Mount Rainier National Park is a place that everyone should visit once in their lifetime. Mount Rainier is a volcano in the Cascade Range that reaches over 14,000 feet making it the tallest peak in the lower 48 states. This national park offers jaw-dropping views, beautiful subalpine meadows, the largest alpine glacial system outside of Alaska, and over 200,000 acres of forest and wilderness area. You can see why Mount Rainier contains some of the best hikes in the country.
To really get the most out of this national park, hiking is a must, however, you do not have to be an avid hiker to hit some of the best trails. Many trails in the park are short, paved, and accessible to all. My Top Ten Hikes in Mount Rainier National Park range from short and sweet to epic and difficult. The one thing these trails have in common are the unmatched views of the mountain, surrounding lakes, waterfalls, and forest land.
Quick Tips:
- To enter you must have a National Parks Pass ($80 for a year) or pay the single-car entrance fee ($30 for a week).
- There are four entrances to the park, with the Nisqually entrance being the only one open year-round.
- The closest major cities to fly into are Portland and Seattle/Tacoma.
- Dogs are only allowed in paved areas like parking lots and viewpoints. To protect wildlife, dogs are not allowed to accompany hikers on any trail unless they are an official service dog.
- Leave no trace! This includes feeding animals! Feeding animals is not only unhealthy for them but is dangerous for other hikers as they will keep returning expecting food and could become aggressive when it is not given.
Let’s now get into the Top Ten Hikes in Mount Rainier National Park in no particular order! Each hike will have a small synopsis, distance, difficulty, accessibility, elevation gain, and location in the park. To get more trail information, just click on the trail name to navigate to AllTrails.
The Top Ten Hikes in Mount Rainier National Park
1. Skyline Loop
Distance: 6 miles
Difficulty & accessibility: Hard. The beginning and end of the trail are paved for strollers and wheelchairs.
Elevation Gain: 1,800 feet
Area of the park: Paradise
You cannot visit the park without seeing some parts of this trail. It not only gets you closest to the mountain, but it also features waterfalls, subalpine meadows, and expansive views of other mountains in the Cascade Range. It truly is Mount Rainier’s most iconic and popular hike for a reason.
2. Nisqually Vista
Distance: 1 mile
Difficulty & accessibility: Easy. Wheelchair and stroller friendly
Elevation Gain: 200 feet
Area of the park: Paradise
If you are looking for an easy, accessible trail that still offers stunning views of the mountain, this one is it! The minimal grade and well-paved path make this trail easy for wheelchairs, individuals with mobility restrictions, and families with strollers or young children. Even if you are an avid hiker, this trail is still worth seeing while you are in the Paradise area.
3. Tipsoo and Dewey Lake Loop
Distance: 6.5 miles
Difficulty & accessibility: Moderate, unpaved
Elevation Gain: 1,400 feet
Area of the park: Between Sunrise and Ohanapecosh
Tipsoo Lake is adjacent to the parking area making it easy to see if you do not have time for a hike. Hiking this trail is worth it though as you will pass about three to four other lakes along the loop, including Dewey Lake. This trail offers a different vantage point of Mount Rainier in the distance mirrored by the many lakes.
4. Tolmie Peak
Distance: 5.5 miles
Difficulty & accessibility: Moderate, unpaved
Elevation Gain: 1,540 feet
Area of the park: Carbon River
Hiking on the north side of the park is always a gamble in terms of the visibility of the mountain. Every time we have hiked on this side we have either had wildfire smoke or clouds obstructing our view. If you are lucky enough to hike this trail on a clear day, you will be rewarded with stunning views of the mountain and Eunice Lake. The road to get to the trailhead is rough, a high-clearance vehicle is recommended.
5. Silver Falls
Distance: 3 miles
Difficulty & accessibility: Easy, unpaved
Elevation Gain: 500 feet
Area of the park: Ohanapecosh
During the end of the off-season (May-June) when most trails are still covered with snow, this trail is typically accessible. It is a great one to visit to cool off in the mist of the falls and get away from the crowds at Paradise. Due to the gradual grade and minimal elevation gain, it is ideal for families with children.
6. Comet Falls
Distance: 3 miles
Difficulty & accessibility: Moderate, unpaved
Elevation Gain: 1,300 feet
Area of the park: Paradise
While this trail lacks views of Mount Rainier, it makes up for that with numerous waterfall and river views. Comet Falls drops over 300 feet from the cliffs above making it one of the tallest waterfalls in the park that you can get close to. The waterfall is the most full in July after the snowmelt.
7. Summit Lake
Distance: 6.2 miles
Difficulty & accessibility: Moderate, unpaved
Elevation Gain: 1,400 feet
Area of the park: Carbon River
This trail is one of the best in the park for backpacking as you wake up to one of the most stunning views of the mountain in the distance with Summit Lake in the foreground. The one downfall of this hike is a very long and difficult road to reach the trailhead. If you have a car with 4WD, it is worth the trek to see the view on a clear day.
8. Pinnacle Peak
Distance: 3 miles
Difficulty & accessibility: Hard, unpaved
Elevation Gain: 1,600 feet
Area of the park: Paradise
This trailhead is near Reflection Lake, a nice place to start to see the (you guessed it) epic reflection of Mount Rainier in the lake. As you can see above, the trail is relatively short but very steep. This trail is nice at sunset or sunrise as the light on the mountain from the vantage point this trail offers is unmatched.
9. Myrtle Falls
Distance: 0.8 miles
Difficulty & accessibility: Easy. Wheelchair and stroller friendly
Elevation Gain: 150 feet
Area of the park: Paradise
This short walk brings you to what I would describe as a fairy tale location – a bridge over a waterfall bordered by alpine meadows and Mount Rainier. It is simply breathtaking. This waterfall is a part of Skyline Loop so if you are limited mobility-wise or hiking with kids, this is the perfect portion of the trail to do.
10. Fremont Lookout
Distance: 6 miles
Difficulty & accessibility: Moderate, unpaved
Elevation Gain: 1,200 feet
Area of the park: Sunrise
There are many fire lookouts around Mount Rainier but this one may be the most iconic. Again, like Tolmie Peak, visibility can be hit or miss but on a clear day, you can enjoy a packed lunch sitting on the fire lookout admiring Mount Rainier in the distance.
Other Resources
To head to the official National Park Service page for the park click here.
To visit the official tourism website for Mount Rainier click here.
For more of our hiking guides click here.
Final Thoughts
It is no easy task narrowing down the extensive trail list Mount Rainier has to offer. However, this list encompasses most areas of the park, offers hikes of various difficulties, and includes accessible options for all adventurers. We still have so many hikes on our list that we have not done yet, and some hikes we want to hit in different seasons. If you have any questions or want to let us know your favorite hike, please comment below! We love hearing from our readers.
