September is Senior Month at Northwest Trek Wildlife Park!

Seniors (age 65+) enjoy half-price general admission plus a 10% discount at the Forest Café, the gift shop, and Zip Wild challenge courses and ziplines.

Seniors Save at Northwest Trek and Wildlife Park During The Month of September

Now here’s something new to see & do…

• Spot animals on a Discovery Tram Tour through our Free-Roaming area. You can glimpse deer, elk, bighorn sheep, bison, and more.
• Listen for an elk bugle and learn about the behavior of hooved animals during their rut (breeding season).
• Stroll along 5 miles of paved Nature Trails and enjoy gorgeous forest scenery.
• Indulge in ice cream treats, popcorn, sandwiches and more at the Forest Café.
• Bring the grandkids and let their imaginations run wild at Kids’ Trek, the whimsical nature-inspired play area.

Make a weekend out of it! There’s so much to see and do in the area. After you explore Northwest Trek Wildlife Park take advantage of the senior discount at the Mt. Rainier Railroad and Logging Museum. Save time to drive from the wildlife park up to Paradise in Mount Rainier National Park. The waterfalls, trails and sweeping views are great for all ages. Take a steam train ride through the foothills over the Upper Nisqually River. On a clear day you can Mount Rainier from the train. And there are family friendly hikes in the area, guided horseback riding tours through the forest of Elbe, and geocaching tours are also available. Be sure to share your stories and photos from your adventures. We love seeing families explore the Mount Rainier region! Tag us in your posts #VisitRainier

Area Lodging: https://visitrainier.com/lodging/

Area Dining: https://visitrainier.com/lodging/

Elk Bugling Tours at Northwest Trek Wildlife Park

NOW BOOKING FOR 2017

Get a rare glimpse into the wild and wonderful world of Roosevelt elk on these special tours during the “rut” (breeding season).

Enjoy a two-hour, naturalist-guided tour through the park’s free-roaming area, listen for elk calls, look for special postures, and hope to witness some good old-fashioned sparring.

Ages: 13 and up

Time: 8-10 am

Reservations: Required. Please reserve your tickets online.

Rates: Northwest Trek Wildlife Park Members $60; Non-Members $65

This rate includes admission to park on the day of the event, a guided tram tour, and a $5 food voucher to use that day in the Forest Cafe.

2017 Dates:
September 3
September 9
September 10
September 17
September 23
September 24

For lodging near the Elk Bugling Tours click here. 

Elk Bugling Tours at Northwest Trek Wildlife Park

Elk Bugling Tours at Northwest Trek Wildlife Park

NOW BOOKING FOR 2017

Get a rare glimpse into the wild and wonderful world of Roosevelt elk on these special tours during the “rut” (breeding season).

Enjoy a two-hour, naturalist-guided tour through the park’s free-roaming area, listen for elk calls, look for special postures, and hope to witness some good old-fashioned sparring.

Ages: 13 and up

Time: 8-10 am

Reservations: Required. Please reserve your tickets online.

Rates: Northwest Trek Wildlife Park Members $60; Non-Members $65

This rate includes admission to park on the day of the event, a guided tram tour, and a $5 food voucher to use that day in the Forest Cafe.

2017 Dates:
September 3
September 9
September 10
September 17
September 23
September 24

For lodging near the Elk Bugling Tours click here. 

Elk Bugling Tours at Northwest Trek Wildlife Park

Elk Bugling Tours at Northwest Trek Wildlife Park

NOW BOOKING FOR 2017

Get a rare glimpse into the wild and wonderful world of Roosevelt elk on these special tours during the “rut” (breeding season).

Enjoy a two-hour, naturalist-guided tour through the park’s free-roaming area, listen for elk calls, look for special postures, and hope to witness some good old-fashioned sparring.

Ages: 13 and up

Time: 8-10 am

Reservations: Required. Please reserve your tickets online.

Rates: Northwest Trek Wildlife Park Members $60; Non-Members $65

This rate includes admission to park on the day of the event, a guided tram tour, and a $5 food voucher to use that day in the Forest Cafe.

2017 Dates:
September 3
September 9
September 10
September 17
September 23
September 24

For lodging near the Elk Bugling Tours click here. 

