Mount Rainier

Mount Rainier commands the southeastern Seattle skyline on clear days, a massive snow-capped volcanic cone rising 14,411 feet above sea level nearly 9,000 feet taller than any surrounding peak. The national park covering its slopes is divided into several distinct zones, each accessible by road: Paradise at 5,400 feet is the most popular area, combining a historic stone visitor center with trails through lupine and paintbrush meadows in summer and world-class snowfall in winter. Sunrise at 6,400 feet is the highest paved road in Washington, accessed from the park's northeast corner, with expansive views of the volcanic cone and the Emmons Glacier. Carbon River in the northwest corner protects one of the only inland temperate rainforests in the continental US. The Grove of the Patriarchs near the Stevens Canyon entrance preserves 1,000-year-old Douglas firs and western red cedars on a river island. Longmire, at the park's southwest entrance, has a small museum, historic inn, and trailhead access to the Wonderland Trail, which circumnavigates the entire mountain.