4 TIPS FOR VISITING MT. RAINIER NATIONAL PARK

It makes the perfect backdrop for a postcard sent from the Pacific Northwest. No visit to Washington State is complete without standing beneath its majestic splendor. It is 110 miles from our senior living center located in Everett, Washington.

We are talking about Mt. Rainier, which sits in a spacious national park that offers a wide variety of tourist options for residents of MorningStar at Silver Lake

Mt. Rainier National Park allows you to stroll through a temperate island rainforest in spring, as well as hike among native wildflowers and dazzling waterfalls in summer. Each fall, residents of our assisted living facility near Arlington get the opportunity to soak in spectacular fall colors. A few months later, MT. Rainier National Park bustles with outdoor enthusiasts who love to ski and snowboard.

Although Mt. Ranier National Park is a popular day trip destination for the residents at our assisted living facility in Lynnwood, you should come prepared by knowing about four tips to optimize your time at the wildly popular attraction.

Know Where You Are Going

Visitors have five options for entering Mt. Rainier National Park. The key is knowing which of the five entrances takes you to where you want to go. You cannot expect to reach every area open to the public by going through each of the five entrances. Even a GPS navigation program might get you lost among the vast labyrinth of roads that traverse Mt. Rainier National Park.

Plan your visit by checking the Directions page of the National Park Service (NPS) website.

Slow and Steady

Because of its massive popularity, you can expect large crowds to be in the park on the day that you spend there. This means take it slow and steady on the steep, narrow, and winding roads. First, you want to avoid hitting wildlife that crosses the roads without much warning. Second, Maintaining a safe speed at the right distance behind other vehicles prevents you from getting in an accident. Third, you might miss something spectacular if you go too fast while inside the park.

Stay on Top of the Weather

You might feel comfortably warm walking on a trail located at a low elevation, but a few thousand feet above you, a snowstorm has engulfed both roads and trails. The park presents its own forecast that visitors should closely follow throughout the entire day while visiting the park. Pay special attention to avalanche watches and warnings that the National Weather Service posts daily during the colder months of the year. You also should take note of special weather statements that discuss severe weather.

Follow the Mount Rainier Pledge

The NPS has created a pledge for Mt. Rainier National Park that all visitors should remember. Not only do you get to learn more about the park, but you also do your part to preserve the natural beauty that defines Mt. Rainier National Park. A few of the most important elements of the pledge include staying on all trails to protect meadow plants, as well as “Keep Wildlife Wild” by not feeding any of the animals. Respect the land and “Leave No Trace” of your visit behind.

Our senior living facility in Everett, WA takes pride in offering our residents a busy activities calendar. When you stop by to take a tour of MorningStar at Silver Lake, ask to see a copy of the activities calendar for the next couple of months to get an idea about how our residents stay active throughout the year.