Mount Rainier National Park — Visitor Info

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Mount Rainier's 14,411-foot volcano dominates the skyline from Seattle, but only a small part of the park is reachable by road — the rest is hiking and wilderness country. No vehicle reservation is needed in 2026, but summer weekends bring real traffic and full parking lots at popular areas like Paradise and Sunrise. Here's what to know before you go.

Page content last verified: July 2026

Check current conditions before you go: Ohanapecosh Campground and Visitor Center are closed for all of 2026 for a rehabilitation project, and the Mowich Lake/Carbon River area is not reachable by vehicle due to the permanent closure of the Fairfax Bridge on SR 165 — always check the official Mount Rainier Alerts & Conditions page first.
Quick Facts
Location
Ashford, Washington
Entrance Fee
$30 / vehicle, 7 days
Reservation Needed to Enter?
No — confirmed not required for 2026
Payment
Cashless — credit/debit only at entrances
Permit Needed For
Overnight wilderness camping, climbing above 10,000 ft
RV Note
Rigs/trailers over 25 ft discouraged past White River on Sunrise Road

Visitor Centers

Tap a visitor center for its official NPS hours & facility info.

Longmire Museum
Southwest corner of the park, near the Nisqually Entrance. Open year-round.
Henry M. Jackson Memorial Visitor Center
At Paradise, on the south side of the park. Open year-round, with limited winter hours (roughly October–May).
Sunrise Visitor Center
Northeast corner of the park, the highest point reachable by vehicle. Generally open July through mid-September only.

Ohanapecosh Visitor Center (southeast corner) is closed for all of 2026 due to the nearby campground rehabilitation project. Confirm current hours on the official NPS operating hours page before you go.

Entrance Fees & Passes

Every vehicle entering Mount Rainier needs a park pass — the park is cashless at entrance stations, though a handful of local businesses near the park sell cash-payable vouchers.

  • Private vehicle: $30, valid 7 days (covers all passengers)
  • Motorcycle: $25, valid 7 days
  • Per person (on foot/bike, age 16+): $15, valid 7 days
  • Mount Rainier Annual Pass: $55 (Mount Rainier only)
  • America the Beautiful Annual Pass: $80 — covers Mount Rainier and every other federal fee site

Note: the Washington State Discover Pass does not cover Mount Rainier — it's for Washington State Parks only.

Free Entrance Days (2026)

Feb 16 · May 25 · Jun 14 · Jul 3–5 · Aug 25 (NPS's 110th birthday) · Sep 17 · Oct 27 · Nov 11

Every Kid Outdoors — Free 4th Grade Pass

Every U.S. 4th grader (and their family, in the same vehicle) can get a free annual pass covering entrance to Mount Rainier and every other federal fee site. Get it at everykidoutdoors.gov or at any entrance station.

Avoiding Summer Congestion

On busy summer weekends, expect long waits at entrances and full parking lots, especially at Paradise and Sunrise. There's no timed entry system in 2026 — the park instead uses parking management strategies to spread out demand. Arriving before 9am or after 3pm, or visiting on a weekday, meaningfully improves your odds of finding parking.

Tips and current congestion info: official Avoid Summer Congestion page.

Permits & Reservations

You do not need a permit to enter the park or day-hike. You do need one for:

Wilderness Camping

A wilderness permit is required for all overnight backcountry camping, including at the primitive Mowich Lake walk-in sites (no longer reachable by vehicle due to the Fairfax Bridge closure).

Climbing

Climbing above 10,000 feet (roughly the elevation of the Muir/Camp Schurman snowfields) requires a separate climbing permit and pass.

Campgrounds & RV Options

Mount Rainier currently has three drive-in campgrounds (a fourth, Mowich Lake, is primitive walk-in only). There are no electrical, water, or sewer hookups at any campground. Fees and current open/closed status change year to year and even week to week — use the link below to confirm before you go.

Cougar Rock Campground
Southwest section, near Longmire, 3,180 ft elevation. 179 individual sites + 5 group sites. RVs up to 35 ft, trailers up to 27 ft. Typical season late May–late September. Reservation via recreation.gov (first-come sites also available at the campground office window).
White River Campground
Northeast section, 4,400 ft elevation. 88 individual sites, no group sites. RVs up to 27 ft, trailers up to 18 ft. Typical season late June–late September. First-come, first-served only — pay via the Recreation.gov app's Scan & Pay (no cell service on-site, download the app before you arrive).
Ohanapecosh Campground
Southeast section, 1,914 ft elevation. 179 individual sites + 2 group sites. RVs up to 32 ft, trailers up to 27 ft. Closed for all of 2026 for a rehabilitation project running through November. Typical season (when open) is late May–late September.
Mowich Lake (primitive walk-in)
Northwest section, 4,929 ft elevation. 13 tent pads, tents only, no vehicle access (Fairfax Bridge on SR 165 is permanently closed — reachable only via the Wonderland Trail). Wilderness permit required, no fee beyond the permit. Typical season early July–early October.

Camping limit is 14 consecutive days per campground, 28 days total per year park-wide. No hookups anywhere; the Cougar Rock dump station is currently closed. In-park lodging (National Park Inn at Longmire, Paradise Inn) books separately via the NPS lodging page.

Good to Know

  • No park-wide shuttle: you drive between areas of the park yourself — there's no connecting road between Sunrise, Paradise, and the northwest corner.
  • Firewood: "buy it where you burn it" — firewood must come from within 50 miles to avoid introducing invasive insects.
  • Weather: conditions change fast at elevation, even in summer — pack layers and check road status before heading up to Paradise or Sunrise.
  • Cell service: unreliable to nonexistent through most of the park, including at White River Campground.

More National Parks

See our other National Park visitor guides, or browse the full National Parks guide.

Fees, campground status, and road closures (like the Fairfax Bridge) change from year to year. This page is a starting point for trip planning — always confirm current details on the official Mount Rainier National Park site before you go.

Sources: NPS – Fees & Passes · NPS – Operating Hours & Seasons · NPS – Campgrounds · NPS – Wilderness Permits · NPS – Avoid Summer Congestion · NPS – Current Conditions & Alerts