Elk Bugling Tours at Northwest Trek Wildlife Park

Steam Train Rides at Mt. Rainier Railroad and Logging Museum

Hard Cider Steam Train (Sept 23/24) 

Enjoy craft beer or cider tastings aboard a steam train ride through the forest and foothills south of Mount Rainier.

Guests aboard the Hard Cider Steam Train enjoy a 3-hour special event that includes a steam train ride, beer/cider tastings, live music, museum admission, and scrumptious meals, snacks, and desserts to delight your palette. These events are exclusively for passengers 21 years of age or older.  Trains depart from the Mount Rainier Railroad depot in Elbe, WA,  at 11:00am and 3:00pm. Reserve your seats for Sept 23/24’s Hard Cider Steam Train excursions at  http://mtrainierrailroad.com/hard-cider-steam-train/  

We will feature various cideries using Pacific Northwest apples across Washington state. Join us for an experiential journey on the Old Milwaukee Road as we enjoy cider, rails, and the forests and foothills of Mt. Rainier all in one afternoon! Sample various Washington cideries and converse with cidermakers on board and at a our historic logging camp destination!

Board your coach from the platform at the historic Elbe Depot, and as you enjoy the ride through the Nisqually Valley and cross rivers and streams in the foothills of Mt. Rainier, you will be introduced to the cideries and enjoy a light sampling of the various beverages you can expect to learn more about at the event site. Once at the Railroad and Logging Museum, full sampling stations from cideries will be set up. Visit each of the cideries to learn how it is made. Several award-winning cideries will be represented on each trip and cidermakers will be anxious to tell you the story of their process and their business.

Your fare for the Hard Cider Steam Train ride includes tastings throughout the excursion, a souvenir Mt. Rainier Railroad and Logging Museum commemorative glass, live musical entertainment, a scrumptious barbeque meal at the museum and dessert served during the train ride home. Be sure to bring your camera to capture all the fun, the beauty, and your own smiling selfies! Extend your adventure. Stay the weekend! Click here to place reservations at local lodgings near the train depot. 

Hard Cider Steam Train Ride

Hard Cider Steam Train FARES:

FIRST CLASS $69.00 STANDARD CLASS $54.00

Book Now! Call 888-STEAM-11 to speak with a friendly reservation agents!

Elk Bugling Tours at Northwest Trek Wildlife Park

NOW BOOKING FOR 2017

Get a rare glimpse into the wild and wonderful world of Roosevelt elk on these special tours during the “rut” (breeding season).

Enjoy a two-hour, naturalist-guided tour through the park’s free-roaming area, listen for elk calls, look for special postures, and hope to witness some good old-fashioned sparring.

Ages: 13 and up

Time: 8-10 am

Reservations: Required. Please reserve your tickets online.

Rates: Northwest Trek Wildlife Park Members $60; Non-Members $65

This rate includes admission to park on the day of the event, a guided tram tour, and a $5 food voucher to use that day in the Forest Cafe.

2017 Dates:
September 3
September 9
September 10
September 17
September 23
September 24

For lodging near the Elk Bugling Tours click here. 

Elk Bugling Tours at Northwest Trek Wildlife Park

Steam Train Rides at Mt. Rainier Railroad and Logging Museum

Hard Cider Steam Train (Sept 23/24) 

Enjoy craft beer or cider tastings aboard a steam train ride through the forest and foothills south of Mount Rainier.

Guests aboard the Hard Cider Steam Train enjoy a 3-hour special event that includes a steam train ride, beer/cider tastings, live music, museum admission, and scrumptious meals, snacks, and desserts to delight your palette. These events are exclusively for passengers 21 years of age or older.  Trains depart from the Mount Rainier Railroad depot in Elbe, WA,  at 11:00am and 3:00pm. Reserve your seats for Sept 23/24’s Hard Cider Steam Train excursions at  http://mtrainierrailroad.com/hard-cider-steam-train/  

We will feature various cideries using Pacific Northwest apples across Washington state. Join us for an experiential journey on the Old Milwaukee Road as we enjoy cider, rails, and the forests and foothills of Mt. Rainier all in one afternoon! Sample various Washington cideries and converse with cidermakers on board and at a our historic logging camp destination!

