Hello and welcome to episode 18 of the Ready Set Depart Podcast. We are so glad you're here!

Have you ever heard the phrase, The Mountain is out? Well, if you've ever been to Seattle, you probably have. You see, to those in Western Washington, THE mountain is Mount Rainier or Tahoma as the Puyallup Tribe and other indigenous groups call it, the 14,410 foot volcano that is about 82 miles south of Seattle. And on a clear day, you can see her from just about anywhere. 

Mount Rainier National Park is one of the three National Parks in Washington - the other two being North Cascades and Olympic.

Mount Rainier became the fourth National Park in 1899. Not only has the area on and around Mount Rainier been the home of seven indigenous tribes for generations, it has captivated European Travelers since 1792 when Captain George Vancouver saw it when he was surveying the Pacific Coast and named it after his friend, Rear Admiral Peter Rainier. Interestingly, Rear Admiral Rainier never actually saw the mountain.

Mount Rainier National Park says they’re the 5th National Park - after Yellowstone, Sequoia, and Yosemite. But where is the 4th? Turns out, it’s a now defunct park that was authorized by Congress but never came to being. So, they say they’re the 5th National Park, but the dates say 4th. Either way, it is one of the first!

After the first Europeans came, the mountaineers started flocking to The Mountain in the 1870 to try to get to the summit. James Longmire, one of those mountaineers, found a mineral spring while he was coming down from the summit and he later came back and created a hotel and spa.

Loggers soon had their eye on the timber that The Mountain could provide so an unlikely group of mountaineers, scientists, conservation groups, local businesses, and large railroad companies banded together to get Congress to create the National Park. They focused on the tourism that the National Park would bring from large cities like Seattle and Tacoma, and how unsuitable the area was for just about anything else.

And we are so glad that they did band together because this is one of the most beautiful places in America.

So, why should you take your family to Mt Rainier National Park? Let's talk about it. 

You should take your family to Mount Rainier for the views! 

Because Mount Rainier is a volcano, she rises above everything else! Whether you’re on the waterfront in Seattle, in a small town on the eastern side of the Olympic Peninsula, or even all the way to Portland, Oregon, you can see her on a clear day. But when you’re on the mountain, the white capped summit is awe inspiring and a wonderful backdrop to your hiking adventure.

Because the National Park is so old, many of the Park’s buildings and entrances are from a different time. One of our favorites is the Nisqually Entrance Gate that you drive through as you come in. Take a look at our website at readysetdepart.com/18 to see it.

In fact, that style of buildings that you see in most of the old National Parks started here. It’s called the Rustic Style and it’s the dark wood, log house type buildings. After other Parks saw how perfect it was in the wilderness of Mount Rainier, they took it back to their Parks as well.

You should take your family to Mount Rainier for the hiking!

There are a lot of easy hikes! There are a lot of hard hikes! There are a lot of in between hikes! All that to say that there is something for everyone in the Park. 

We went to Mount Rainier this time with my parents who are, shall we say, a little more long in the tooth. So we knew that big hiking trails weren’t for us. So here’s what we did. And remember to go to our website to see some pictures of what to expect.

We hiked The Trail of Shadows in Longmire. It’s across the street from the National Park Inn near the Longmire Museum. If you come in the Nisqually Entrance - with the cool sign - it will be the first big place you come to. (There’s a viewpoint trailhead first, which you should totally stop at to see an amazing view of the Mountain.)

The Trail of Shadows is a 0.75 mile roundtrip hike that is perfect for the whole family! If you go counter clockwise (enter to the right) it’s not even that hilly. You will smell sulfur, you will find hot springs, and you will learn about how this area was found. It was all because of a lost horse, but I’ll let you read the rest. There’s a great museum and a cute little country store, along with flushy toilets, just across the way!

We hiked the Myrtle Falls trail out of Paradise, but honestly, that one is hard to say is a hike. It’s paved until you reach the falls so even by my definition of hiking, which is walking on dirt, it would probably be considered a walk. But it is so worth it!

Myrtle Falls Trail is a 0.8 mile roundtrip hike to Myrtle Falls. It is slightly uphill until you reach the end, then it pretty much gains all its elevation. Once to the top of the Falls, you can go right to go down to see the falls from the bottom, or left to see the falls from the top. The trail down to the bottom of the falls is steep, uneven steps that would be very slippery if it was raining so be careful. The views are amazing from the bottom but the views from the bridge are pretty great too. Just know your limits and that of your family. And also know that on weekends in the summer, it is a BUSY hike.

Here’s a little travel tip - watch for hoary marmots, or whistle pigs, on the trail. They love the subalpine and alpine areas of the Park. We saw 3 I would guess babies from this year wrestling on our hike.

The last hike we were able to do on our trip was Narada Falls. It is a BEAUTIFUL waterfall, but the hike is a lot tougher than the “easy” title it gets in trail books. Let me explain.

