Mount Rainier National Park in Washington State welcomes millions of visitors each year, many of whom are drawn to the iconic mountain and its 260 miles of trails.
Through an ongoing partnership between Mount Rainier National Park, Washington’s National Park Fund (WNPF), and Washington Trails Association (WTA), these beloved trails are cared for each year, ensuring their beauty and accessibility for generations to come.
As the official philanthropic partner of Mount Rainier — as well as North Cascades and Olympic national parks — Washington's National Park Fund provides funding for projects and programs that improve the visitor experience at these parks each year, including this impactful partnership.
WNPF’s 2023 virtual field trip explored the work behind the scenes, highlighting the importance of stewardship and the collective effort that keeps Mount Rainier’s trails thriving.
As James Montgomery, the park’s Trails Field Supervisor, reminded us: “At the end of the day, ‘volunteer’ doesn’t mean free.” Every hour of service, every dollar donated, and every hand helping on the trail makes a difference in preserving Mount Rainier’s legacy.
The Impact of Partnership
Through an agreement with Mount Rainier, WTA’s work in the park is supported in part by funds raised by WNPF from individuals, businesses, and charitable foundations. This impactful three-part partnership helps ensure the park’s much-loved trails get the attention, maintenance, and funding that they deserve.
WTA has been a key player in the park’s trail maintenance since 1998, organizing over 800 trail maintenance events and logging more than 88,000 volunteer hours, including work on iconic trails such as the Wonderland Trail, Skyline Trail, Naches Peak Loop, and Glacier Basin.
Since 2014, WNPF donors have contributed over $709,000 specifically for trail work at Mount Rainier, helping to reroute, regrade, sustain, and improve beloved trails, Montgomery shared. With over 1.6 million visitors to the park in 2024 alone, donor-funded programs and partnerships make a real difference in helping the park keep up with increasing visitor use.
Last year, donated funds supported a WTA crew leader position and helped cover the cost of supplies — radios, maintenance gear, and more. Between June and October, volunteers and the crew lead spent weekends working on the Paul Peak Trail, West Boundary Trail, and a portion of the Wonderland Trail. Work on the Wonderland and West Boundary Trails are scheduled to continue this summer.
After installing a new boardwalk, rerouting 800 linear feet of trail, and fixing drainage issues, the crews’ hard work should reduce annual maintenance costs for this heavily visited area of the park for the next 20-30 years.
Building Future Stewards and Trails
Recognizing the importance of fostering the next generation of trail stewards, WTA has engaged youth trail crews at Mount Rainier since 2008.
These programs provide meaningful opportunities for young volunteers, helping to strengthen the community of land stewards in Washington State. They also help ensure the park’s trails are safe and well-maintained, so Mount Rainier can continue to provide transformative outdoors experiences for visitors.
A Future Built on Collaboration
The collective efforts of WNPF, WTA, and the hundreds of volunteers who give their time each year help Mount Rainier National Park accomplish an impressive amount of trail work each year. By getting our boots dirty, raising critical funds, and organizing volunteers, this partnership ensures that the park’s trails remain a source of adventure, inspiration, and connection for all who visit
The legacy of this partnership is not just in the miles of well-maintained trails — it’s in the communities it strengthens, the experiences it fosters, and the future it builds for generations. Washington’s National Park Fund is proud to play a role in this work, and grateful to our supporters who help make it possible.
Washington’s National Park Fund is the official philanthropic partner of Mount Rainier, North Cascades, and Olympic National Parks. Donations fund scientific research, youth and family experiences, and projects that will keep these parks strong and vital now and forever, for everyone. Join us in making an impact today.
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