Hiking Guide
WTA's hiking guide is the most comprehensive database of hikes in Washington, and comprises content written by local hiking experts and user submitted information. All data is vetted by WTA staff. This resource is made possible by the donations of WTA members.
We respectfully acknowledge the lands we are visiting are the homelands of Indigenous tribes of the Pacific Northwest, some of whom have reserved treaty rights on these lands. Tribes continue to rely on and share in the management of these lands today. Please tread gently and treat these places with respect.
Results List
116 HikesMount Rainier Area > Chinook Pass - Hwy 410
6.0 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 1270 ft.
Highest Point: 5900 ft.
Rating:
To misquote a famous author, this hike can be "the best of trips or the worst of trips". Done in the right season, it has beautiful flowers, ripe berries, expansive views, great campsites, fishing, and swimming. Done in the wrong season, it has treacherous avalanche chute crossings, wet trail, no flowers, muddy campsites, and horrendous bugs.
Mount Rainier Area > NE - Sunrise/White River
9.0 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 2500 ft.
Highest Point: 7828 ft.
Rating:
Burroughs Mountain can be described as a 'mountain against a mountain'. At over 7800 feet, Burroughs Mountain sets right up against the northeastern face of Mount Rainier, hugging the Winthrop Glacier. It offers one of the most dramatic views of the massive volcano.
Mount Rainier Area > SE - Cayuse Pass/Stevens Canyon
3.2 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 600 ft.
Highest Point: 5850 ft.
Rating:
This popular hike provides a range of alpine experiences in a short loop. Walk along a hillside above a small valley, pause at a viewpoint overlooking a lake, and stroll through grassy meadows with stunning views of Mount Rainier. In season enjoy an abundance of wildflowers or perhaps a handful of huckleberries.
Mount Rainier Area > NW - Carbon River/Mowich
7.5 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 1100 ft.
Highest Point: 5900 ft.
Rating:
Hike to an old fire lookout with in-your-face views of Mount Rainier and a sapphire blue lake below. Tolmie Peak and Eunice Lake pack a one-two punch when it comes to scenery, but stopping at the picturesque lake is a perfectly acceptable destination as well.
Mount Rainier Area > SW - Longmire/Paradise
5.5 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 1450 ft.
Highest Point: 6800 ft.
Rating:
The Skyline Trail is the main route for hiking out of Paradise, Mount Rainier’s south side hub and most popular destination, providing visitors a unique opportunity to experience the breathtaking beauty of Washington’s grandest mountain. Even before the historic Paradise Inn was constructed in 1916, the Paradise valley has long been one of the state’s most beloved hiking destinations because of its southern exposure, giving it a longer season than its north side counterpart, Sunrise. In peak season (July and August) your trip along the Skyline Trail will be filled with views of cascading waterfalls, mighty glaciers and subalpine meadows brimming with colorful splashes of lupines, mountain heather, scarlet paintbrush, cascade asters and bistort.
Mount Rainier Area > SE - Cayuse Pass/Stevens Canyon
14.6 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 3130 ft.
Highest Point: 5900 ft.
Rating:
This section of the Wonderland Trail, which begins at Box Canyon, continues along the Cowlitz Divide, and eventually concludes in the valley that houses Indian Bar, will certainly test your trail stamina. But the rewards for all of your efforts are plentiful: swaths of old-growth forests, bountiful berries (when in season), rolling alpine meadows, an epic in-your-face view of Mount Rainier, and finally, the rushing waters of the Ohanapecosh River and Wauhaukaupauken Falls, which offer a cooling respite after your long, and sometimes arduous, climb and descent into this famed valley.
Mount Rainier Area > SW - Longmire/Paradise
0.8 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 185 ft.
Highest Point: 5600 ft.
Rating:
A good, short destination just outside of the main Paradise visitors area, Myrtle Falls is a beauty.
Mount Rainier Area > NW - Carbon River/Mowich
6.1 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 1300 ft.
Highest Point: 5800 ft.
Rating:
This popular summer trail offers wildflower-filled meadows, a glistening alpine lake, big mountain views and wildlife sighting aplenty.
Mount Rainier Area > Chinook Pass - Hwy 410
7.8 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 300 ft.
Highest Point: 2550 ft.
