Hiking in the Mt. Rainier National Park Area

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Hiking trails lead to many of the most beautiful spots of Mt. Rainier National Park: crystalline high mountain lakes, cascading waterfalls, meandering streams, sub-alpine meadows carpeted in flowers, and peaks offering vistas of the glaciers of Rainier. The granddaddy of them all is the famous Wonderland Trail, a multi-day journey covering over 93 miles that encircles the entire mountain. Use the sortable list below or the interactive map to find the perfect hike for you, your friends or your family.

Find a Hike

Hiking Ratings Explained: How to Choose a Hike
Jump to: Easy | Moderate | Strenuous | Backpack | Year-Round

Find hikes using the interactive map

Video: Hiking Rainier Essentials

Photos from Mt. Rainier hikes

CLICK ARROWS TO SORT

Easy

Hike Name	Distance *	Hiking Time	Gain *	Hikeable
Alta Vista Trail	1.2 miles, RT	0.75 hr	520 ft	Mid-July - September
Chenuis Falls	6.4 miles, RT	4.5 hrs	50 ft	April - October
Corral Pass	2.6 miles, RT	1 hr	560 ft	July - October
Deadwood Lakes	3.35 miles, RT	3 hrs	867 ft	Mid-July - Mid-October
Eastside Trail to Chinook Pass	3.6 miles, RT	2-3 hrs	1,000 ft	July - Mid-November*
Emmons Moraine Trail	3.0 miles, RT	1.5 hrs	523 ft	July - October
Goat Falls	1.0 mile, RT	0.75 hr	238 ft	March - November
Golden Gate Trail	3 miles, RT	2.5 hrs	1,000 ft	August - September
Greenwater Lakes	4 miles, RT	2 hrs	200 ft	May - Mid-November
Grove of the Patriarchs	1.5 miles, RT	1 hr	0 ft	June - October
Nisqually Vista / Paradise Flower Trails	2.2 mile loop trail	0.75 hr	400 ft	Mid-July - September
Packwood Lake	9 miles, RT	4 hrs	400 ft	Late-May - October
Sand Lake	6 miles, RT	3-4 hrs	900 ft	Mid-July - Late-October
Sheep Lake	4.9 miles, RT	2-3 hrs	650 ft	July - Mid-November*
Silver Falls	3 miles, RT	1.5 hrs	300 ft	May - November
Silver Forest Trail	2.4 miles, RT	1 hr	100 ft	Mid-July - September
Skookum Flats	4.2 or 7.8 miles, RT	2 or 4 hrs	100 or 300 ft	March - Mid-December
Snoquera Falls	4 miles, RT	2 hrs	700 ft	March - November
Sourdough Ridge Trail	4 miles, RT	2 hrs	600 ft	Mid-July - September
Trail of the Shadows	0.75 miles	0.5 hr	0 ft	March - November
Twin Firs Loop Trail	0.4 mile loop trail	0.5-1 hr	100 ft	March - November

Moderate

Hike Name	Distance *	Hiking Time	Gain *	Hikeable
Bearhead Mountain	5.8 miles, RT	3 hrs	1,789 ft	July - Late-October
Bench and Snow Lakes	2.6 miles, RT	1.5 hrs	700 ft	July - October
Berkeley Park	11.3 miles, RT	6 hrs	400 ft in / 1,200 ft out	Mid-July - Early-October
Boundary Trail	5.6 miles, RT	4-5 hrs	2,700 ft	July - September
Burroughs Mountains	5.4 miles, RT	3-4 hrs	1,443 ft	Late-July - September
Crystal Peak	7 miles, RT	5 hrs	3,048 ft	Mid-June - October
Dewey Lakes	5.4 miles, RT	3.5 hrs	388 ft in / 643 ft out	Mid-July - October
Doe Falls via Suntop	7.25 miles, RT	4 hrs	1,718 ft	June - Late-October
Echo Lake from Greenwater Lakes	14.08 miles, RT	6-7 hrs	2,900 ft	July - September
Glacier Basin	7.6 miles, RT	5 hrs	1,700 ft	July - October
Glacier Lake Trail	6.5 miles, RT	3.5 hrs	2,121 ft	June - Mid-November
Grand Park via Lake Eleanor	7.5 miles, RT	5-6 hrs	1,080 ft	Late-May - Late-October
Green Lake Trail	9.6 miles, RT	4 hrs	1,120 ft	May - November
High Rock Lookout	3.2 miles, RT	1.5 hrs	1,350 ft	Late-June - October
Huckleberry Creek	10.1 miles, one-way	5-6 hrs	(+) 400 ft, (-) 3,834 ft	Mid-July - September
Kelly Butte	3.68 miles, RT	2.5-3 hrs	1,080 ft	June - September
Lost Lake from Greenwater Lakes	12 miles, RT	6-7 hrs	1,800 ft	Late-May - Late-October
Mount Beljica and Goat Lake	8 miles	5 hrs	1,300 ft	Mid-July - October
Mount Fremont Lookout	5.4 miles, RT	3 hrs	800 ft	Mid-July - September
Naches Peak	4.5 mile loop trail	3 hrs	700 ft	Mid-July - October
Noble Knob Trail	4 miles, RT	3 hrs	1,100 ft	July - September
Owyhigh Lakes	7 miles, RT	3.5 hrs	1,350 ft	Mid-July - Mid-October
Palisades Lakes	7.5 miles, RT	4 hrs	700 ft in / 900 ft out	Mid-July - Mid-October
Palisades Trail (Hwy 410)	5 miles, RT	2.5 hrs	1,100 ft	Late-April - Late-November
Paradise Glacier	8.5 miles, RT	3.5 hrs	1,885 ft	Late-July - September
Paradise River / Narada Falls	6.1 miles, one-way	2.5 hrs	2,700 ft (or loss)	Mid-July - October
PCT: Chinook Pass to Crown Point	14 miles, RT	6-8 hrs	3,480 ft	Mid-July - Mid-October
Pinnacle Saddle / Plummer Peak	3 miles, RT	2-3 hrs	1,150 ft	August - September
Rampart Ridge Trail	4.6 mile loop trail	2.5 hrs	1,420 ft	Mid-June - October
Ranger Creek Trail	11.6 miles, RT	8 hrs	2,720 ft	Mid-May - October
Reflection Lakes	2.75 mile loop trail	2-3 hrs	850 ft	July - September
Sand Flats Trail	6.66 miles, RT	1-1.5 hrs	1,684 ft	July - October
Skyline Trail / Panorama Point	5.4 mile loop trail	4 hrs	1,700 ft	Late-July - Mid-October
Skyscraper Pass / Peak	7.9 miles, RT	4.5 hrs	1,700 ft	Mid-July - September
Sourdough Gap to Crystal Lakes	7.2 miles, one-way	4 hrs	(+) 1,200 ft, (-) 2,800 ft	June - Mid-October
Spray Park Trail	6 miles, RT	3 hrs	2,200 ft	Mid-July - Mid-October
Summerland and Panhandle Gap	12 miles, RT	6.5-8 hrs	3,177 ft	July - October
Summit Lake	6.5 miles, RT	3 hrs	1,340 ft	Late-June - Early-November
Sunrise Rim Trail	5 mile loop trail	3+ hrs	772 ft	Mid-July - September
Tolmie Peak / Eunice Lake	7.2 miles, RT	3 hrs	1200 ft	Mid-July - October
Van Trump Park / Comet Falls	6 miles, RT	4 hrs	2,200 ft	Mid-July - Mid-October

