Day 13 - Mt Rainier National Park

At 14,410 feet high Mt. Rainier dominates the Seattle skyline. Views of the mountain and it’s many glaciers from within Mt. Rainier National park are spectacular. The park also boasts numerous and varied wildlife. Unfortunately we saw none of that. During the entire day we spent there the top 8 to 9 thousand feet of the mountain were covered in clouds.

We still had a fun, although cold, time.  After entering the park the first several miles are thru old growth forests where everything is wet and green from all the moisture. We slowly drove up the side of the mountain and stopped at the Jackson Visitor Center at Paradise. The temperature never got above the low 40’s. We took a nice long slow nature hike with a park ranger and got to see some of the numerous meadows and wildflowers and just had to imagine the rest.

Driving into the park in the southeast corner.

An artist rendition of the mountain we couldn't see.

An artist rendition of the Nisqually glacier we couldn't see.

An artist rendition of the wildlife we didn't see. (I never said a good artist).

Christine Falls.

Christine Falls.

Narada Falls.

The creek above Narada falls.

What Mt Rainier supposedly looks like.

Our unbelievably perky park ranger.

It was , brrrrrr, cold!!!!

Wildflowers still blooming.