Rating:
Choose between a shorter or longer river walk through old-growth forest to a 250-foot cascading waterfall.
Mount Rainier Area > NW - Carbon River/Mowich
16.0 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 5100 ft.
Highest Point: 6375 ft.
Rating:
Considered one of the best loop hikes in Mount Rainier National Park, the trail through the alpine meadows of Spray and Seattle Parks blazes with a bounty of seasonal wildflowers. Throw in an ample serving of glassy tarns, a couple of wispy waterfalls, an optional side trip to Carbon Glacier and a forested stroll up Ipsut Creek, and you have a photographer’s dreamland.
Mount Rainier Area > SW - Longmire/Paradise
5.0 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 1150 ft.
Highest Point: 5400 ft.
Rating:
Hiking the trail between the Narada Falls viewpoint and Reflection Lakes is pleasant enough. But you can extend the route into a loop featuring an unobstructed view of the Tatoosh Range from a rocky bluff, and an up-close experience of the awe-inspiring whitewater cascades of the Paradise River.
Mount Rainier Area > NE - Sunrise/White River
36.5 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 12000 ft.
Highest Point: 6500 ft.
Rating:
A beautiful loop trail on the north side of Mount Rainier, this is a shorter, but no less lovely, option to the Wonderland Trail.
Mount Rainier Area > SW - Longmire/Paradise
4.5 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 1300 ft.
Highest Point: 4080 ft.
Rating:
This short loop out of Longmire makes for a great, quick way to get some elevation gain, some forest views, and a fantastic vista of Mount Rainier, all in less than five miles!
Mount Rainier Area > Chinook Pass - Hwy 410
6.0 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 1000 ft.
Highest Point: 5550 ft.
Rating:
This is a beautiful hike that, “has it all” from wonderful wildflowers and a deep forest to wild creeks and an alpine lake. You will even see an abandoned gold mine along the way!
Mount Rainier Area > SE - Cayuse Pass/Stevens Canyon
26.2 miles, one-way
Gain: 3532 ft.
Rating:
This long route connects the subalpine environs of Chinook Pass and Tipsoo Lake with the deep, lowland forests of the Ohanapecosh area. It is part of the East Side Loop trail, a long loop that hikers can enjoy in lieu of the Wonderland Trail.
Mount Rainier Area > Chinook Pass - Hwy 410
3.4 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 1100 ft.
Highest Point: 5409 ft.
Rating:
This is a nice, short hike to a recently repaired fire lookout. Guidebooks do not include recent upgrades to the trail and road to the trailhead. The trail is no longer only accessible via a scramble, but trail that switchbacks through wildflowers and interesting rock walls which was constructed in 2007. The lookout itself has been repaired, making it a nice lunch stop.
Mount Rainier Area > Chinook Pass - Hwy 410
3.6 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 400 ft.
Highest Point: 5750 ft.
Rating:
Sheep Lake is a picturesque alpine lake guarded by jagged-edged ridges. It makes a good destination for children, especially if you let them swim, play in the meadows, or explore the small rock outcroppings. Sheep Lake is also a worthy destination for adults who want a pause from daily life to enjoy the outdoors. The campsites around the perimeter are ideal for base camping or for backpacking with children.
Mount Rainier Area > Chinook Pass - Hwy 410
5.0 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 950 ft.
Highest Point: 6011 ft.
Rating:
This hike up to a former lookout site provides spectacular views of Mount Rainier and the surrounding landscape.
Mount Rainier Area > Chinook Pass - Hwy 410
7.0 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 150 ft.
Highest Point: 1300 ft.
Rating:
Located on the White River near Mount Rainier, the Mud Mountain Dam is both a flood control dam operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and a recreation facility. At about 3.5 miles from the trailhead, Scatter Creek makes the trail impassable.
Mount Rainier Area > SW - Longmire/Paradise
7.2 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 2910 ft.
Highest Point: 5720 ft.
Rating:
This hike contains all of what a classic Rainier outing should – a quiet canopy of old-growth forest, high alpine meadows bursting with wildflowers in the summer, and in-your-face-views of glaciated Mount Tahoma (not to mention Mounts Adams, St. Helens, and even Hood on a crystal clear day).
