Press Kit

Incidents in the park include search-and-rescue, weather hazards like winter storms, flooding, and wildfires, and volcanic hazards like debris flows. Other events that may be of interest to the media include park operations, special events, and large infrastructure projects.

A glaciated volcanic peak rises above forested valleys and a blue-green lake. — Mount Rainier from Tolmie Peak Trail above Eunice Lake in the northwest corner of the park.
NPS Photo

Overview of Mount Rainier National Park

Mount Rainier National Park is located in west-central Washington, on the western slope of the Cascade Range and encompasses 236,381 acres within the authorized, legislated park boundary. An additional 140 acres lie outside the current boundary near the Carbon River entrance. The park’s northern boundary is approximately 65 miles southeast of the Seattle-Tacoma metropolitan area and 65 miles west of Yakima. The elevations of the park extend from about 1,700 feet above sea level to 14,410 feet at the summit of Mount Rainier.

The focal point of the park is a towering, snow- and ice-covered volcano, which is a prominent landmark in the Pacific Northwest. The base of the volcano spreads over an area of about 100 square miles. The 28 named glaciers on the mountain cover 35 square miles, constituting the largest single-mountain glacial system in the contiguous 48 states. Mount Rainier is also the second most seismically active and the most hazardous volcano in the Cascade Range.

The park’s rugged, precipitous topography consists mainly of peaks and valleys. The flanks of the mountain are drained by five major rivers and their tributaries. The mountain’s summit towers 9,000 to 11,000 feet above valley floors only three to six miles away. 97% of the park is designated Wilderness, while the Mount Rainier National Historic Landmark District includes most of the park’s buildings, roads, trails, and other structures. This challenging landscape attracts numerous hikers, climbers, snowshoers, and backpackers, as well as many other visitors.

Mount Rainier has a long history of human activity. Indigenous people, including six Associated Tribes, have ties to the mountain going back thousands of years and continue their connection with the mountain to this day.

The park maintains a wide variety of partnerships with public, private, and nonprofit groups for education, scientific research, and park stewardship.

Learn more about Mount Rainier National Park in the Foundation Document and Foundation Document Overview.

Mount Rainier National Park Contact Information

Mount Rainier National Park Media Information Line: 360-569-6510
Contact Us Webpage (Park Superintendent, general information, lost & found).

Photos & Video

Photos of Mount Rainier National Park are available in the Photo Gallery and on Flickr.
Videos of Mount Rainier National Park are available in the Video Gallery and on YouTube.
Photo Credits – Any photo with the credit “NPS” or “NPS/[photographer name]” is public domain. If you use a photo, please credit photos as NPS photos or courtesy of the National Park Service/Mount Rainier National Park when possible. Please note: NOT ALL photos on the Mount Rainier National Park website are public domain; please check the copyright of each photo before using.