Set in its own national park, glacier-clad MOUNT RAINIER is the highest (14,410ft) and most accessible peak in the Cascades. Recurrent puns characterize its name as a description of its weather: often very wet, with heavy snowfalls during the long winter season (except if joking, pronounce the name as "ray-neer"). Not until midsummer does the snowpack melt enough to unblock roads, and then the deer, mountain goats and marmots reappear, the alpine meadows become ablaze with dazzling wild flowers, and Mount Rainier makes for some perfect - and not necessarily strenuous - hiking.

If you only have a day to explore the park, consider traversing the south and east sides from Nisqually entrance to Paradise , with a side trip to Sunrise . The stunning 80-mile drive winds through river valleys and lowland forests with glaciated peaks and magnificent vistas. There are numerous trails radiating from Paradise, such as the 5-mile Skyline Trail to Glacier Overlook, the perfect spot to ponder the awesome Nisqually Glacier. In Mount Rainier National Park, there are more than three hundred miles of trails, ranging from short, simple interpretive walks, to the Pacific Crest Trail that cuts through the park's eastern edge, to the 93-mile Wonderland Trail that encircles Mount Rainier itself.

Climbing Mount Rainier itself is hazardous and should only be undertaken by experienced climbers with the necessary equipment, and who are physically fit. The long-established guide service, Rainier Mountaineering , in Paradise (tel 360/569-2227 or 253/627-6242 in winter, ), offers climbing courses and guided climbs - one day's practice, then the two-day climb - for $600, with equipment rental for around $300.

Mount Rainier National Park

• Mount Rainier National Park
• Park practicalities

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