Information for People with Limited Mobility

A park visitor in Longmire views a cross-section of a large tree.

NPS photo

 

Accessible Parking

The visitor centers in Mount Rainier National Park have at least one parking space that is designated accessible. Visitor centers have drop-off areas near their entrances. The parking lots of the visitor centers can be busy and the pavement can be uneven and sloped. There are many pull-outs along park roads with limited parking and most of these do not have designated accessible parking spots.

There are accessible parking spaces at other locations throughout the park including picnic areas and some viewpoints and several major trailheads.

Borrow a Wheelchair

Manual wheelchairs are available for short-term loan at the Paradise and Sunrise visitor centers.

Lodging

The National Park Inn at Longmire

Closest to the Nisqually Entrance of the park, the National Park Inn has two wheelchair accessible rooms. An accessible entrance is available from the parking lot at the back of the building, where there is a drop-off area. There is accessible parking in the parking lot of the inn. The dining room is wheelchair accessible. The tables on the front porch of the inn are wheelchair accessible; the front porch can be accessed from inside the inn or from the front of the inn at the left side of the building. There are two picnic tables at the rear of the inn, they are not designated accessible but there is space at the end of the tables for a wheelchair.

The Paradise Inn at Paradise
Located between the Nisqually and the Stevens Canyon entrances, the Paradise Inn has two wheelchair accessible rooms and is accessible from the parking lot via a paved path. There is accessible parking in the parking lot of the inn.

Camping

Ohanapecosh and Cougar Rock Campgrounds offer reservations at Recreation.gov. Learn more about camping at Mount Rainier.

Ohanapecosh Campground

• Located on the southeast corner of the park.
• Sites D014, D020, and D021 have hard packed dirt parking areas, wheelchair accessible picnic tables, fire rings, and firm gravel tent pads.
• Sites are mostly level, with a 2-6 inch (5-15cm) ledge up to tent pad.
• An accessible restroom is available in Loop D.

Cougar Rock Campground

• Located near Longmire.
• Sites C2, C7, C20, and R5 are the most accessible, with paved parking areas, wheelchair accessible picnic tables, fire rings, and firm gravel tent pads.
• Sites are mostly level, with a 2-10 inch (5-25cm) ledge up to tent pad.
• A loop and C loop restrooms closest to the main road are wheelchair accessible.
• Most other restrooms have stairs.
• The amphitheater is accessible via a ramp. There is no designated parking area.

White River Campground

• Located near Sunrise.
• Sites are available first-come, first-served.
• All sites include picnic table and fire ring. There are no designated accessible sites, and no raised tent pads.
• An accessible restroom is available in Loop C.

Note, showers are unavailable in the park. Learn more about campground rules and regulations as well as nearby services.

Trails

Park trails range from paved, to rugged and leading deep into wilderness. Get trail information online and at visitor centers, and check conditions before heading out. Trail conditions and accessibility can change quickly due to weather, falling trees, rockfall, erosion, flooding, snow, and more. Park crews work as quickly as possible to clear obstacles, but conditions may differ from descriptions, especially from fall through late spring. Trails that are somewhat accessible to people with limited mobility include:

• Kautz Creek boardwalk, near the Nisqually Entrance, is wheelchair accessible and offers a .1 mile boardwalk to a viewpoint.
• Trail of the Shadows in Longmire is a .7 miles long loop. The part the trail bordering Longmire offers accessible exhibits and is mostly flat; the part of the trail furthest from Longmire is uneven, with tree roots and some steeper areas.
• The section of the Skyline Trail leading to Myrtle Falls at Paradise Meadows is partially wheelchair accessible. The falls can be viewed from above via this paved trail, but the view of the falls from below is reachable only by a set of stairs. This section of trail intersects with the Waterfall Trail, which is paved and mostly flat.
• Tipsoo Lake, near Sunrise, has a .5 mile loop around it that is mostly hard packed level dirt. It is not wheelchair accessible; there are stone stairs near the parking area and the trail is narrow and boggy.
• The Westside Road, near the Nisqually Entrance, offers cycling opportunities, mostly on a gravel surface.
• The Carbon River Trail begins at the Carbon Entrance. It is 5 miles long and is open to pedestrians and bicyclists. It is a former road, wide, with a surface of mostly packed dirt, but with areas of river rocks, gravel and bumps.

Viewpoints

There are many viewpoints and views from pullouts along the roads in the park. Several views have been identified as potentially accessible to people with limited mobility:

• The Henry M. Jackson Visitor Center is accessible by wheelchair and offers views from inside and from the paved area outside the entrance.
• The Reflection Lake pullout includes a small parking area with a designated accessible parking spot and on a clear day offers a view of the reflection of Mount Rainier in the lake.
• The Sunrise Visitor Center offers great views from inside with spotting scopes available.
• On a clear day, the Kautz Creek boardwalk (.1 miles) leads to a view of Mount Rainier.
• The Longmire Community Building parking area has a great view of Mount Rainier with the Nisqually River in the foreground.

Dining

Wheelchair accessible dining rooms are available at the National Park Inn in Longmire, at the Henry M. Jackson Visitor Center and Paradise Inn in Paradise and at the Sunrise Day Lodge.

Restrooms

Accessible restrooms with sinks and flush toilets are located at all major developed areas within the park. Some picnic areas, campgrounds, and other rustic locations have accessible vault toilets with sinks. Accessible restrooms have routes with a wide turning radius and grab bars. Sinks are at a height with front wheelchair clearance and covered pipes underneath.

Visitor Centers

Visitor centers in the park are wheelchair accessible. The Sunrise Visitor Center and the Henry M. Jackson Visitor Center have accessible exhibits.

Ranger Programs

Rangers offer a variety of programs, including visitor center talks, walks, evening programs, and special events. Many ranger walks are on short, paved paths, but some involve navigating rugged terrain. Check at visitor centers or campground bulletin boards for program descriptions, times, and accessibility information.

Area Specific Information

For more information about accessibility at the most visited areas of the park:

• Paradise
• Sunrise
• Longmire
• Ohanapecosh
• Carbon and Mowich Lake