Best trails in Mount Rainier National Park
Top trails
Visitor info
A timed entry reservation is required only for the Sunrise Corridor in the northeast corner of the park from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm daily from July 11-Sept 1, 2025, then on weekends and holidays from Sept 2 through end of the season (typically mid-October).
Grants unlimited entry for one motorcycle and passenger for seven consecutive days.
Walk-up or single bicycle fee. Grants unlimited entry for seven consecutive days.
Grants unlimited entry for one vehicle and passengers for seven consecutive days. Vehicle must be private, noncommercial, and with a seating capacity of 15 or less.
Grants unlimited entry for one year to pass owner and passengers in a single, private, non-commercial vehicle. This pass does not cover camping fees and is non-transferable and non-refundable. If you already own a valid annual or lifetime pass (Interagency Senior, Annual, Military, etc) you do not need to purchase this pass. NOTE: The Discover Pass is for Washington State Parks only and does not cover Mount Rainier National Park.
Join millions of people who enjoy our National Parks with the "America the Beautiful" National Park & Federal Recreational Lands Pass, otherwise known as the Interagency Annual Pass. The pass is valid for a year's worth of visits from the month of purchase at more than 2,000 federal recreation sites across the country.
No entrance pass required on these days:
Monday, January 20 — Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Saturday, April 19 — First day of National Park Week
Thursday, June 19 — Juneteenth National Independence Day
Monday, August 4 — Anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act
Saturday, September 27 — National Public Lands Day
Tuesday, November 11 — Veterans Day
The Interagency Access Pass is accepted here.
The Jackson Visitor Center, Sunrise Visitor Center (summer only), and Ohanapecosh Visitor Center (summer only) are accessible to visitors using mobility equipment or strollers and have wheelchair accessible restrooms. The theater and dining room at the Jackson Visitor Center are also wheelchair accessible. Orientation films include closed captioning.
Loaner wheelchairs, assistive listening devices, audio descriptions, tactile exhibits, and Braille and text materials are available.
Additional information about accessibility at Mount Rainier National Park can be found on their website: https://www.nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/accessibility.htm.
The Jackson Visitor Center, Sunrise Visitor Center (summer only), and Ohanapecosh Visitor Center (summer only) are accessible to visitors using mobility equipment or strollers and have wheelchair accessible restrooms. The theater and dining room at the Jackson Visitor Center are also wheelchair accessible. Orientation films include closed captioning.
The Paradise Inn and National Park Inn have wheelchair accessible rooms. There is also a wheelchair accessible dining room.
The Paradise, Kautz Creek, Ohanapecosh, Cougar Rock, White River, Mowich Lake, and Stevens Canyon Picnic Areas are wheelchair accessible with packed, level paths and surfaces and accessible restrooms.
There are accessible restrooms at the following trailheads: White River Campground (Loop C), Paul Peak, Grove of the Patriarchs trailhead, and Box Canyon overlook.
The Ohanapecosh Campground has 2 individual wheelchair accessible camping sites in Loop D and the Cougar Rock Campground has 4 individual wheelchair accessible camping sites.
Service animals must be on-leash throughout the park.
Trail reviews for Mount Rainier National Park
Quick video of trail conditions: https://youtu.be/S-8iPWHSBho |||| Trail Review: I’m afraid I’m going to sound like Stefon from SNL in this write-up. ::insert Stefon voice:: This trail has everything; mind-altering views, amazing alpine meadows, so much wildlife, bruising descents, crushing ascents, river crossings, alpine lakes, Mount Rainier, wildflowers, streams, rivers, river crossings, bridges, balancing on trees to cross raging rivers, pristine trails, primitive trails, gigantic blowdowns, epic cliff faces, bridges, and one of the very best views of Mount Rainier you’ll ever find. ::normal voice:: Getting There Pretty standard forest service road with a handful of nasty potholes and a small earth slide that requires careful driving. Should be doable in almost any car and easy for anything with the same or more clearance than a Subaru Getting to Grand Park The first 2 miles start out easy. There are a few boggy spots, but nothing that isn’t passable with decent balance or with poor balance and hiking poles. Just under one mile from the trailhead is Lake Eleanor. It is a really pretty lake but depending on the time of year or day that you are there you may be eaten alive by bugs. It’s worth appreciating the view, but your tolerance to bug bites will decide how long you’re able to enjoy the view. After Lake Eleanor it’s another mile or so to the lower meadow. I often see bears in this meadow. There are two ponds that they like to lounge by at mid-day. The meadow also affords your first view of (the very top) of Mount Rainier. After the meadow the incline starts to pick up. As you get closer to Grand Park the incline becomes difficult but never extreme. There were patches of messy snow yesterday which added a little spiciness. Take your time on the ascent. It’s right around 1 mile of hard work but worth it for what is coming. Grand Park You’ll know you’ve officially made it to Grand Park once you trip over your jaw that has dropped to the