Mount Rainer

Mount Rainier National Park was established by Congress of March 2, 1899. When President McKinley signed the bill authorizing this new national park, it became the fifth national park in the country following Yellowstone (1872), Sequoia (1890), General Grant Grove (1890; later enlarged and renamed Kings Canyon), and Yosemite (1890).

Climbing Facts and Figures

The youngest person to have reached the summit of Mt. Rainier was a 7 year old girl. The oldest person to have reached the summit was an 81 year old man. The average length of the trip to the summit and return is two days and one night. Many of those climbers who do not reach the summit are forced to descend to lower elevations because of strong winds or inclement weather.

The National Park Service was established in 1916 "...to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wild life therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations" (National Park Service Organic Act).

Today, there are more than 360 natural, cultural, historic, and recreational areas managed by the National Park Service. What makes national parks different from other kinds of parks? National parks are part of our national heritage, so they are meaningful to all Americans. Can you match the following list of national parks with the important topics they explore?