The best Hikes in Mount Rainier National Park
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Hikes in Mount Rainier National Park
Mount Rainier National Park is without a doubt one of the prettiest National Parks in the US. There is so much to do in the park, but my favorite thing to do is hike! There are over 240 miles of hiking trails in Mount Rainier National Park.
Some hikes at Mount Rainier lead to incredible waterfalls, and some lead to epic views, but every hike in the park is gorgeous! Choosing the best hike at Mount Rainier is a hard task. Do you want a hike with the best view of Mt Rainier? Do you want easy Mount Rainier hiking? Do you want the most popular hike at Mount Rainier? In this post, I’ll break down the best hikes for you, so read on to find the best hike at Mount Rainier for you!
Mount Rainier National Park
Where is Mount Rainier?
Mount Rainier is located just a few hours outside of Seattle Washington. If you don’t plan on doing any hiking you can experience Mount Rainier in a day, but the best way to really appreciate Mount Rainier is to hit the trails. If you want to really see the best of Mount Rainier National Park, you should allow at least 3 days of hiking in Mount Rainier National Park.
Where are the hikes at Mount Rainier National Park?
Paradise is the most popular area. It is located in the South West region of the park. This is where you will find the best hikes! Many of Mount Rainier’s waterfalls are found in the Paradise Area. This area is popular year-round with snowshoeing and sledding available in the winter.
The North-East portion of the park is called the Sunrise area and is the highest point in the park. This is where you will find the best wildflower hikes in the late summer.
Ohanapecosh is located in the SE of the park and contains old-growth forests. It is absolutely incredible. Be sure and visit the Grove of the Patriarchs hike while here. (Due to flooding this area is currently closed, be sure and check closures on NPS before going!
Finally, the NW portion of the park is called Carbon River. Here there is no vehicle access, but you can bike or hike any time.
What is the elevation of Mount Rainier?
Mount Rainier is a volcano and part of the Cascade Range. This same mountain range is found in North Cascades National Park, Mount St Helens, Crater Lake National Park and Lassen National Park! The summit of Mount Rainier is 14,411 feet tall! Almost anywhere you go in the park you will be treated to breathtaking views of this giant. From some of the hikes, you can also see other volcanoes in the range, such as Mount St Helens, and Mount Adams.
Because Mount Rainier is so enormous, it sometimes creates its own weather. Be sure and always check with NPS to view the current weather and closures at Mount Rainier before deciding to go hiking.
When to hike at Mount Rainier
You can access the park year-round in different areas. Generally speaking, the only area available in the winter is Paradise. You can snowshoe the hiking trails here in the winter. In the late Spring, Summer, and Fall you can take advantage of the entire park. The wildflower season is late summer, and the fall colors make for incredible hikes!
Keep in mind the weather can change suddenly, always come prepared with the 10 essentials of hiking, let someone know where you will be hiking, and dress in layers to prepare for weather changes.
I also highly recommend that you take advantage of the National Park Service App. This great tool is completely free and contains so much information to make your park visit easier. While outside the park, download any trail information or details you want from the app and you will have access to them even when you don’t have service inside the park! This app is a total game changer for me! I love it. You can get information on downloading the NPS app here.
What is the weather at Mount Rainier?
Paradise weather by month
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| High deg F | 33 | 34 | 36 | 40 | 48 | 53 | 62 | 63 | 56 | 47 | 36 | 32 |
| Low def F | 22 | 22 | 23 | 26 | 32 | 37 | 43 | 44 | 40 | 33 | 25 | 21 |
| Days of Rain | 19 | 17 | 20 | 17 | 13 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 14 | 19 | 20 |
Sunrise weather by month
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| High deg F | 31 | 29 | 32 | 36 | 45 | 49 | 60 | 60 | 53 | 42 | 32 | 28 |
| Low deg F | 21 | 18 | 20 | 23 | 29 | 33 | 40 | 41 | 37 | 30 | 23 | 18 |
| Days of Rain | 18 | 18 | 23 | 17 | 13 | 10 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 16 | 22 | 20 |
Best Easy Hikes in Mount Rainier National Park
There are several easy hikes at Mount Rainier. These quick and easy hikes allow you to see more of the park in a shorter time and can often be combined with other hikes in the same area. This allows you to do as little or as much as your time and physical abilities allow.
Grove of the Patriarchs
- Length- 1.1 miles
- Type- out and back
- Best time to hike- summer and fall
- Entrance of the park to use- Ohanapechosh (SE)
- What to expect- Grove of the patriarchs is an easy walk through an old-growth forest. You’ll traverse over boardwalks, well-maintained dirt paths, and over a bridge. The highlight of the trail is without a doubt the trees! Douglas Firs, and Cedars that are so big, and so old you’ll not believe your eyes! Some are more than 25 ft in circumference, at least one approaching 50 ft, and some are over 1,000 years old.