Hard Cider Steam Train Ride

Board your coach from the platform at the historic Elbe Depot, and as you enjoy the ride through the Nisqually Valley and cross rivers and streams in the foothills of Mt. Rainier, you will be introduced to the cideries and enjoy a light sampling of the various beverages you can expect to learn more about at the event site. Once at the Railroad and Logging Museum, full sampling stations from cideries will be set up. Visit each of the cideries to learn how it is made. Several award-winning cideries will be represented on each trip and cidermakers will be anxious to tell you the story of their process and their business.

Your fare for the Hard Cider Steam Train ride includes tastings throughout the excursion, a souvenir Mt. Rainier Railroad and Logging Museum commemorative glass, live musical entertainment, a scrumptious barbeque meal at the museum and dessert served during the train ride home. Be sure to bring your camera to capture all the fun, the beauty, and your own smiling selfies! Extend your adventure. Stay the weekend! Click here to place reservations at local lodgings near the train depot. 

The National Park Service just turned 100 years old!

Celebrate the start of our second century by visiting a park in 2017. During ten days of the year, all National Park Service sites that charge an entrance fee will offer free admission to everyone. All national parks, including Mount Rainier National Park, will waive entrance fees in 2017.

The entrance fee free days for 2017 will be:

Mark your calendar for these entrance fee–free dates in 2017:

• January 16: Martin Luther King Jr. Day
• February 20: Presidents’ Day
• April 15-16 and 22-23: Weekends of National Park Week
• August 25: National Park Service Birthday
• September 30: National Public Lands Day
• November 11-12: Veterans Day Weekend

Whether you seek an exhilarating hike through the wilderness, or prefer relaxed strolls through a meadow of wildflowers, there are plenty of ways to enjoy some of the wide range of national park experiences that Mount Rainier has been providing since 1899. Centennial activities and events will be posted online to the park’s calendar throughout 2017. Keep updated on park happenings, discover things to do, and learn more about the park’s many resources by visiting www.nps.gov/mora.

Mount Rainier’s current entrance fee is $25/car, $10/person walk-in or bike-in. The park’s annual pass is twice the cost of a seven day pass and provides an entire year of unlimited visits. Entrance and camping fees are used to maintain facilities and provide services that directly benefit visitors, and are a critical source of funding at Mount Rainier and other parks. The entrance waiver on fee-free days does not cover the costs of camping site fees, Special Use Permits, or Climbing Passes. Mount Rainier also offers park annual passes for $40, which provides an entire year of park access to the pass holder. Other available passes also cover entrance fees at national parks and other federal recreational lands throughout the country. Find more information about the range of options at www.nps.gov/findapark/passes.htm, or pick up a pass of your own at the park’s entrance booths.

Area Lodging in Mount Rainier National Park: Visitors will find options located in the park visitors for camping and overnight accommodations at the Paradise Inn  and the National Inn. Guests are encouraged to place reservations early as these popular options can sell out quickly. For additional places to stay be sure to look at our lodging pages for cabin rentals, lodges, motels, country inns and campgrounds outside the park in our gateway communities.

Area Dining in Mount Rainier National Park: Located in the National Park visitors will find two full service restaurants, the two full service restaurants are the National Park Inn Restaurant, and Paradise Inn Restaurant. Visitors will also find a snack bar and general store. There are over 100 area restaurants located in our gateway communities! When planning your visit remember that Mount Rainier National Park covers over 369 miles and it takes approximately an hour and thirty minutes to drive from one side of the park to the other.

Rails to Ales Event at Mt. Rainier Railroad and Logging Museum

Craft beer lovers, mark your calendars!

The annual Rails to Ales event is Saturday, June 3 and Sunday June 4, 2017. Various craft breweries using Pacific Northwest hops and fermenting their craft across Washington state will be featured. Enjoy an experiential journey on the Eastern Railway of the Milwaukee Road to enjoy beer, rails, and the forests and foothills of Mt. Rainier all in one afternoon! This chugga-chugga choo-choo event is exclusively for ticketholders 21 years of age or older, so be sure to remember your ID. Tickets include a round trip steam train ride, catered refreshments, live entertainment, 3 drink tickets and a souvenir mug.

