Mount Rainier National Park

Mount Rainier National Park begins about 25 miles east of Enumclaw via Highway 410, which enters the park at the White River entrance. This is the less-visited eastern approach to the mountain, with excellent trails through old-growth forest and into the alpine zone. The Wonderland Trail circumnavigates the entire mountain over 93 miles; day hikers can sample sections from White River.

The Sunrise area, at 6,400 feet the highest point accessible by paved road in the park, offers extraordinary views of Rainier's north face and the Emmons Glacier. In July and August, the meadows here bloom with wildflowers. The western entrance at Paradise — the more famous approach — is a longer drive but has better visitor facilities and the famous meadows. Both are worth visiting if time permits.

things to do sight
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Mount Rainier is the most glaciated peak in the contiguous United States, with 26 named glaciers covering 35 square miles of its flanks. The mountain generates its own weather — it can be sunny in Enumclaw while Rainier is buried in clouds — and the microclimate produces wildflower meadows at Paradise that are among the most spectacular in North America, typically peaking in late July and August.