With the summer season officially under way the free shuttle bus service at Mount Rainier National Park is back on the road. Mount Rainier Superintendent Dave Uberuaga says park visitors can catch the buses from Ashford, Longmire and Paradise during the 2010 summer season.

On Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays the shuttle will conduct regular runs between Longmire and Paradise with stops at Cougar Rock and Narada Falls on the uphill run, and stopping at Comet Falls and Cougar Rock on the downhill run, the park announced. At Longmire, visitors will board the shuttle at the historic Longmire Gas Station. On Saturdays and Sundays only visitors can board the shuttle in Ashford at Whittaker’s Summit Haus (on SR 706), connecting with the Paradise Shuttle in Longmire.

You can check the shuttle schedule at this website: http://www.nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/shuttle.htm

Parking at Paradise is limited due to the popularity of this unique area and limited parking spaces. Mount Rainier officials say that even with both upper and lower Paradise parking lots open this summer, the park is anticipating that parking and traffic will be congested at Paradise; those choosing to drive should expect traffic and long waits to get a parking space.

The shuttle service will run through September 5, 2010.

Mount Rainier National Park's visitor shuttle service is made possible in part by a grant from Washington’s National Park Fund and The Boeing Company Charitable Trust.