Georgia and I got to go on a mother-daughter road trip to Mount Rainier National Park this past summer.  Since Bergen and I traveled to Mount Rainier National Park together in the spring of 2018, she felt like she needed a special one on one trip too! We stayed at the newly renovated Paradise Inn.  Paradise Inn opened in 1916, but it was just recently renovated and reopened for the start of the 2019 summer season.

Mount Rainier with Kids: Interview

We stayed 2 nights, visiting 3 visitor centers (Sunrise, Paradise, & Longmire), and tackling 4 hikes.  To share about our experience at Paradise Inn and Mount Rainier National Park, I interviewed Georgia.  My questions and commentary are in bold, and Georgia’s answers are in italics.  Note: If you’d rather just watch the interview, scroll down to view our YouTube video! 

What was your favorite hike that we went on? 

The one with the flies! 

The one with the flies? That’s right! So our very first hike, we started at the Sunrise Visitors Center, and hiked to Dege Peak.  The hike is about 4 miles, and before we got up to the very top, some fellow hikers warned us that there might be some special “friends” joining us.  We asked, “Are there chipmunks up there?” Nope! 

What was it? 

FLIES!

Thankfully we had some really good bug spray, and they really didn’t bother us, other than just kind of flying around. 

What else did you do at Sunrise that you really liked? What did you get to make? 

A Volcano.

There happened to be a ranger activity right when we arrived, and Georgia got to make her very own volcano with glaciers, and lava coming out of it. 

What was your favorite animal that you saw while we at Mount Rainier?

A marmot.

So the next day, we hiked right out of Paradise.  Because we were staying at the Paradise Inn, we woke up, and got to immediately start hiking.  Just a few yards into the hike, we saw our first marmot! I thought, “Oh wow, how cool that we got to see a marmot.”  But it didn’t stop there, right? How many marmots did we see?

Four. 

Four?! Noooo.  We saw dozens of marmots: blocking the trail, scurrying around into the bush, hanging out on rocks…

What other animal did we see on that hike? 

Chipmunks. 

And one more BIG animal (that was very fair away, luckily)? 

A Bear. 

We got to eat at the Paradise Inn several times.  What was your favorite food there?

Mac and Cheese.

What did you like to have for dessert?

{Whispers} The Huckleberry Ice Cream.

Yes, that was so good, wasn’t it? I also had a pretty good burger, and some delicious pasta that got us all fueled up for hiking. 

What were you disappointed about? 

The hot oatmeal. 

Oh yes, we had oatmeal for breakfast, and it was a little bit too hot.  Luckily, it was nice and cool in the morning, and we could let it cool off outside while we took in the view. 

Now, the Paradise Inn…when you walked in the doors, and you were in the lobby, what was your favorite part? 

The Mail Bear. 

The Mail Bear? What’s the Mail Bear? 

You put mail in there! 

It’s a carving of a bear, and if you have mail, you can put it in there.

Now remember when we were walking to our room, and you opened the door, what were you so excited to see that our room had? 

Flashlights! 

Flashlights! That’s right. 

The rooms are beautiful, and have beautiful furniture, and beautiful tile in the bathroom.  They are simple though: There are not TVs, there is no internet.  There is a telephone.  But that’s what I love about staying at the Paradise Inn.  It’s all about getting out in nature, and they really encourage you to get out in the lobby and other common areas.  They have ranger talks, and other activities, and it’s really just about building community, meeting people, and learning about nature, and getting to know the national park. 

 

Ok, Georgia.  Last question: What was your very favorite part about our whole trip to Mount Rainier? 

Getting my Junior Ranger Badge. 

And then, after you got your Junior Ranger Badge, we got to explore Longmire a little bit.  And what did you love? 

The bubbler-up! 

Yes, at Longmire, there are some geothermal features on the Trail of Shadows. 

Mount Rainier with Kids + Paradise Inn Video

Would you rather watch our interview, and also see footage from our visit to Mount Rainier National Park (and inside Paradise Inn)? Tune in to our YouTube video below!

Hiking Mount Rainier with Kids Highlights:

Here is a quick overview of the hikes and adventures we went on while staying at Paradise Inn and exploring Mount Rainier National Park.  We found two books to be especially useful in researching the best hikes for kids: Best Hikes with Kids: Western Washington & 75 Great Hikes Seattle. Note: All hikes were completed in the summer.  Make sure to check current mountain conditions! 

Dege Peak: 

• Accessed from the Sunrise Visitor Center
• 4 miles round trip with 600 feet elevation gain.
• Amazing views of Mount Rainier, and a bit off the beaten path as far as foot traffic.

Skyline Golden Gate Loop:

• Accessed from the Paradise Visitor Center
• 5 miles round trip.
• We saw dozens of marmots, wildflowers galore, and even spotted a bear in the far off distance.

Tipsso Lake/Naches Peak Loop

• SE-Cayuse Pass/Stevens Pass
• 3.2 miles round trip.
• Part of this hike follows the Pacific Crest Trail, which was very exciting for us since we have a good family friend currently making the entire trek (Summer/Fall 2019).  It was neat for Georgia to get to see other hikers, like Michael, journeying along.

Narada Falls

• Between Longmire and Paradise
• Easy 0.2 mile hike to a great view of the falls, though the top of the falls can be seen and heard from the parking lot.
• After 3 “big” hikes (for a 4-year old!), Georgia was delighted to trek the short distance to see this beautiful waterfall.

Trail of Shadows

• Accessed from the Longmire Visitor Center
• Easy 0.7 mile loop hike.
• This is a perfect kid hike! It’s short, flat, and has placards and artifacts along the way to learn more about the natural environment, and history of the Longmire family.  In the winter and spring, the trail also makes a great beginner snowshoe.

Paradise Inn Info to Know:

• Paradise Inn is open from mid-May to late-September, but the National Park Inn (Longmire) is open year-round.
  • 1-855-755-2275
  • 52807 Paradise Rd E, Ashford, WA 98304
• 121 guest rooms: Room configuration and features vary based on location.  “Rooms at the Inn” have shared bathrooms, while “Annex Rooms” have private bathrooms.
• As I mentioned in our interview, none of the rooms have televisions, internet or telephones. A lovely change of pace from our “always connected” world.  There is however wireless internet access at the adjacent visitor center.
• The Dining Room at Paradise Inn serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and is a casual sit-down dining experience.  The Tatoosh Cafe offers grab-and-go meals, coffee, snacks, beer, and wine.  I was also able to get hot water for tea, and ice for our cooler here.

Special Thanks to Rainier Guest Services for providing us with a complementary room for our stay. 

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