Mount Rainier Area > NE - Sunrise/White River
6.0 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 2600 ft.
Highest Point: 5828 ft.
Rating:
Take a short but steep hike on a wide trail to visit two lakes in a beautiful craggy setting. It's only three miles to the upper lake, with 2,600 feet of elevation gain. In season find many wildflowers in the basin near the upper lake, and be alert for wildlife sightings.
Mount Rainier Area > NE - Sunrise/White River
8.0 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 1300 ft.
Highest Point: 7000 ft.
Rating:
The Sunrise area of Mount Rainier National Park offers many fantastic views of The Mountain. But don’t neglect the other views. Scramble up Skyscraper Mountain to enjoy a full 360 degree view of numerous lofty peaks, verdant treeless parks, and river valleys far below.
Mount Rainier Area > SE - Cayuse Pass/Stevens Canyon
5.6 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 1600 ft.
Highest Point: 3940 ft.
Rating:
Ollalie Creek Camp offers a walk through old growth woodland, colorful blooms and berries to an isolated creekside campsite perfect for solitude or connecting to the stunning Cowlitz Divide and iconic Indian Bar.
Mount Rainier Area > SW - Longmire/Paradise
3.0 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 1056 ft.
Highest Point: 5469 ft.
Rating:
7/22/2022 - Trailhead Inaccessible: Forest Road 59 is washed out
Mount Beljica is just outside the boundary of Mount Rainier National Park, so you can bring your dog and still experience a well-kept trail leading to astounding views of Washington's tallest mountain.
Mount Rainier Area > SE - Cayuse Pass/Stevens Canyon
34.0 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 4400 ft.
Highest Point: 6800 ft.
Rating:
One of the most popular routes on Mount Rainier for its varied terrain, wide-open meadows, and incredible views, this 17-mile one-way hike along the mountain’s eastern side showcases the kind of scenery that will have you doing happy little dances of joy from one stunning panorama to the next.
Mount Rainier Area > SW - Longmire/Paradise
4.4 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 950 ft.
Highest Point: 5450 ft.
Rating:
7/22/2022 - Trailhead Inaccessible: Forest Road 59 is washed out
Climb a ridge to a rocky promontory nine miles due west of Tahoma’s summit and experience multi-volcano, jaw-dropping views under clear conditions. Glacier View’s short but moderately intense route is ideal for lovers of huckleberries, wildflowers, old growth forest, mushrooms, fauna, and lakes.
Mount Rainier Area > NW - Carbon River/Mowich
8.0 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 1700 ft.
Highest Point: 6500 ft.
Rating:
Since getting to the trailhead involves a significant drive on gravel road, this hike sees fewer boots than trails leaving from Paradise and Sunrise. Spray Falls is attainable by most day hikers, but the gain up to Spray Park is a good test of your fitness level! Your reward on a clear day will be views, views, views of Echo Rock, Observation Rock and Mount Rainier.
Mount Rainier Area > SW - Longmire/Paradise
11.0 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 2565 ft.
Highest Point: 5485 ft.
Rating:
A clear, sparkling lake, up-close views of Mount Rainier, and a historic fire lookout await you on the Gobblers Knob Trail. This route is an eastern approach to the lookout via Westside Road.
Mount Rainier Area > Chinook Pass - Hwy 410
6.0 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 1100 ft.
Highest Point: 6400 ft.
Rating:
This is a pleasant hike to a small lake and a notched gap with sweeping views. Sheep Lake is nestled in a subalpine area that explodes with wildflowers in July and August. The lake is a good place to relax and enjoy nature or perhaps take off your boots and go wading. Sourdough Gap is a small saddle in a rocky-edged ridge. The hike from the lake to the gap offers increasingly picturesque views of the south Cascades with every foot of altitude you gain. Once at the gap, you will be rewarded with grand views of Sheep Lake on one side and the Crystal Lakes basin on the other side.
Mount Rainier Area > Chinook Pass - Hwy 410
9.0 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 300 ft.
Highest Point: 3700 ft.
Rating:
A gentle hike through stands of mature larches and other conifers along the shores of Bumping Lake. The trail is also a good alternate route to Swamp Lake Trail #970 or to Pacific Crest Trail #2000 when a ford of the Bumping River is too hazardous.