View Full Version : Public transportation Seattle/Rainier Area
I'm backpacking the Wonderland and Northern Loop Trails after flying to Seattle August 23rd. To circumvent paying for a rental car sitting at a trailhead for numerous days, I would be interested in learning of buses, or shuttles from airport to Mt Rainier Nat'l Park (Longmire), from Longmire To Sunrise within the park, and from Sunrise to the airport or a rental car agency (whichever is closest).
chiefiepoo
06-29-2010, 18:56
No good news to share, garbanz. I tried a similar scheme several years ago and wound up with the rental car sitting most of the time. Greyline tours operates an in and out one day tour from seattle but they specifically dissallow, in one day, out xx days later. Was thinking about Craigs list for a hop my next time.
chiefiepoo
06-29-2010, 19:04
I checked amtrak and while they often run thier "thruway buses" to several NP destinations there is no connecting service to Ranier. On the other hand, since my Ranier trip with a rental car ride and park for two weeks, i have been going to Glacier NP. AMtrak drops you off at the west park entrance and after a 2 mile walk / hitch to the transportation center, the entire park and many trail heads are readily accessible. Glacier NP = no car needed!
Just for the record and common knowledge I have exhausted all avenues of getting a bus ride or shuttle for this trip. Since I may want to do a side trip to either St Helens, the Ozzette Loop or Goat Rocks Im now planning on breaking down and shelling out the cash for a rental car.
hikingjer
07-06-2010, 21:56
Even though you're getting a rental car...
There's a shuttle from Ashford to Paradise on weekends to keep traffic down and to deal with parking problems- http://www.nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/shuttle.htm
But getting from SeaTac to Ashford will be the problem. Here's some good info here on this NWhikers.net thread (2006 - 2009) - http://www.nwhikers.net/forums/viewtopic.php?p=190903
(http://www.nwhikers.net/forums/viewtopic.php?p=190903)
Here's some advice on getting to Ashford - http://mountainguides.com/help-travel.shtml
Also: http://www.visitrainier.com/pg/transportation/Transportation-Options-to-Mt-Rainier-National-Park
ytsuejam
08-15-2010, 22:02
From the Sea-Tac Airport to the Tacoma Dome Station:Sound Transit ( there are 3 different buses that run
From the Tacoma Dome Station: Pierce Transit bus #1 from downtown Tacoma to the Walmart, which isn't that far from the park.
A few dollars to go from SeaTac to dang near the park is too stoopid to pass up.
I guess a taxi from walmart to the park.
soundtransit.org
piercetransit.org
Patrick
Shadowmoss
08-16-2010, 00:24
Where the heck is the Walmart? I've driven to the park from Tacoma 5 or 6 times in the last 2 years, and don't recall it. And... a taxi out there? It's not exactly an urban area.
garlic08
08-16-2010, 09:12
I looked at the Pierce County bus map. The Walmart is at the southern edge of Tacoma. It's still 50 road miles to the closest WT trailhead at Mowich Lake, which means a $100-plus taxi fare.
The road to Mowich Lake where it splinters off (the left way goes to Carbon River, right uphill to Mowich) is unpaved from just beyond the junction. It may be a state highway but is a crappy FS road for its condition!
It isn't cheap no matter what to get a ride - for example I live 64 miles from Sunrise and I live at the base of the foothills. To get a ride from someone in Seattle you add on another 20 to 40 miles. And gas is $3 a gallon out here these days. If you go from Seattle to Longmire it is a long drive as well.
Rainier is pretty much in the middle of nowhere. And that is a big part of the charm - even though roads go around it, it isn't accessible in the way of some parks. At least 2 of the roads even though they are state highways do not allow commercial vehicles unless they have permits issued - Hwy 410 (Sunrise and White River) and Hwy 123.
Craigslist is a choice but you may get better results from posting at NWHikers.net - but please...run the mileage and offer a REAL amount of money! As well....plan in enough time - 100 miles of rural driving takes a lot longer than you might expect.
ytsuejam
08-17-2010, 23:20
well with the bus and the sunrise shuttle,maybe you can arrange a shuttle from wally world to ashford.