Mount Rainier National Park
Washington Est. 1899

Mount Rainier National Park

Mountains Glacier Forest
Plan a visit Check conditions
Established
1899
Size
236,382 acres
Visitors / yr
2.3M
Entrance
$30
Best season
July through September
Nearest airport
SEA Seattle-Tacoma International
Danger: WILDFIRE CLOSURES: Sunrise, White River, & northern trails. +7 more Details Wildfire Tracker
01

Why Mount Rainier is worth the trip

Washington · Established 1899

Rainier is less a mountain than a presence. The 14,411-foot volcano carries 26 named glaciers, more ice than any other peak in the contiguous United States, and it looms over the Puget Sound region like a moon that landed. Up close the scale recalibrates. What reads as a snowfield from the road turns out to be a glacier seamed with crevasses.

The meadows set your calendar. For a few midsummer weeks, Paradise and Sunrise erupt with lupine, paintbrush, and avalanche lilies, entire hillsides of wildflowers running up against hanging ice. Walk the Skyline Trail out of Paradise for the classic dose. And check the forecast before you commit. The mountain makes its own weather and can hide for days, but when it is out, the whole state knows it.

Start with our full Mount Rainier guide, then use the planning below.

02

Top things to do in Mount Rainier

Where we would start, and what we would plan a day around. Read the full guide.

Mount Rainier National Park
Start here

20 Things to Do at Mount Rainier National Park

Read the guide
01 Hike to Silver Falls Hiking · nps.gov Hike to Silver Falls Enjoy a moderate, family-friendly loop hike through the forest to a beautiful waterfall along the Ohanapecosh River. 02 Hike to Spray Falls Hiking · nps.gov Hike to Spray Falls Enjoy a short hike from Mowich Lake to a large cascading waterfall fed by a glacier. 03 Hike Rampart Ridge Hiking · nps.gov Hike Rampart Ridge This loop trail explores the forest around Longmire, with glimpses of Mount Rainier and the Nisqually River Valley. 04 Climbing Mount Rainier Mountain Climbing · nps.gov Climbing Mount Rainier Mount Rainier, the most heavily glaciated peak in the contiguous United States, offers an exciting challenge to the mountaineer. Climbers must be in excellent...
03

Best hikes in Mount Rainier

The trails that define the park, with the distance and elevation numbers that decide your day.

1 The Skyline Trail The hike to do if you can only do one. 2 Pinnacle Peak Trail Wide panoramic views of Rainier and wildflowers all summer. 3 Mount Fremont Lookout A fire lookout and our personal favorite trail in the park. 4 Tolmie Peak Trail Views said to be among the best in the park. 5 Sourdough Ridge Trail Ridge views good enough to end up as TV screensavers.
All Mount Rainier hikes
Before you go

Get the Mount Rainier heads-up

Permit windows, closures and seasonal alerts, plus our best Mount Rainier guides, in your inbox before you go. Free, no spam.

04

Plan your trip

Our guides for the big decisions, plus the gear, maps and lodging we would actually use for Mount Rainier.

Things to Do Best Hikes Fun Facts

Where to stay

Gateway towns with lodging, food and outfitters.

  • Ashford, WAGateway town
  • Packwood, WAGateway town
  • Enumclaw, WAGateway town
  • Cougar Rock Campground 179 sites · Reserve
  • Ohanapecosh Campground 179 sites · Reserve
Compare stays near Mount Rainier

Maps & guides

Carry paper. Cell service dies fast inside most parks.

Mount Rainier Trails Illustrated map
Waterproof National Geographic topo of the park.
View on Amazon
Mount Rainier field guide
Trail-by-trail detail and planning help in print.
View on Amazon
America the Beautiful pass
$80 a year. Covers entrance fees at more than 2,000 federal recreation sites.
Get the pass

What to bring

Field-tested picks we bring on park trips.

  • Trekking Poles
    Save your knees on steep descents and river crossings. View on REI
  • Rain Jacket
    Mountain weather turns fast. Pack a shell even on clear mornings. View on REI
  • Fleece Jacket
    Mid-layer warmth for alpine mornings and evening campfires. View on REI
  • Hiking Boots
    Ankle support and grip for rocky, uneven terrain. View on REI

Getting there

  • SEA Seattle-Tacoma International 90 mi
NPS Official Page Reservations Google Maps

Some links in this section are affiliate links. If you book or buy through them we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend what we would use ourselves.

Mount Rainier map

VC Visitor Center CG Campground Nearby Park
05

When to go

Loading weather...

Month-by-Month Conditions

Tap any month for details

Month
High
Low
Crowds
Roads
Jan
34°
24°
Low
Partial
Feb
34°
23°
Low
Partial
Mar
36°
24°
Low
Partial
Apr
40°
26°
Low
Partial
May
48°
33°
Light
Partial
Jun
54°
37°
Peak
Open
Jul Best
62°
44°
Peak
Open
Aug Best
64°
45°
Peak
Open
Sep Best
57°
41°
Peak
Open
Oct
46°
33°
Moderate
Partial
Nov
37°
26°
Low
Partial
Dec
33°
22°
Low
Partial
Best months to visit Crowd level (low to peak)
06

More Mount Rainier guides

07

Parks near Mount Rainier

Within reach if you are building a longer trip.

Olympic National Park
Washington

Olympic

105 miles away
North Cascades National Park
Washington

North Cascades

133 miles away
Crater Lake National Park
Oregon

Crater Lake

278 miles away
Glacier National Park
Montana

Glacier

390 miles away

Worth protecting

Mount Rainier belongs to all of us

Protections that took generations to win can be rolled back in a single session of Congress. We keep watch so they hold.

See what's at stake Join the fight for Washington

Threatened Lands Map

Follow what's happening on federal lands across the country with our interactive map.

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