Strenuous

Hike Name	Distance *	Hiking Time	Gain *	Hikeable
Camp Muir Trail	9 miles, RT	8-10 hrs	4,788 ft	Mid-July - September
Carbon Glacier Trail	17.5 miles, RT	6 hrs	1,300 ft	May - Late-November
Cowlitz Divide	11.8 miles, RT	6-7 hrs	2,850 ft	July - October
Eagle Peak	8.4 miles, RT	5 hrs	3,041 ft	July - October
Emerald Ridge / Tahoma Creek	13.7 miles	8 hrs	3,141 ft	Mid-July - Mid-October
Gobblers Knob / Lake George	12.5 miles, RT	6 hrs	2,700 ft	July - Mid-October
Howard Peak - Scramble	7 miles, RT	5-6 hrs	2,200 ft	July - October
Indian Bar	14.5 miles, RT	10 hrs	4,850 ft	Late_July - September
Indian Henry's Hunting Ground	14 miles, RT	7-8 hrs	3,200 ft	Mid-July - Mid-October
Indian Henry's via Kautz Creek	11 miles, RT	7 hrs	3, 800 ft	Mid-July - Mid-October
Ipsut Creek Trail	8 miles, RT	4 hrs	2,800 ft	June - October
Kautz Creek	10 miles, RT	6 hrs	3,138 ft	Mid-July - Mid-October
Laughingwater Creek Trail	12 miles, RT	6-7 hrs	2,825 ft	Mid-July - Late-October
Norse Peak	9.5 miles, RT	4-5 hrs	3,122 ft	July - September
Paul Peak	7.8 miles, RT	4 hrs	200 ft in / 950 ft out	April - October
Shriner Peak	8.4 miles, RT	5-7 hrs	3,434 ft	July - October
Tamanos Mountain	10 miles, RT	9-12 hrs	3,000 ft	Mid-July - Mid-October

Backpack

Hike Name	Distance *	Hiking Time	Gain *	Hikeable
Huckleberry Creek Backpack	15 miles, RT	2 days	2,750 ft	July - October
Klapatche Park	21.4 miles, RT	2+ days	4,600 ft	Mid-July - Oct
Seattle Park Loop	16.2 miles, RT	2 days	4,375 ft	Mid-July - Oct
Sunset Park - Golden Lakes	20.6 miles, RT	2+ days	3,650 ft	July - October
Three Lakes Backpack	14 miles, RT	2 days	2,800 ft	June - November
Wonderland Trail	93 miles	10-14 days	3,500 ft avg daily gain/loss	Mid-July - Early-September

Year-Round

Hike Name	Distance *	Hiking Time	Gain *	Hikeable
Carbon River Rd to Ipsut Falls	10.8-15 miles, RT*	3-7 hrs**	700-1,300 ft	January - December
Federation Forest State Park	1.5 mile loop	1.5 hrs	0 ft	January - December
Flaming Geyser State Park	2.5 mile loop trail	1 hr	300 ft, gain+loss	January - December
Mud Mt. Dam Recreational Area	4.2 miles, RT	2 hrs	0 ft	January - December
Nolte State Park	1.4 mile loop trail	1 hr	12 ft	January - December
Pack Forest	4.5 miles, RT	3 hrs	900 ft	January - December

* RT: Round Trip; If hiking mileage is round trip, then so is hiking time.
* Gain: elevation gain on hike in. There may be additional gain on the hike out.