into the park, there are shuttles leaving from Whittaker Mountaineering Store almost hourly for Longmire and/or Paradise with a few other options in between.
• August 14th & 15th are FREE ENTRY DAYS INTO THE PARK!

Now I want to repeat what I said in July about visiting Mt. Rainier from Seattle…….. If you didn’t see this last month and are planning to visit Mt. Rainier from Seattle – please read this important information.

Note to tourist coming for a day to Mt. Rainier from the Seattle area: 

If you drive from Seattle to visit Mt. Rainier in one day you can’t possibly experience the beauty of this unique park and properly see this majestic mountain in such a short amount of time. It takes about 2 ½ hours to drive one way to this national park from the Seattle area. During the months of July & August there is often a wait at the entrance gate and there are crowded parking conditions. There is a shuttle bus boarded in Ashford at Whittaker Mountaineering Store that will take you into the park to Longmire and Paradise with some extra stops along the way. But doing all of this in one day and then going back to Seattle in the evening makes your day visit a long day of driving. Check out the affordable lodging in Ashford or check into staying inside the park. But, make your visit enjoyable and stay awhile to experience the wonder and beauty that is Mt. Rainier National Park and our treasure here in the state of Washington! 

Lodging & Restaurants & Services =  www.mt-rainier.com

As always, if you’re interested in specific information for visiting Mt. Rainier in the month of August, feel free to email with any questions you might have! sallysphotos@comcast.net  Also check the previous blog postings in the green area on the right because I’ve talked about many of the lower elevation hikes and places to go in both the May & June recent posting with links embedded in each posting with more information from previous years. Otherwise for complete information, do purchase one of my guide books online so you can fully enjoy a visit to Mt. Rainier National Park. Check the LIVE WEB  CAMS  above in the green section to get a peek at what’s happening at Paradise. Also, check out the WEATHER DATA INFORMATION at Paradise so you’ll know how to dress and then look at all the other Live Cam views  and the Climbing Blog here on this website!

Thanks for reading!

Sally Johnson