Narada Falls is a 0.2 mile roundtrip hike that only has 100 feet in elevation gain. This sounds pretty easy but it's steep and wet going down which means it’s steep and wet going up. There are a couple of places where you have to scramble a bit up rocks. Totally doable, but I had to take a little break on the way back up and I stopped at the top of the first rocky section and I heard a lot of, Oh dears! I would not recommend it with a baby in a carrier unless you are very sure footed. The waterfall is gorgeous though so if you are able, you should totally do this hike.

Tipsoo Lake is a great trail and on a clear day, you can get great views of the Mountain. It’s an easy 0.8 mile trail around the lake, so bring your mosquito repellent and enjoy!

Silver Forest Trail is a 1.9 mile easy out and back trail. You start at the Sunrise Visitor Center, which has timed entry right now so it’s a bit harder to get to. If you do want to go, get there early because it is a POPULAR trail.

The Alta Vista Trail follows the same route to Myrtle Falls, but then keeps going for a total of 1.8 miles. It is pretty up and down, making it a moderate trail, but it has some pretty amazing views!

If you and your family are truly hiking enthusiasts and you don’t mind a long trail, the Wonderland Trail is the one for you in the Park. It is a 93 mile strenuous trail that will take you 10-14 days to complete. You can get to the trail just about anywhere in the Park because it goes around the Mountain. All the way around the Mountain. You need overnight camping permits and a pretty strong constitution but if your family is ready, it’s there for you.

Oh and I almost forgot, people summit Mount Rainier. Since this is not something I would even think of doing, I had to do some digging, which I would recommend you do if this is something you would like to do. There are guided hikes, or you go on your own. But it’s usually a 3 day hike to the top - 14.5 mile total with a 8,989 elevation gain. I saw somewhere that they said to summit the Mountain, you will need to be in the best shape of your life. So there’s that.

You should take your family to Mount Rainier for the fishing!

If you are like Trooper and my dad, this is a HUGE draw. You can fish for free in the National Park. Make sure that you follow all of the rules - there are rules about what hook you can use and where you can fish - but if you do, you’re sure to have a fun time. They do note that you might not catch anything big, but as they say, a day fishing is better than just about any other day.

You can fish outside of the Park as well, but you will need a Washington State fishing license if you are over 16. If you are under 15, and can mostly fish by yourself, you can fish without a license.

There is also an Angler’s Junior Ranger badge you can earn. BUT, since we went in late summer and there had just been a gully washer of a rainstorm come through, all the fishing was closed. 

I’ll let Trooper talk a bit more about it.

Hey guys, Trooper here. When we went to the Park with fishing gear and a dream. But the rangers didn’t know about the Angler’s Junior Ranger booklet and all the fishing was closed within about 50 miles from where we were. It was disappointing, but I hear there are a lot of trout when it’s open. 

That’s unfortunately all of my intel for this time. I hope to have better intel next time.

See you then. 

You should take your family to Mount Rainier for the Junior Ranger Program!

The Junior Ranger Program is one of our FAVORITE things to do at National Park. Whether you’re 5 or 105, this program is a great way to learn more about Mount Rainier National Park. You pick up the booklet at any Visitor Center, complete the pages you need to complete, then turn it in to get a certificate and badge. And you get sworn in as a Junior Ranger.

We have completed the Junior Ranger Badge here twice and honestly, it used to be a lot harder. In this new booklet, you can choose how many pages you want to do, and learn what you want to learn. Go to our website at readysetdepart.com/18 to see a quick flip through of the book. Totally do it! It's a lot of fun and the pledge is cute - I’m not stepping on any ants - and your kids will learn some things!

But, Mount Rainier goes even one step further! The Junior Ranger program was so popular that they created a totally different program for those who are 12 and up called the Citizen Ranger Quest. We just found out about the program and were so excited to try it out. There are different quests you can go on throughout the park - taking 30 minutes to a couple of hours to complete. When you complete 4 quests, you earn a certificate and patch as a Citizen Ranger! And, one of the quests can be to complete the Junior Ranger Program.

We completed the “Dude, Where’s My Horse?” quest in Longmire - which also counts as a geocache if your family is into geocaching. Unfortunately, they couldn’t find the thermometer for that one so we just had to guess. But it was still fun.

At Paradise, we completed the Journaling Paradise Quest - which is kind of like recording things into your nature journal. 

The Flower Power quest is a fun one to do in summer. You learn a lot about the wildflowers and what they do to make it at such a high altitude. Be sure to get all the papers you need for this one - we had to redo a couple of answers because we didn’t.

And, like I said, completing the Junior Ranger Booklet counts as a quest too!

You can find links to all of them here, or just ask the Ranger. One word of not warning but just so you know, a lot of the Rangers didn’t really know what we were talking about. It doesn’t seem too popular yet but we think it’s worth it!

You should take your family to Mount Rainier for the animals!

According to the Park’s website, there are 65 mammal species, 14 amphibian species, 5 reptile species, 182 bird species, and 14 species of native fish in the Park.

(If you like my mom, dislike snakes, be assured that while there are snakes in the park, there are no venomous snakes.)

While you aren’t practically guaranteed to see lots of animals like you would in Yellowstone, there are a lot of amazing animals that you could see on the Mountain. 

You might see some big animals like elk, deer, mountain goats, or black bear.

