When I turned 70 I set a goal of riding my bicycle in as many National Parks as possible. This year, age 74, I rode through park #7, Big Bend National Park in Texas. My “home” park is Mount Rainier. During good weather I try to ride up once a week to keep in shape for my National Park goal.
Sincerely,
Mount Rainier National Park
Majestic Mount Rainier is the highest peak in the Cascade Range and an active volcano with more glaciers than any other mountain in the United States. Just an hour's drive from Seattle, the park's wild landscape feels much further from civilization. The forests, parkland, wetlands, lakes and rivers offer 260 miles of trails and varied habitat to dozens of plant and animal species.
State(s): Washington
Established: 1899
“My dad was a geologist. I "grew up" on Mount Rainier, climbed it for the first time in 1960 when I was 15. Dad did photographic glacier studies and talked about climate change even then in those early years. He taught me to love and protect our parks, and especially the alpine wildflowers. Now I'm a National Park Service Volunteer. My service is picking up litter from the road sides. I do this every 3rd bike ride into the park.”
National parks represent the best of America. Why do you care about protecting and preserving them? Tell us why parks matter to you!
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Greetings from Mount Rainier National Park
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Greetings from Mount Rainier National Park
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