These Before And After Pics Of Mount Rainier National Park In Washington Show Just How Much It Has Changed
By Andrea Verschuyl|Published February 27, 2024
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Andrea Verschuyl
Author
Having grown up in Washington, Andrea is a self-admitted Pacific Northwest snob. In their opinion, there's simply nowhere else in the country with the Evergreen State's beauty. After attending university, Andrea devoted themselves to writing full-time. They're thrilled to represent Washington for Only In Your State while pursuing other professional and personal projects. They currently reside in Olympia, where they enjoy leaf-blowing their yard, perfecting homemade ramen, cuddling with their three tiny dogs, and feeding their pufferfish, Sea Biscuit.
Have you ever heard the adage that the more things change, the more they stay the same? Lately, it seems like things have been changing an awful lot, which is why it’s so much fun to peek into the past with these historic photos of Mount Rainier National Park. Whether you’re a nature lover or a history buff, it’s fascinating to see firsthand the many memories for which this iconic Washington spot has been the backdrop.
Though it was made a national park in 1899, it's worth noting that people have long been captivated by the mountain's sublime beauty. Archeologists have found evidence of human activity on Mount Rainier dating back 5,800 years, and prior to colonization, the region was co-managed by the Cowlitz, Muckleshoot, Nisqually, Puyallup, Squaxin Island, Yakama, and Coast Salish nations.
After its designation, the park quickly became a local favorite, with visitation outstripping park officials' ability to regulate demand. In 1906, a total of 1,786 people visited the park, a number that swelled to almost 35,000 less than a decade later. Today, two million tourists visit Mount Rainier annually.
This surfeit of visitors was partly due to Mount Rainier's policies on personal vehicles, which were considered quite progressive. Park administration at the time favored a "purist" approach to conservation, and other national parks avoided building roads that would make wilderness areas accessible to the general public.
On the contrary, Mount Rainier invested heavily in its infrastructure, becoming the first national park to collect entrance fees and admit personal vehicles. This policy allowed everyday people to experience the mountain's beauty themselves and revolutionized national parks country-wide.
That's not to say a person couldn't still find adventure in the park. In 1888, a cohort of nine mountaineers, including American naturalist John Muir, became the fifth recorded group to ascend the mountain.
More casual nature enthusiasts enjoyed the park in about the same way people do today— visiting with friends and family to mark important life events or create beloved memories outdoors.
Since before its founding, Mount Rainier National Park has acted as an invaluable natural and cultural resource to Washington, inspiring millions to deepen their connection to the natural world and protect the irreplaceable beauty of our environment. Hopefully, it will continue to do the same for decades to come.
If historic pictures prove anything, it's that someday, our memories there— recorded in our photographs— will reflect the mountain's enduring importance to future generations.
These historic photos of Mount Rainier National Park are important evidence of the mountain’s legacy and the role it’s played in many Washingtonian’s lives.
