Location: SW corner of the park Access: Open year-round Mount
Rainier National Park's first visitor center and park entrance
station, Longmire has been welcoming visitors since the 1880s.
Located in the southwest corner of the park in magnificent old-
growth forest along the Nisqually River, Longmire is just 16
miles east of Ashford. But when it was founded by intrepid
Northwest emigrant James Longmire in 1883, it was quite remote
and far removed from any population centers. Longmire arrived in
Washington Territory in 1853 via wagon train over the Cascades
at Naches Pass just north of Mount Rainier. Settling on a
prairie in Yelm within sight of the great volcano, Longmire set
out exploring, ascending, and eventually guiding others up it.
One night in 1883 while camped near the Nisqually River,
Longmire's horses went astray. In pursuit of them, he stumbled
upon a series of small mineral springs. It didn't take long
afterwards for him to develop a rustic resort at the springs and
build a trail to Ashford. In 189