Outside of Mount Rainier National Park, half a dozen wilderness areas cover more than 356,000 acres of mountainous Forest Service terrain in the Mt. Rainier area. The largest of these—Norse Peak, William O. Douglas, and Goat Rocks Wilderness Areas—form an almost continuous reach of wild country along the crest of the southern Cascades, broken only by Highway 410 near Chinook Pass and Highway 12 at White Pass.

A fee of $5 per vehicle per day is charged at all Forest Service trailheads. A better option is the $30 annual Northwest Forest Pass (800/270-7504, www.fs.fed.us/r6/passespermits/nwfp), which can be used at most Washington national forests and is available at any Forest Service office. Or, if you plan on traveling the park, pick up an $80 America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Annual Pass. Seniors over age 62 can pay a one-time fee of $10 for a lifetime pass, and disabled visitors can obtain one for free at the park’s entrance.

Also be sure to pick up a free, self-issued wilderness permit at all wilderness trailheads before hiking out.