floor due to the incredible view of Mount Rainier. Really; take your time and enjoy this part of the hike. You have over a mile of meadow and increasingly amazing views to take in. The further you get into the meadow the more of Rainier and the surrounding reveal themselves. Don’t forget to peek backwards as well if you are visiting at sunrise. The colors are incredible. If you are visiting 3-5 weeks after the snow has melted in the Park you will be treated to a riot of colors. I was a few weeks early for full peak colors but there were still millions of white and yellow flowers to give the meadow an otherworldly beauty. Grand Park to the View You may be tempted to think that you have seen all this hike’s highlights once you’ve made it to the end of Grand Park. That it is time to grab a snack, turn around, and head back to your car. If you think this, you are wrong. I cannot stress how wrong you are. Take a right at the junction and walk another half mile to one of the absolute best views of Mount Rainier. Anywhere. If that extra half mile feels like too much to do, take time to rest and refuel. You will be so happy you did. Once you get to the view, take a seat and soak it all in. There is a 180 degree view of the amazing north side of Mount Rainier National Park. ::here comes Stefon again:: There are cliffs, a top to bottom view of Mount Rainier, snow caves, rock caves, lakes, rivers, snow capped peaks beyond count, wildflowers, and a fire lookout in the distance. ::bye Stefon:: Now you have reached the highlight of your day hike. If you choose to head back to the car at this point you will have no regrets. If your soul still yearns for more adventure and your legs contain an endless supply of hiking power, continue on. The View to the White River It is a steep 3 miles descent to the west fork of the White River. Pretty standard, pretty beautiful, forest trail with hemlock trees eventually giving way to fir and cedar. Do not expect any views other than of old growth forest. The further you go the more blowdowns there are. On the Grand Park side of the river none of the blowdowns are big enough to be a concern. All have an easy little trail around them or are surmountable by anyone over 5 ft tall. The River Crossing The White River is a standard MRNP river. Lots of rocks, silty water, and a lot of fun. The trail here goes cattywampus. It does not follow the alltrails map. Your best bet is to cast around and look for tree/bridge crossings and make your way towards them. This crossing is not for the faint of heart. Two of the five bridges you need to make the crossing do not have handholds and require you to have faith in your balance. Up to Lake James The trail goes straight to hell in a few places on the way to Lake James. HUGE blowdowns to crawl through. It’s the most overgrown “official” trail I’ve seen in MRNP. All in all it’s a steep 2 mile climb up to the lake. There are lots of rewards on the way for those who brave it. Simply magical...
Narada Falls, located in Mount Rainier National Park in Washington state, is a stunning 168-foot waterfall that cascades down an andesite lava flow. It's a popular attraction, easily accessible via a short, steep trail and offering a great view from the road as well. The falls are fed by the Paradise River and known for their mist, lush greenery, and the rugged volcanic rocks they're surrounded
19 June 2025. The majority of the trail is snowy. We started early around 0845 and the upper parking lot by the visitor center was full, so we parked at the lower lot. The snow was good and crunchy for the accent and the temps were in the upper 40s - low 50s (great). We used poles and spikes. We hiked up to the Glacier Vista since that was about all the energy we had for this hike. The final stretch to Panorama Point would be fairly challenging and tough conditions so plan ahead and ask the rangers for current conditions. Great views of the mountain and surrounding ranges from the Glacier Vista point. Trail was very crowded and conditions and congestion was tougher at the bottom. Great hike to get the best out of Mount Rainier NP!
Probably one of my all-time favorite hikes! It’s just very picturesque! Wildflowers along the way and you get to see at the very top: Mount Rainier, Mount Adams, Mount Hood, and Crystal Lake! Definitely a worthwhile hike’ It’s about 8 miles round-trip and 3000 feet elevation gain. This is the second time I’ve done this one. Conditions were fantastic!
Incredible hike with even more incredible views at the end. Gradual incline up with diverse terrain which made it fun & interesting! Look out for the top of Mount rainier through the trees. Waterfall offers the perfect way to cool down at the top :)
Twin Firs Loop Trail is a 0.4 mi/0.6 km trail that explores a small piece of the park’s old-growth forest. The original “twin firs” that gave the trail its name no longer exist, but look for the “big three” conifer species of the forest: Douglas-fir, western hemlock, and western red cedar. Forest wildflowers like western trillium, vanilla leaf, and bunchberry bloom along the trail during summer. In fall, the orange-red foliage of vine maples creates pops of color among the tall conifer trees. While short, a section of the trail is steep, climbing up a hillside before crossing a creek on a narrow log footbridge and descending back to the trailhead. The trail is dirt, softened by forest duff or debris, and often broken by large tree roots. In winter the trail can be snow-covered. Pair this hike with the Trail of the Shadows in Longmire to further experience Mount Rainier’s low elevation forests.