Mount Rainier National Park is located in west-central Washington and is ideal for hiking, mountain climbing and scenic drives. Most roads are open from late May to early October, which allow for both stunning views and access to a wide range of hiking trails and other sites. Hikers will find forests with cedar, hemlock, and fir trees as well as streams and wildflower meadows. On Rainier's alpine slopes, visitors will find firs, glaciers, and tundra.
According to the National Park Service, "at 14,410 feet Mount Rainier is the highest peak in the Cascade Range. From various locations around the park you can see four other Cascade volcanoes: Mount St. Helens, Mt Adams, Mt Baker, and Glacier Peak. On a clear day, you can see the tip of Mt Hood, in northern Oregon, from Paradise Meadows." (Source: http://www.nps.gov/mora/historyculture/index.htm).
According to the National Park Service, "at 14,410 feet Mount Rainier is the highest peak in the Cascade Range. From various locations around the park you can see four other Cascade volcanoes: Mount St. Helens, Mt Adams, Mt Baker, and Glacier Peak. On a clear day, you can see the tip of Mt Hood, in northern Oregon, from Paradise Meadows." (Source: http://www.nps.gov/mora/historyculture/index.htm).
Trails
Summary
Difficulty
Distance
Grove of the Patriarchs
Easy nature trail through 1000 year old huge old growth Cedar, and Douglas fir trees at Mt. Rainier National Park.
Easy nature trail through 1000 year old huge old growth Cedar, and Douglas fir trees at Mt. Rainier National Park.
Easy
1.2 mi
1.9 km
1.9 km
Naches Peak and Tipsoo Lake Loop - Mt. Rainier National Park
A beautiful hike with minimal elevation gain around Naches Peak with an option to visit Dewey Lake.
A beautiful hike with minimal elevation gain around Naches Peak with an option to visit Dewey Lake.
Moderate
3.0 mi
4.8 km
4.8 km
Crystal Peak - Mount Rainier National Park
Climb this peak within the Mount Rainier National Park for great views of the massive volcano and surrounding peaks.
Climb this peak within the Mount Rainier National Park for great views of the massive volcano and surrounding peaks.
Moderate
5.5 mi
8.9 km
8.9 km
Tolmie Peak Fire Tower Hike on the Wonderland Trail
Take this short hike on the Wonderland Trail in Rainier National Park for great views from a fire tower of the volcano
Take this short hike on the Wonderland Trail in Rainier National Park for great views from a fire tower of the volcano
Moderate
5.9 mi
9.5 km
9.5 km
Noble Knob
A nice hike into the Norse Peak Wilderness with fantastic views of several Cascade Volcanoes
A nice hike into the Norse Peak Wilderness with fantastic views of several Cascade Volcanoes
Moderate
7.0 mi
11.3 km
11.3 km
Sunrise Rim Trail Loop and Mt. Freemont Lookout
A loop trail on the northeast side of Mt. Rainier to Burroughs Mountain & Frozen Lake with a side trip to Mt. Freemont
A loop trail on the northeast side of Mt. Rainier to Burroughs Mountain & Frozen Lake with a side trip to Mt. Freemont
Moderate
7.5 mi
12.1 km
12.1 km
Mazama Ridge - Cowlitz Rock Ski Tour
Backcountry ski touring Mazama Ridge and the base of Paradise Glacier on Mt. Rainier
Backcountry ski touring Mazama Ridge and the base of Paradise Glacier on Mt. Rainier
Moderate
8.0 mi
12.9 km
12.9 km
Burroughs Mountain Loop Via Glacier Basin
This hike will bring you up the drainage of the Inter Glacier and return you over the broad Burroughs Mountain.
This hike will bring you up the drainage of the Inter Glacier and return you over the broad Burroughs Mountain.
Moderate
11.0 mi
17.7 km
17.7 km
Flett Glacier Summer Ski Tour
Summer skiing at its best on the Northwest face of Mt. Rainier.
Summer skiing at its best on the Northwest face of Mt. Rainier.
Moderate
11.0 mi
17.7 km
17.7 km
Paradise Inn to Panorama Point-Snow Hike
Hike from Paradise Inn to Panorama Point on the slopes of Mt Rainier when the trail is covered in snow.
Hike from Paradise Inn to Panorama Point on the slopes of Mt Rainier when the trail is covered in snow.
