Paradise Historic Tour: Paradise Historic District

Guide House, Paradise Camp Lodge, photography studio, ranger station and tents in the early 1920s.

NPS Photo

Quick Facts

Location:

Paradise

Amenities

1 listed

Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits

Since the late 1890s, Paradise has served as a base camp for people attracted to the spectacular wildflower meadows and high-mountain recreation. Built between 1916 and 1942, structures at Paradise were designed in an alpine rustic style. Massive timbers and glacial boulders blended the buildings with their natural surroundings. Steeply pitched roofs shed heavy snow loads.

Many of the original buildings remain at Paradise, which was listed as a National Historic Landmark District in 1991 and included in the park-wide Mount Rainier National Park Historic Landmark District designation in 1997.

As you walk the area, investigate the buildings’ individual histories, from the Guide House to the Paradise Ranger Station. History here evokes a continuity of spirit. Car and clothing styles may have changed, but people continue to travel to Paradise to visit the meadows and experience the mountain.

The Mount Rainier National Historic Landmark District includes the park road system, the Wonderland Trail, most of the major developed areas, and some backcountry ranger cabins. The district was designated to preserve this outstanding example of early park planning and National Park Service rustic architecture of the 1920s and 1930s.

Map Labels
1 - Cabins
2 - Ski Dorm
3 - Lodge
4 - Community Building
5 - Henry M. Jackson Visitor Center
6 - 1926 Tent Camps
7 - Rope Tow
8 - Tatoosh Club–Dormitories
9 - Photo Shop

For audio description of the exhibit panel in this location, refer to Paradise Historic District Exhibit Panel.