At 14,410 feet, Mount Rainier towers over everything around it, wrapped in more glacier ice than any other peak in the lower 48. Its lower slopes are ringed with old-growth forest and some of the best wildflower meadows anywhere. Paradise on the south side and Sunrise on the northeast are the two big day-hike bases, and each deserves its own day. Arrive early: parking lots fill by mid-morning on summer weekends, and the mountain is often clearest at dawn.
TRAILS
1 OF 7
Skyline Trail
Difficulty
Hard
Length
5.5 mi loop
Elevation gain
1,700 ft
Paradise · Jackson Visitor Center — The signature Rainier hike loops through flower-filled meadows to Panorama Point, where the mountain fills the sky and the Nisqually Glacier tumbles below. On clear days you can see Mount Adams, Mount Hood and Mount St. Helens to the south. Marmots whistle from the rocks along the way. Snowfields can cover the upper trail into July, so check conditions and bring traction early in the season.
Photo: Joe Mabel, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
2 OF 7
Burroughs Mountain
Difficulty
Hard
Length
6 mi
Elevation gain
1,200 ft
Sunrise · Sunrise Visitor Center — Climb past Frozen Lake onto a high, rocky plateau of alpine tundra that feels like the Arctic, then stand face to face with the Emmons Glacier across the valley. Second Burroughs puts you even closer to the mountain. First Burroughs is a good turnaround at 4.8 miles round trip. Stay on the trail; the tundra plants grow very slowly.
⚠︎ Sunrise Road is usually open from early July to late September. A steep snowfield can linger on the trail well into summer.
Photo: Buidhe, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
3 OF 7
Naches Peak Loop
Difficulty
Moderate
Length
3.5 mi loop
Elevation gain
500 ft
Chinook Pass · Tipsoo Lake — A gentle loop around Naches Peak through meadows of lupine and paintbrush, with small tarns and, on the return, a big view of Rainier. Part of the route follows the Pacific Crest Trail. Walk it clockwise so the mountain is in front of you on the way back. It's especially lovely in late summer, when huckleberries ripen and fall color starts.
⚠︎ Highway 410 over Chinook Pass closes in winter, usually from November to late May.
Photo: pfly from Pugetopolis, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
4 OF 7
Mount Fremont Lookout
Difficulty
Moderate
Length
5.6 mi
Elevation gain
900 ft
Sunrise · Sunrise Visitor Center — Follow Sourdough Ridge to Frozen Lake, then traverse a rocky ridge to a historic fire lookout from the 1930s. The views stretch from Rainier's north face to the Cascades and out toward the Olympics. Mountain goats are often seen on the nearby slopes. Go for sunset, but carry a headlamp for the walk back.
⚠︎ Sunrise Road is seasonal, usually early July to late September.
Photo: Steve Redman (MORA), public domain, Wikimedia Commons
5 OF 7
Comet Falls
Difficulty
Moderate
Length
3.8 mi
Elevation gain
900 ft
Longmire · Comet Falls trailhead — A steady climb along a rushing creek, past smaller cascades, to a 320-foot waterfall that drops in a long white veil. It's one of the tallest falls in the park. Strong hikers can keep climbing to the meadows of Van Trump Park for a close view of the mountain. The small trailhead lot fills early, so arrive before 9 am.
Photo: Steve Redman (MORA), public domain, Wikimedia Commons
6 OF 7
Tolmie Peak Lookout
Difficulty
Moderate
Length
6.5 mi
Elevation gain
1,000 ft
Mowich Lake · Mowich Lake trailhead — A forest trail leads to Eunice Lake, a blue tarn under steep cliffs, then switchbacks up to a fire lookout perched over the lake with Rainier rising behind it. It's one of the classic views of the mountain and much quieter than Paradise. Bring a jacket for the breezy summit. Huckleberries line the trail in late summer.
⚠︎ Mowich Lake Road is a rough gravel road, usually open from July to mid-October.
Photo: Danust, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
7 OF 7
Myrtle Falls
Difficulty
Easy
Length
1 mi
Elevation gain
100 ft
Paradise · Jackson Visitor Center — A short, paved stroll along the start of the Skyline Trail to a small waterfall framed by meadows with Rainier rising right behind it. It's the classic Paradise photo and easy enough for strollers with a little help. Wildflowers peak from late July into August. Come at sunset for the warmest light on the mountain.
Photo: Samuel Kerr, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Plan your Mount Rainier trip
The Nova Bound app builds the whole trip around these trails: where to stay, where to charge, and what to see each day. Coming soon to the App Store.
Distances are round trip unless noted, from NPS.gov and rounded. Trails, permits and road openings change; always check nps.gov before you go. Trail write-ups by Nova Bound.