Specialists Of National Park Speak To Unique Attributes Of Area Hidden Inside Mount Rainer National Park
Looking up towards the 14,411 foot glacier-clad active volcano of Mt. Rainer which takes up the state skyline for hundreds of miles, the Ohanapecosh Campground, situated in the lower elevation (1914 feet) of Mount Rainier National Park offers the warm embrace of an old growth forest, surrounded by big, old trees and parted by the clear and blue Ohanapecosh River.
“It's just such a beautiful campground. I think that's really it,” said Chief of Interpretation Cathy Steichen, when asked about the draw of the campground. “There's plenty to do and it's a place where families have come for a long time – generations and generations. It's one of those places where people feel very comfortable and the beauty of the forest and river and the falls and these wonderful old trees. [There’s something] very enchanting [about the] place.”
Sight-seeing is at the top of the list of popular activities for Ohanapecosh campers. The campground is nearby some of the most stunning sites in the area, which are a short, relatively easy hike from the campsite. One popular spot is the Silver Falls, a cascade that tumbles over a rocky ledge into the white water below.
A short way past Silver Falls is the Grove of the Patriarchs, a small island home to ancient Western red-cedar, Douglas-fir and Western hemlock. “The river is wide enough at this grove to have a little island, filled with these trees,” explains Steichen. “The island has protected these trees from wildfires in the Pacific Northwest, which is how the trees [on this island] have reached over 1,000 years old.”
Another popular spot within walking distance – around .1 miles - of the Ohanapecosh Campground are the local hot springs. In fact, according to Jim Ross – who as Outreach Specialist develops relationships with outside communities and populations - the hot springs are what first caught the eye of settlers in 1913. By the 1920s, Doctor Albert W. Bridge and his partner N. D. Tower began a health resort near the hot springs.
“He was a physician that felt the hot springs were an extension of his medical practices,” said Ross. “It started with a small hotel and bath house. [But] eventually it grew quite large [and] that started bringing people into the area.”
By the 1950s, the popularity of the hot springs resort began to wane with the conditions being “not so good” before closing in 1961. After this period, the Civilian Conservation Corps returned the springs to their natural state.
The Ohanapcosh Campground is a park favorite because of that “natural” setting. Ross started working at Mount Rainer National Park “at the other side of the park,” where he could see the mountain every day. After five years of employment as Interpreter at another area within the park, he was transferred to Ohanapecosh Campground in 1972 and ended up staying there, working part-time until 1999.
“The main draw [of this specific area] is the forest and river itself. You've got a beautiful old growth forest in its original state, trees up to 1,000 years old [and] the river itself is one of few clear streams in the national park. It's got a beautiful, almost green-ish, blue-ish tint to it,” explains Ross. “It flows through the old growth forest [and] it’s really a special place. I moved to Ohanapecosch after five years. You can't see the mountain anywhere. You can't see anything but trees. At first it was sort of shocking. But after learning what was there, and how much was there, it became a place I didn't want to leave.”
Not to say the mountain itself is not a great benefit of staying at the Ohanapecosh Campground. According to Steichen, no visit to Mount Rainer National Park is complete without driving up at least one of the two high elevation locations on the slopes of the mountain. Paradise and Sunrise are two locations on opposite sides of the mountain where visitors can drive up the slope, above the trees, offering “spectacular views of the mountains,” said Steichen. “As you're gaining elevation, you get to that area just above the tree line. Once the trees can no longer be supported, you get these little pockets of trees and very low shrubs and wildflowers in the Sub Alpine Wildflower Meadows. You can walk through [those] with wildflowers in foreground and mountain in background. It's stunning [and offers] a very dramatic landscape.”
Mount Rainer has been a national park for over 100 years, established in 1899. Ohanapecosh Campground has been a favorite for many people. According to Steichen, there's a “long history of people – generation upon generation” who have camped at this particular campground.
In 2006, a really heavy storm pounded. It brought a lot of rain and melted a lot of snow, doing quite a bit of damage within the park. Following the storm there was a lot of work that needed to be done.
“What happened was wonderful,” said Steichen. “A lot of volunteer organizations were really excited about helping. We had this very large volunteer effort. It was a wonderful time with all these organizations coming together to the park to get the park restored to open it again.”
“When I first started with the national park service in 1975 I was seasonal. I was [first] stationed at Ohanapecosh over 40 years ago. It appears as if more culturally diverse groups visit the park now,” said Steichen. “It's exciting to me. The parks are becoming more and more relevant to the changing face of America.”
The Ohanapcosh Campground has 188 individual sites for RV or tent camping among the trees. While there is drinking water, there is no electric hookups. The maximum RV length is 32 feet, 27 feet for trailers.
For the ultimate sight-seeing experience, Ohanapecosh Campground remains a favorite among visitors and park employees, a place for generations and generations to enjoy the beauty of waterfalls, ancient trees and clear rivers with the iconic Mount Rainer looming just out of sight.
Olivia Richman
A graduate of East Connecticut State University in Journalism, Olivia has written for Stonebridge Press & Antiques Marketplace among others. She enjoys writing, running and video games.
Make Sure You Stay At:
Ohanapcosh Campground, located on the banks of the peaceful Ohanapecosh River, within a majestic old-growth forest. Named for a Indian habitation site along the river, is thought to mean “standing at the edge.”