Mount Rainier National Park's Paradise area was struck with a water outage this past weekend, leaving visitors without access to potable tap water or functioning restrooms. Heavy rains are to blame for the inconvenience, damaging the park's water system. According to KING5, water service was cut off late Friday night, and the restoration timeline remains uncertain.
Crews have been hastily working to bring in supplies to address the necessities at Paradise, with park officials prioritizing the installation of portable toilets. The Seattle Times reported that the closest available restrooms are a significant drive away at the Cougar Rock picnic area and campground, and further south at Longmire. Despite the challenges, limited prepared food and bottled water were still on offer at the Paradise Inn, though they reportedly ran out of bottled water.
A weather station recorded minimal rainfall in the past week, only 0.04 inches, though Paradise received nearly an inch of rain on September 6, which is known to have contributed to the water system's issues. When it came to accommodations, the Paradise Inn — a hotel with history spanning over a century — as well as the Henry M. Jackson Visitor Center, have been left dry since Saturday.
Visitor numbers have surged at Mount Rainier, with last year's count reaching 2.5 million, marking the park’s second-most attended year. Amid this popularity boom, guests like Joellen Wilhelm told The Seattle Times, found themselves without water upon arriving on Friday. They resorted to using the woods for relief and planned lake baths for hygiene. Upon her exit Saturday around 4:00 p.m., Wilhelm witnessed a significant line of cars queuing to enter the park, greeted by the unwelcome digital notice: "No toilets in Paradise."
While this inconvenience has caused a disruption for guests and staff alike, KIRO 7 states that the Paradise Inn is still allowing visitors with the understanding that they need to bring their own water and manage without the in-house restrooms. The park's service remains grateful for the patience of visitors as efforts to resolve the issue continue.
