| Nestled in the foothills of
beautiful Mt. Rainier, Buckley offers many opportunities for recreation and
enjoyment. No matter what your favorite playtime activity, you are
sure to find opportunities for it in and around Buckley. Mount Rainier
National Park was established in 1899. The park encompasses 235,625
acres. Mount Rainier is an active volcano and at 14,410 feet it
remains snow capped throughout the year. Mount Rainier offers scenic
drives, challenging hikes, historic architecture, mountain climbing,
and endless wildflower meadows. Mount Rainier has something for you
and your fun begins in the gateway community of Buckley.
Mount Rainier. . . Now & Then
Standing a majestic 14,410 feet, Mt. Rainier has been classified
as an explosive volcano, with it's last really big eruption taking place
approximately 2,000 years ago. Since then there have been many smaller
ash eruptions and mud flows. The Native Americans who lived near the
mountain had many legends about it which they passed down from generation to
generation. The legends spoke of the "Lake of Burning Fire" near the summit
of "Tahoma" which was the Chinook Nations name for Mt. Rainier meaning "snow
or ice peak." As early as 1893 people were forming committees to preserve
the natural
beauty or the mountain and the land around it. After five long years Mt.
Rainier was eventually declared a National Park. Although Mt. Rainier was
the fourth National Park, it was the first to be named so because of it's
sheer beauty. However, because of conflicts over land usage (railroads,
mining, timber etc.), it took many years before road construction would be
approved to enable people the opportunity to experience our new National
Park up close. Some believe it was the 10-piece band that traveled from
Wilkeson to Tacoma in February of 1921 to serenade the county commissioner
as they voted on the issue that finally got it passed.
In August, 1925, the new highway received tremendous newspaper coverage when
Wilkeson finished its huge sandstone arch that read "Gateway to the Carbon
Glacier." The town of Wilkeson dubbed itself "The Wilkeson Way to
Wonderland." The completion of Highway 165 marked the beginning of
another era for the Carbon River. Suddenly the natural wonderland of Mt.
Rainier is all it would take to draw millions
The Road to Mt. Rainier. . .Through the Cascade Foothills
The road between Buckley and Mt. Rainier National Park passes through
Burnett, Wilkeson and Carbonado.
Burnett's business district consists of one store, complete with espresso
stand. Wilkeson is the largest of the three towns and evidence of the coal
mining and logging history of the area is seen in the cemetery just before
the city limits, the old coke ovens still standing on Railroad Street, the
school building near there and the Russian Orthodox Church whose blue onion
domes are visible from the center of town.
Carbonado, which is two miles from Wilkeson, also has an historic school
building.
The last stop for food and water (neither are available in the park) is at
the Wilkeson Grocery Store. Northwest Forest Access passes for the Evan's
Creek ORV area also can be purchased there or at the store in Burnett. The
ORV area is the responsibility of the US Forest Service and is not part of
the national park. Chuck's Service in Wilkeson is also the last place gas is
available
.
The Mt. Rainier National Park Wilderness Information Center is in a small
building in the center of Wilkeson next to the Pick and Shovel Restaurant.
Summer hours are 7:30 am to 6:30 pm Sunday through Thursday and 7:30 am to
8:00 pm Friday and Saturday. The center collects entrance
fees, issues permits for camping and climbing and answers questions about
the park.
About four miles past Carbonado is a one lane-high bridge, also an historic
structure, and then a 'Y' in the road. A right at the 'Y' leads 6 miles up
an unpaved road to the Evan's Creek ORV area and then another 5 miles to the
Mowich Lake entrance to the national park where visitors are asked to
self-pay the entrance fee. A left at the 'Y' leads 6 miles on a paved road
to the Carbon River Entrance. The Carbon River Ranger Station has the same
hours as the Wilkeson station and also issues back
country camping and climbing permits.
For more information phone the Wilkeson Wilderness Information Center
at 360-829-5127 or the Carbon River Ranger Station at 360-829-9639.
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