Paradise, at  Mt. Rainier National Park is a world class hiking destination.  We discovered it offers some nice trails that can be navigated with a wheelchair if you are willing to do  some work. We were treated to colorful wildflowers, a beautiful waterfall and spectacular views of the meadows and Mt. Rainier.

    We enjoyed our drive up to Paradise on a sunny day in late summer and parked next to the  rustic Paradise Inn. We started exploring a trail that started at the west end of the lot. At .25 miles we took the waterfall trail that led us on a mild grade along a sidehill filled with wildflowers.  We returned on the Skyline trail to make a nice loop.  We then decided to try the paved path that went to Myrtle Falls. It had some pretty steep sections that had me breathing pretty hard, but it was worth it to see  the pristine falls. It took about an hour to complete the 1 mile round trip. It is common to get close up views of deer in the area.

    We took some time to explore the Jackson  Visitor Center.and enjoyed checking out the shops, interactive displays and films.  A restaurant and accessible restrooms were available.

     A ranger told us about the Shadows of the Past trail located in Longmire, near the west entrance of the park.  It is a mostly level crushed gravel trail that winds through tall trees  for about 1/2 mile to a mineral spring and old log cabin.  We enjoyed reading the historical markers and saw beaver dams.  We explored he grounds around the National Park Inn. Accessible restrooms were available at the Inn.