Mount Rainier, an icon of the Pacific Northwest, is surrounded by a dramatic landscape of volcanic ridges and glacier-carved valleys. Look closer, and this familiar landscape contains the origin story of this area. It has been covered in swamps and ancient seas, flowing lava, explosive ash, and thick sheets of ice. Mountains rose and eroded away. This #EarthScienceWeek, explore the geologic history of Mount Rainier! NPS Video. Available with audio description at https://go.nps.gov/1pcf0e. ~kl |

If you only do one hike in Mount Rainier National Park this summer, make it this one. This trail is a great introduction to the park for first timers, and one of the more beautiful day hikes that we’ve done: The Skyline Loop Trail.🏔 This 5.5-mile hike is one of the most iconic and popular trails in the park. If you haven’t been before, it starts along a paved path from the Paradise Visitor Center and takes you through subalpine meadows and wildflowers, along with some awesome mountain vistas, a