You will probably see some small animals like squirrels, chipmunks, and Stellar Jays.

You might even see some elusive animals like beaver, otters, bats, or shrews.

It could be fun to take note of the animals you see while you’re in the Park, observe them for a bit, taking notes of course, and then report them to the National Park. There is a button on the Animals page where you can report what you saw on your adventure and it will be added to their database. That is just the kind of citizen scientist activity that we love, so we thought we’d give it a try.

We saw deer, chipmunks, hoary marmots, Stellar Jays, Nutcrackers, and Swallows.

If you’d like to give this a try with your family, go to this link: https://www.nps.gov/mora/learn/nature/animals.htm

You should take your family to Mount Rainier for the wildflowers!

I’ve known a few people who have gone to the Mountain in June looking for wildflowers, and while this may have been a great idea at a lower elevation, you could still have a pretty great snowball fight on the Mountain in June. July is the time to see “spring” flowers on the Mountain and boy does she show off! From lupine to asters to tiger lilies, when she puts on a show, she puts on a show!

We were about two weeks late for the full bloom, but it was still pretty spectacular. The flowers blowing in the breeze with the Mountain in the background is pretty amazing to see!

Once again, the Park’s website was a life saver for identifying the beautiful flowers. Go to this link: https://www.nps.gov/mora/learn/nature/wildflowers.htm. You can find the flower’s name by the color. It makes it so easy!

You should take your family to Mount Rainier for the Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad! 

What a fun adventure the Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad is! Just picture it - an old steam engine chugging through the hills around the base of the Mountain. It was pretty rainy that day for us but I’m sure you’d get a peek or two at the Mountain if it was clear. 

Here’s all you need to know about the Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad:

🚂 The train station is in Elbe, Washington, about 20 minutes from the Nisqually Entrance to the Park.

🚂 We would recommend you get your tickets beforehand, especially in the busy summer season.

🚂 We got there about 45 minutes early and that felt just about right.

🚂 There are two destinations you go to. You don’t get off the train at either of the destinations but you see different things. New Reliance is the new route, and Mineral is the old.

🚂 We recommend sitting on the left hand side of the train for the best pictures. Although we did see some pretty great stuff on the right side.

🚂 They go pretty slow when you leave but on the trip back, you had better have your sea legs, or train legs.

🚂 The backs of the train seats flip over. Meaning if you have more than 2 people in your party, and they don’t mind facing backwards, you can flip the back of the seat and all be together.

Ok, so now we all agree that you SHOULD take your family to Mount Rainier National Park, right? Now let’s talk about some Planning Tips for this amazing National Park.

1. Remember, this National Park is, as they say, at altitude! If you are used to being at sea level, watch for signs of altitude sickness like headache, nausea, and dizziness. 

2. Especially during the busy summer season, check Google maps for how busy the entrance is. If it’s red, try another time. It’s recommended that you go early or late to avoid the long lines.

3. The Park is open all year, but the summer is the most popular time!

4. Bring salty snacks and water in a day pack. It is always a good idea to have the 10 hiking essentials in your pack. Take a look at that list here.

5. Since the Nisqually Entrance is our favorite, we always stay in or near Ashford, WA. There are a lot of great Airbnb’s around the area and hotels a little farther out. You can also camp in the Park or stay in the National Park Inn or the Paradise Inn.

Mount Rainier is one of those places that really does have something for everyone—whether you’re after big views, easy family hikes, waterfalls, wildlife, or just a chance to slow down and take it all in. It’s no wonder generations of people have been drawn to the Mountain, and why it continues to inspire so much awe today.

If you’re planning your own trip, we hope today’s episode gave you a few ideas to make it extra special for your family. 

But before we go, here’s a reminder of what we talked about today:

• We dug into the history of “The Mountain” — from the tribes who’ve called it home for generations, to the mountaineers and railroad companies who helped make it a National Park.

• The views? Absolutely unbeatable. Whether you spot Rainier from Seattle or stand right at her base, she’s always putting on a show.

• Hiking for every mood: we strolled the Trail of Shadows, wandered up to Myrtle Falls, braved the steep steps at Narada Falls, and even spotted playful marmots along the way.

• For the true adventurers, there’s the Wonderland Trail (all 93 miles of it!) or even a summit attempt if you’re in the best shape of your life.

• Fishing fans, you’ll love that you can cast a line for free inside the Park — just don’t forget the rules. And maybe don’t come at the end of summer if this is your goal.

• Junior Rangers (and Citizen Rangers too!) get plenty of chances to learn, explore, and earn their badges and patches.

• Wildlife spotting kept us busy — deer, marmots, and a whole chorus of birds made an appearance.

• Summer brings out the wildflowers, and they put on a colorful display that rivals the mountain views.

• Waterfall lovers won’t be disappointed — from iconic Myrtle and Narada to dozens more tucked around the Park.

• And for a totally different perspective, the Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad takes you chugging through the foothills on an old steam engine.

Thanks so much for joining us on this adventure. If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend who’s dreaming of their next trip. 

And remember, let’s make traveling with your family easier, one trip at a time.