On board guests will have beer tastings during the train ride through the forest and foothills south of Mount Rainier. The train will carry guests across the Upper Nisqually River to the logging museum site in Mineral, Washington. Passengers will get off the train and head past the exhibits towards our picnic and event area.  Wingman Brewers will have more beer on tap. We’ll spend an hour and a half here for the meal and entertainment, giving you time to browse the museum exhibits. The engineer will sound the whistle four times signaling it’s time to board for the return trip back to the depot. Make sure you fill your mug for the train ride back.

Advance reservations for this catered event are required. Call 888-STEAM-11 or place reservations online at www.mtrainierrailroad.com.

Area Lodging Near the Rails to Ales Events: within walking distance guests will find the Hobo Inn, a roadside motel made out of converted cabooses. A short drive away is an array of cabin rentals, historic lodges, and country inns. Click here for the extensive list of accommodations.

Area Dining Near the Rails to Ales Events: come early and stay late. Within walking distance of the train station guests will find a diner in a train car, a pizzeria with outdoor seating, a local bar and grill, and a burger shack with outstanding milkshakes! Just a short drive from the depot in nearby Ashford you’ll find an array of casual dining options. Click here for the list.

Rails to Ales Departure Dates: June 3-4, July 2, September 30, and October 1, 2017.

Sample various Washington craft beers and converse with brewers on board and at a our historic logging camp destination! Select breweries from around Washington will provide beers to sample. Beers sampled may include porters, stouts, IPAs, Hefeweizens, sour ales, and witbiers.

Board your coach from the platform at the historic Elbe Depot, and as you enjoy the ride through the Nisqually Valley and cross rivers and streams in the foothills of Mt. Rainier, you will be introduced to the breweries and enjoy a light sampling of the various beverages you can expect to learn more about at the event site.

Once at the Railroad and Logging Museum, full sampling stations from breweries will be set up. Visit each of the breweries to learn how it is made. Between tastings, cleanse your palate with hors d’oeuvres selected just for this special event. Several award-winning breweries will be represented on each trip and brewers will be anxious to tell you the story of their hops, the brewing process, and their business.

Your fare includes tastings throughout the excursion, one glass of beer of your choice served in your souvenir Mt. Rainier Railroad and Logging Museum commemorative cup, live musical entertainment, a scrumptious meal at the museum and dessert served during the train ride home. Be sure to bring your camera to capture all the fun, the beauty, and your own smiling selfies!

SCHEDULE – FIRST EXCURSION:

10:30-10:45AM: Boarding time at Elbe Depot

11:00AM: Train leaves Elbe Depot

11:30AM: Train arrives in Mineral’s Railroad and Logging Museum

TWO HOURS OF FUN AT MINERAL’S RAILROAD AND LOGGING MUSEUM!

1:30PM: Train leaves Mineral’s Railroad and Logging Museum

2:00PM: Train arrives Elbe Depot

SCHEDULE – SECOND EXCURSION:

2:30-2:45PM: Boarding time at Elbe Depot

3:00PM: Train leaves Elbe Depot

3:30PM: Train arrives in Mineral’s Railroad and Logging Museum

TWO HOURS OF FUN AT MINERAL’S RAILROAD AND LOGGING MUSEUM!

5:30PM: Train leaves Mineral’s Railroad and Logging Museum

6:00PM: Train arrives Elbe Depot

(all times are subject to change and are dependent on current circumstances)

FARES: FIRST CLASS $69.00 / STANDARD CLASS $54.00

Important information:

~This train event is an Adult-only event. Everyone MUST be at least 21 years of age with valid ID. IDs will be checked before boarding.

~You cannot bring your own alcoholic beverages on board.

~The event area is in an outdoor area of a historic logging camp. Please dress according to weather conditions both current and anticipated. You can expect cool or rainy weather any time in Washington! Sturdy walking shoes are recommended.

~Restrooms are available at event site.

~Remember to drink responsibly and have a great time!

Rails to Ales Event at Mt. Rainier Railroad and Logging Museum