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Beauty of Mount Rainier Lures Tourists Year Round

Residents of Puyallup and Sumner especially enjoy activities like fishing on clear days when ‘the mountain’s out.’

The majestic Mount Rainier National Park provides more than a stunning backdrop and limitless recreation opportunities to the Puyallup and Sumner area – the tourism it draws is also a boon to the local economy.

“Mount Rainier’s scenery combined with access to year-round outdoor activities such as hiking‚ skiing‚ biking‚ climbing‚ auto touring and fishing provides our area with year-round tourists who have a significant impact on our economy‚” says Sally Zeiger Hanson‚ executive director of the Puyallup/Sumner Chamber of Commerce. “We have several hotels‚ and we have plans to add two more within the next year. In addition‚ we have a large number or restaurants that feature all types of cuisines. Hundreds of good quality‚ service-industry related jobs are created by being the gateway to Mount Rainier.”

Towering 14‚410 feet above sea level‚ Mount Rainier is an active volcano that last erupted in 1854. The natural wonder is surrounded by the 365-square-mile Mount Rainier National Park‚ which attracts nearly 2 million visitors annually for hiking‚ mountain climbing‚ skiing‚ fishing‚ wildlife watching and a host of other recreational pursuits throughout all four seasons.

Spring finds Mount Rainier cloaked in shades of green and its rivers chock-full of rainbow trout. It’s perhaps the best time to witness the park’s waterfalls‚ and it also is a popular season among climbers and mountain bikers.

Summer welcomes the arrival of colorful wildflower blooms and 126 species of birds.

“August is the best month for wildflowers‚ and that’s a huge reason people go up‚” says Mary Kay Nelson‚ executive director of Visit Rainier. “Bird watching is growing in popularity‚ and we’re finding more and more people are coming to the park for that. Great photography is another reason people visit. People post photos of Mount Rainier on the Web every day.”

The park is equally attractive in the fall‚ when brilliant shades of red‚ orange and yellow paint the landscape‚ making it the ideal time of year for a trip on the Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad. Fall also is a great season for finding wild berries and mushrooms and catching glimpses of elk and marmots.

The rest of the region may slow down during winter‚ but when abundant snow falls‚ things start heating up at Mount Rainier. Sledding‚ snowmobiling‚ snowshoeing and downhill and cross-country skiing attract winter sports enthusiasts from around the globe. Winter also is a prime time to retreat to one of the mountain’s cozy cabins and unwind by a crackling fire.

“Some people think of Mount Rainier as a day trip‚ but we’re a great overnight destination‚” Nelson says. “We don’t have big showy resorts‚ but there’s more than meets the eye in terms of quantity and quality lodging. Lots of great cabins and vacation rentals are available all around the mountain.”

Hotels in surrounding communities offer additional lodging options. Phillip DeLong‚ general manager of Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites in Puyallup‚ says about 40 percent of his guests are tourists.

“We’re an hour-and-a-half drive from Mount Rainier. A lot of times we get people in town for leisure reasons‚ and that’s one of them‚” DeLong says. “You can see the mountain from here‚ so sometimes we have business travelers who decide to stay the weekend to explore Mount Rainier.”

Popular developed areas for exploring at the park are Paradise‚ Sunrise‚ Crystal Mountain and White Pass.

“Paradise and Sunrise are the highest points you can drive to‚ and you feel like you’re on top of the mountain‚” Nelson says. “People come to the mountain to find a sense of place and escape from the stress of their daily routine. It’s magnificent.”

Zeiger Hanson couldn’t agree more.

“Mount Rainier helps define our region as well as our quality of life. Not only is it a national park‚ it’s also a national treasure. Tourists from around the world specifically come to our community to take in the beauty and partake in the activities Mount Rainier provides‚” Zeiger Hanson says. “Mount Rainier is a gemstone and serves as a centerpiece for our area.”

Story by Jessica Mozo
Photo by Michael W. Bunch

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