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Mount Rainier National Park

Carbon River Area Reopens At Mount Rainier National Park

Mount Rainier National Park has reopened public access to the Carbon River area of the park, reversing an emergency closure issued on November 15, 2021. However, you'll have to walk or bike in and be prepared to navigate around road and trail washouts and expect to encounter normal late winter hazards, including downed trees, snow, and changing weather conditions.

Photography In The National Parks: The Faces Of Winter

There are many faces to winter in a national park. Some park units have no snow, while others host feet of the fluffy white stuff. On sunny days, the atmosphere is clear and sharp, producing saturated colors for your camera. On not-so-sunny days, your camera’s LCD lens might be filled with varying shades of gray and white. Contributing photographer Rebecca Latson provides examples of what you might see through your camera’s lens and how to prepare for winter photography in a national park.

Photography In The National Parks: Capturing The Colors And Character Of Fall

Fall is that magical time of year when the air is crisp and clear and the leaves in many park units change from summer green to saturated shades of yellow, gold, orange and red. In this month’s column, contributing photographer Rebecca Latson discusses capturing those colors in your national park photography.

Autumn Moonlight And Mist Over The Mountain, Mount Rainier National Park

A foreground of brilliant red and orange huckleberry bushes light up by moonlight, with a tall, snowcapped mountain in the background wrapped in a light veil of mist, all beneath a dark sky dotted with stars, Mount Rainier National Park

There's a quote by John Muir etched into the steps leading up to the network of trails in the Paradise area of Mount Rainier National Park in Washington State: "...The most luxuriant and the most extravagantly beautiful of all the alpine gardens I ever beheld in all my mountain-top wanderings." Muir must have seen this spot in the late spring or early summer, when the wildflowers were beginning to reach their peak. Do you think he ever saw this spot in the autumn as well, when the huckleberry bushes turned shades of brilliant red and orange?

Rebecca Latson
Autumn Moonlight, Mist, And The Mountain
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The Essential RVing Guide

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

The National Parks RVing Guide, aka the Essential RVing Guide To The National Parks, is the definitive guide for RVers seeking information on campgrounds in the National Park System where they can park their rigs. It's available for free for both iPhones and Android models.

This app is packed with RVing specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 parks.

You'll also find stories about RVing in the parks, some tips if you've just recently turned into an RVer, and some planning suggestions. A bonus that wasn't in the previous eBook or PDF versions of this guide are feeds of Traveler content: you'll find our latest stories as well as our most recent podcasts just a click away.

So whether you have an iPhone or an Android, download this app and start exploring the campgrounds in the National Park System where you can park your rig.