You are here

Home » Mount Rainier National Park

Mount Rainier National Park

Carbon River Area Reopens At Mount Rainier National Park

Mount Rainier National Park has reopened public access to the Carbon River area of the park, reversing an emergency closure issued on November 15, 2021. However, you'll have to walk or bike in and be prepared to navigate around road and trail washouts and expect to encounter normal late winter hazards, including downed trees, snow, and changing weather conditions.

Photography In The National Parks: The Faces Of Winter

There are many faces to winter in a national park. Some park units have no snow, while others host feet of the fluffy white stuff. On sunny days, the atmosphere is clear and sharp, producing saturated colors for your camera. On not-so-sunny days, your camera’s LCD lens might be filled with varying shades of gray and white. Contributing photographer Rebecca Latson provides examples of what you might see through your camera’s lens and how to prepare for winter photography in a national park.

Photography In The National Parks: Capturing The Colors And Character Of Fall

Fall is that magical time of year when the air is crisp and clear and the leaves in many park units change from summer green to saturated shades of yellow, gold, orange and red. In this month’s column, contributing photographer Rebecca Latson discusses capturing those colors in your national park photography.

Autumn Moonlight And Mist Over The Mountain, Mount Rainier National Park

A foreground of brilliant red and orange huckleberry bushes light up by moonlight, with a tall, snowcapped mountain in the background wrapped in a light veil of mist, all beneath a dark sky dotted with stars, Mount Rainier National Park

There's a quote by John Muir etched into the steps leading up to the network of trails in the Paradise area of Mount Rainier National Park in Washington State: "...The most luxuriant and the most extravagantly beautiful of all the alpine gardens I ever beheld in all my mountain-top wanderings." Muir must have seen this spot in the late spring or early summer, when the wildflowers were beginning to reach their peak. Do you think he ever saw this spot in the autumn as well, when the huckleberry bushes turned shades of brilliant red and orange?

Rebecca Latson
Autumn Moonlight, Mist, And The Mountain

INN Member

The easiest way to explore RV-friendly National Park campgrounds.

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

Here’s the definitive guide to National Park System campgrounds where RVers can park their rigs.

Our app is packed with RVing- specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 national parks.

You’ll also find stories about RVing in the parks, tips helpful if you’ve just recently become an RVer, and useful planning suggestions.

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

FREE for iPhones and Android phones.