Difficult
2.9 mi
4.7 km
4.7 km
Mt. Rainier Standard Summit Route
Three day climb via Camp Muir, Ingraham Glacier & Disappointment Cleaver
Three day climb via Camp Muir, Ingraham Glacier & Disappointment Cleaver
Difficult
15.1 mi
24.3 km
24.3 km
Guides
Skiing the Muir Snowfield on Mt. Rainier
Backcountry ski touring Mazama Ridge and the base of Paradise Glacier on Mt. Rainier
Backcountry ski tour to the summit of Naches Peak
Explore the snowfields and glaciers of Mt. Rainier during winter or summer.
Take this short hike on the Wonderland Trail in Rainier National Park for great views from a fire tower of the volcano
Summer skiing at its best on the Northwest face of Mt. Rainier.
Easy nature trail through 1000 year old huge old growth Cedar, and Douglas fir trees at Mt. Rainier National Park.
Three day climb via Camp Muir, Ingraham Glacier & Disappointment Cleaver
Hike from Paradise Inn to Panorama Point on the slopes of Mt Rainier when the trail is covered in snow.
A beautiful hike with minimal elevation gain around Naches Peak with an option to visit Dewey Lake.
Climb this peak within the Mount Rainier National Park for great views of the massive volcano and surrounding peaks.
A nice hike into the Norse Peak Wilderness with fantastic views of several Cascade Volcanoes
Community Trips
Rolling Thunder is the annual mountain bike epic that my buddies and I try to schedule each year, and this year it took us to The Palisades Trail off of Highway 410 between Greenwater and Mount Rainier. One of our participants was not riding and he graciously offered to shuttle us from our starting point at the Skookum Flats Trailhead near Bear Creek up to the Noble Knob Trailhead at Corral Pass....
This was a RMI guided hike up Mt Rainier on the Disappointment Cleaver route. The RMI trip starts in the morning with a hike to Camp Muir. After an overnight at Muir, we started at 1:30AM up the upper section on the mountain. We reached the top of the Cleaver at first light and summitted on a cloudless, windless morning at 7:30AM. I dropped my pack at the crater rim (leaving GPS...
Palisades Lakes Trail from Sunrise Point, Mount Rainier National Park
Sunrise, Washington, United States
7.2 miles
7.2 miles
For the yearly backpacking trip we had thought about for a few years trying to do part of the wonderland trail. This year after much debate we finally made it. We didn't have time to make advance reservations so we basically took the route the range gave us from availability.The route was quite difficult with day 1 from Sunrise to Mystic Lake, being much longer than expected. We were pretty beat by...
Day 1: Climb to Camp Muir [CM]
1115 - 5.3K' - Maria and I depart Paradise Visitor's Center.1800 - 10.1K' - Arrive at CM; camp overnight.
Day 2: Move the camp from CM to Ingraham Flats [IF] at 11K'.1245 - 10K' - Depart CM.1430 - 11K' - Arrive IF; camp and boil water. Lots of water.2230 - 11K' - Andrew and Artemis join us at IF.
Day 3: Go for the summit.
Ascent:0115 - 11K' -...
Awesome ride. Hooked up w/ Muffgarden, B Jones, the Snowman, and Crazy D for another weekend freeride adventure! Burly climb that goes forever. Then when you think you're done, another 2 miles or so of pretty tough single track climbing. Then the sweetest descent on the flowy stuff that is really, really good. When you gets to the bottom, don't get all cocky and jump into the race that's happening, but pull...
Condition of Access Road (5270):
The access road was in pretty good shape for the most part. There
are sections that have significant potholes, and one or two places with
some serious ruts, however. At the Butter Creek bridge, there is a sign
posted that reads "CAUTION - HOLE AT END OF BRIDGE". While a careful
driver could probably make it up there in a compact 2wd car, something
with decent ground clearance and suspension is highly recommended!
Trail...
Didn't make it all the way to Muir. I've been slacking on my workouts, so I was moving slowly and there was a nasty bit of weather coming in. Of course, by the time I descended to 6K', the skies were clear.
Steve and I were supposed to meet Tim up at Camp Muir, but apparently something came up and he had to leave before we got there. So instead of chancing a 2-man summit attempt, we just headed up to Camp Muir, spent the night, and came back the next day.
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