This summer, I visited Sunrise to see the sunrise with my family. We crawled out of bed at 2 AM and prepared for the long drive ahead of us. At 5 AM, we finally arrived. The sun wasn’t up yet, and none of us were fully awake, but despite how tired we were, the view of Mount Rainier was still breathtaking.
“The sun’s rising!” my brother shouted. We all turned and saw the sun peeking through the treetops. As it climbed higher in the sky, the snow on the mountain turned whiter and whiter. When we finally piled back into our car and prepared for the long trip home, the sun was already high in the sky. Even though our trip was short, it was still incredibly memorable. The trip truly made me appreciate the vision of Congress when they first established Yellowstone National Park in 1872 “as a public park or pleasuring-ground for the benefit and enjoyment of the people” and thus all subsequent national parks.
Sincerely,
Mount Rainier National Park
Majestic Mount Rainier is the highest peak in the Cascade Range and an active volcano with more glaciers than any other mountain in the United States. Just an hour's drive from Seattle, the park's wild landscape feels much further from civilization. The forests, parkland, wetlands, lakes and rivers offer 260 miles of trails and varied habitat to dozens of plant and animal species.
State(s): Washington
Established: 1899
“They're a valuable part of life in the Pacific Northwest!”
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Greetings from Mount Rainier National Park
Being a kid from East Texas, I'd never been to a real mountain. The first time I did visit would be with my future wife. We enjoyed hiking, exploring, and seeing sites that didn't seem real to me. I've rhen, since been many times, but that first visit will forever…
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Greetings from Mount Rainier National Park
Mt. Rainier National Park had a big role in my coming into this world. My future Dad, Russ Fryburg, managed cabins there in 1942. He'd hangout at Paradise Inn, girl watching. One June night, he locked-in on a stunning redhead, playing that big pinewood piano in the lobby. Even though…
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Greetings from Mount Rainier National Park
This summer three friends and I had the amazingly good fortune to score a permit to backpack the 93 mile Wonderland Trail around the base of Mt Rainier. We had gorgeous weather and views all ten days and it was the experience of a lifetime. It felt like a rite…
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