When I vacationed with my parents in 1952, we camped in the Paradise Campground near the lodge. There we watched with other campers a group climbing the mountain. As we did this, my mother turned around and saw a bear who had removed from our campfire her pan with maple syrup which was heating for our pancakes. She screamed and began to chase the bear until she was restrained by my father who yelled that we could buy a new pan for our future use. The bear and my mother lived for another day. When I returned to the park as an adult in the 1980’s I asked a ranger what happened to the campground that was here. He was surprised I knew about it a but told me it was fragile land and was being reclaimed. You could still see where the roads and some of the sites were from afar. It was a great campground with a fabulous view!
Sincerely,
Mount Rainier National Park
Majestic Mount Rainier is the highest peak in the Cascade Range and an active volcano with more glaciers than any other mountain in the United States. Just an hour's drive from Seattle, the park's wild landscape feels much further from civilization. The forests, parkland, wetlands, lakes and rivers offer 260 miles of trails and varied habitat to dozens of plant and animal species.
State(s): Washington
Established: 1899
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Greetings from Mount Rainier National Park
Every national park I've visited holds a special place in my heart. We make it a point to explore at least one new national park each year, and when we're lucky, we get to visit even more. Mount Rainier, however, stands out as the park where I had my first…
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