Vista Point - Mt. Rainier
| Distance: | 0 miles | |
| Time: | 0 hours | |
| Elevation Gain: | 0ft | |
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Description:
Hiking at Paradise in August is a real treat. The wild flowers are out in full force, before they go back into hiding from the snow. Our hike will start from the Jackson Visitors Center and go up along one of the many flowered ridges. The trail system at Paradise is comprised of many trails that intersect each other, making it possible to create many different loop hikes. My intention is to start out as a group, but then let people decide how far they want to go, depending on which loop they take. The shortest loop is 1 mile (Nisqually Vista Trail), the longest being 5 1/2 miles with 1,700' of elevation gain (Skyline Trail).
For those who take the shorter hikes, you can visit the Jackson Visitors Center and Paradise Inn lodge, while waiting for the rest of the group to return. The Jackson Visitors Center was built in 1966 and has exhibits on the natural and cultural history of the park, A/V programs, including the 25-minute "Rainier: THE Mountain" movie. The Visitors Center also has an excellent bookstore, a gift shop and food/grill. The Paradise Inn was built in 1917. It is a grand lodge with huge fireplaces, comfy chairs and couches, gift shop and restaurant. It also has guestrooms for those wanting to spend the night.
Directions:
Drive to Mount Rainier, Nisqually Entrance. Park at Paradise parking area, meet at Jackson Visitors Center, top floor. There is a $10 per car FEE to get into the park.
