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Historic site · Ashford, Washington State
Longmire
The park’s former headquarters in the forest beside the Nisqually River, with rustic stone-and-wood buildings, a small museum and the Trail of the Shadows loop around the mineral springs.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Discover
About Longmire
Longmire is about 10 km from the Nisqually entrance, at 842 meters elevation. The site is named for James Longmire, who in 1883 descended from Mount Rainier’s summit and found mineral springs there. The following year he opened a trail and built cabins, and his family began hosting visitors drawn to the waters.
When the park was established in 1899, Longmire became the visitor hub, and in the 1910s the National Park Service moved its headquarters there. The 1916 administration building, built of stone and logs, houses the Longmire Museum, with objects from the park’s history, mounted animals and exhibits about the region’s Indigenous peoples.
The complex forms a historic district with dozens of structures in the national parks’ rustic style. The Trail of the Shadows, a loop of about 1.2 km, passes the mineral springs, an 1888 cabin built by one of Longmire’s sons and a meadow with a view of Rainier.
Longmire is also the trailhead for longer hikes, such as the Rampart Ridge trail and the Wonderland Trail, which circumnavigates the mountain in roughly 150 km.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
About an hour for the museum and the Trail of the Shadows.
Best time
Year-round, since the area sits below the heavy-snow line. In summer it’s a stop on the way to Paradise; in winter it’s a starting point for snowshoe outings.
How to get there
On Highway 706, about 10 km from the Nisqually entrance and roughly 20 km from Ashford. It’s on the route to Paradise. The same park entry ticket used for Paradise covers Longmire; check the park’s website.
Tip
Do the Trail of the Shadows on the way to Paradise: it’s flat and shows the mineral springs that gave the place its origin. The museum is small and fits a quick stop.
Official website
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Longmire
What to see in Longmire, Mount Rainier?
The museum in the park’s old administration building and the Trail of the Shadows, which passes the mineral springs and an 1888 cabin.
Is Longmire on the way to Paradise?
Yes, about 10 km from the Nisqually entrance, on the road that leads up to Paradise.
Who was James Longmire?
A pioneer who, in 1883, found the site’s mineral springs after descending from Mount Rainier’s summit and established the mountain’s first accommodation there.