Getting here:
About 2 hours from downtown Seattle on Gray Line coach tour. Or some 20 minutes after Nisqually Entrance in the southwest precinct of the national park.

Description:
Longmire is reputed to be the main center for winter sport activities in Mount Rainier National Park. Other than that, it is also designated as a Historic District, which accounts for about 3% of the total acreage of Mount Rainier National Park. The remaining 97% is designated as wilderness area.

There is a nice rest stop at Longmire, if nothing else. Certainly a good place to unwind after the slow-moving 60-mile coach journey. Also the view of Mt Rainier from Longmire is considered to be among the best in the national park.

The bus tour continued from Longmire to Paradise with even more steeper ascents and sharp switchbacks. Majestic views of Mt Rainier followed me along the way, along with occasional sights of thundering glacial waterfalls such as Christine Falls and Nevada Falls.