This Is One of the Most Beautiful Train Rides in the Pacific Northwest-With Retro Cars and Clear Mount Rainier Views

"We run on the Tacoma and Eastern rail line. Beginning in 1906, that's what people used to take to get to the entrance of the national park at Ashford, Washington. From there, they'd take stagecoaches up to Paradise Inn."

"As you travel, you head into the woods, following the river, and often in springtime, we see elk. We cross the Nisqually River, and that's where you get your view of Mount Rainier."

"Established in 1980 as a heritage rail route, Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad's vintage locomotives run along routes that were once used by the region's logging companies to harvest Douglas firs and red cedar. The old rail lines have since been reimagined as one of Washington's most beautiful slow-travel experiences."

Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad, established in 1980, operates heritage rail service between Elbe and Mineral, Washington, using a 1922 steam locomotive. The route follows the original Tacoma and Eastern rail line that transported tourists to Mount Rainier National Park's entrance in the early 1900s. After pandemic closure, a team of railway enthusiasts revived the nonprofit in 2023. The seasonal service runs February through December, offering passengers views of Mount Rainier from the Nisqually River Trestle, wildlife sightings including elk, and an immersive journey through dense forests and river valleys. Adult tickets cost $34 and children's tickets $15.

Read at Travel + Leisure