Answers to Common Questions

A volunteer answers a visitor's questions while hiking.

NPS Photo

Mount Rainier National Park receives visitors from all over the world. Many have questions about practical issues and needs. Some wish to know about ways to enjoy the park. The information you provide them is important to their visit and can help them to have a satisfying and enjoyable experience. Along with the other pages of this resource, the following may help you answer questions frequently asked by visitors:

Questions about driving
Dining and lodging
Park facilities
Places to go
What is there to do in the park?
Tourism
Weather, snow, webcams
FAQs and miscellaneous

 

Driving

Driving directions to/inside the park
Park maps
Washington State highway map
Road openings and closures
Washington mountain pass reports
When are tire chains required?
Opening the Roads in Spring (Video)

 

Dining and lodging

Restaurants inside and outside the park
Lodging inside and outside the park

 

Tourism

Visit Rainier - A visitor association site which promotes tourism surrounding the park.
Mount Rainier Visitor Association - A visitor association site which promotes tourist facilities on the southwest side of the park.
Seattle Visitor Guide - Information on activities, lodging, food and tourism in the Seattle area.
Washington State Travel and Tourism - A travel and tourism site for the state of Washington.

 

Park facilities

Dates and times picnic areas, visitor centers, lodging, campgrounds and roads are open.
Location of accessible facilities in the park
There are no shower or laundromat facilities inside the park. There are some showers and laundromats outside the park.

 

Places to go

Areas of the park to visit
Discover wildflowers
Explore nearby attractions
Information brochure on visiting Mount St. Helens (pdf)
Mount St. Helens website
Mount ST. Helens volcano webcam

 

Weather, snow, and webcams

Weather, forecasts, snow depth
Mount Rainier National Park webcams

 

Other sources for answering questions

FAQs
The Tahoma News - Source of seasonal information on facility hours, activities, and contact information.
Latest news releases - Information about what's happening in the park.
A place name gazetteer to Mount Rainier National Park (pdf).
Volunteering in the park and photos of volunteers in action.

 

 

More Information

Resources for Assisting Visitors Home
Story of the National Park Service
Mount Rainier: America's fifth oldest national park
This is why Mount Rainier is special
Helpful resources within the park
Enriching visitor experience in the park
Climbing guides' reference page