Nisqually Vista Trail
- Length- 1.1 miles
- Type- loop
- Best time to hike- Summer to fall (can snowshoe this in the winter)
- Entrance of the park to use- Paradise
- What to expect- Nisqually Vista trail begins in the parking lot behind the Paradise lodge. The trail is paved the entire way. This is a busy hike that is good for all ages. You will have beautiful views of Mount Rainier from the Nisqually Vista Trail. Late summer you will see the wildlflowers and in the fall you may see black bears foraging for berries.
Tipsoo Lake Loop
- Length- .8 miles
- Type- loop
- Best time to hike- Summer and Fall
- Entrance of the park to use- Paradise, or Chinook Pass
- What to expect- Expect it to be busy on weekends. You will have great views of Mount Rainer, excellent wildflowers in the summer, and fall foliage in the autumn. This is a flat, quick hike around a little lake. You can combine this with the Naches Peak hike for a longer hike.
Sunrise Nature Trail
Length- 1.5 mile
Type- loop
Best time to hike- summer and fall
Entrance of the park to use- Sunrise
What to expect- Expect crowds and bugs. Be sure to bring bug repellant. The trail is paved, but uphill quite steep on the way up. You’ll have gorgeous views of Mount Rainier from here, and it will seem closer and larger than the views from Paradise hikes.
Best Moderately Difficult Hiking Trails at Mount Rainier
Tolmie Peak Trail
Length- 7.5 miles
Type- out and back
Best time to hike- summer
Entrance of the park to use- Carbon River
What to expect- Tolmie Peak goes to an old fire lookout and offers views of Mount Rainier, Eunice Lake, and the Carbon River. The trail to Tolmie Peak is pretty steep and has a 1541-foot elevation gain. Bring bug spray!
Freemont Lookout
Length- 5.7 miles
Type- out and back
Best time to hike- Summer and Fall
Entrance of the park to use- Sunrise
What to expect- Go at sunrise for an unbelievable experience! There is not much shade, so if you go mid-day bring sun protection. Watch for mountain goats and black bears.
Emmons Moraine Trail
Length- 4.1 miles
Type- out and back
Best time to hike- summer to fall
Entrance of the park to use- White River/Sunrise
What to expect- You’ll see waterfalls, meadows, and a beautiful turquoise lake formed from the runoff of the glacier. You will also have great views of Mount Rainier from the Emmons Moraine Trail. You will have to do a river crossing on this hike, so be prepared for that.
Best Difficult Hikes at Mount Rainier
Skyline Trail
Length-6.2 miles
Type- loop
Best time to hike- summer to fall
Entrance of the park to use- Paradise
What to expect- This is the BEST hike at Mount Rainier National Park. Hands down, the best. If you only do one hike, do this! You’ll see meadows, glaciers, and views of the valleys and mountains. On a clear day, you can see Mt St Helens and Mt Adams. You can see marrmots, bears, birds, wildflowers, and waterfalls. Hike the Skyline Trail counterclockwise for the best views of Mount Rainier.
Camp Muir
Length-8.4 miles
Type- out and back
Best time to hike- summer
Entrance of the park to use- Paradise
What to expect- This is not to be taken lightly or hiek by those inexperienced or unprepared. You’ll be traversing dangerous conditions and need to prepare for all weather. This is the trail you will use if you are attempting to summit Mount Rainier. This is the highest point you can get on the mountain without a permit. You will cross a snowfield that can be icy and dangerous. It is easy to lose your way on way back down and you should bring a compass. Also note the altitude and prepare for the thinner air.
Wonderland Trail
Length- 93 miles. Yes, 93 miles.
Type- encircles Mt Rainier
Best time to hike- summer
What to expect- You’ll need anywhere from 4 days to 2 weeks to complete this hike. Permits are required. You can have meeting places for friends to drop off supplies so you aren’t carrying as much at one time. There are 20 camps along the way, you’ll need to judge your abilities and plan your hike around arriving at an appropriate camp each day. Please if you do this hike, tag me in some photos so I can see!
Mount Rainier Hiking
As you can see, Mount Rainier offers hiking and adventure for all skill levels and interests. I know you will find a hike you love at Mount Rainier National Park!
Now that you’ve hiked, check out these hiking quotes and captions for Instagram. If you have more time in Washington State, don’t miss the best hikes in Olympic National Park too!
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