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 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
38 HikesMount Rainier Area > Chinook Pass - Hwy 410
4.0 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 80 feet
Highest Point: 1,300 feet
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. This gentle 2-mile trail will take you along the White River.
Mount Rainier Area > Chinook Pass - Hwy 410
5.0 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 950 feet
Highest Point: 6,011 feet
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
3.5 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 900 feet
Rating:
Rock spires across the Naches River from Highway 410 catch the eye of travelers from the roadway. For a closer look, consider a hike to the top of Edgar Rock by way of the Lost Creek Trail. This route proves popular early in the season as well as late in the year. The hike is not very long and features good views at the top.
Mount Rainier Area > Chinook Pass - Hwy 410
1.8 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 200 feet
Highest Point: 5,700 feet
Rating:
Dalles Ridge is the primary way that hikers access the popular Noble Knob Trail and Ranger Creek. It provides hikers with a beautiful ridge walk after a steady climb from the trailhead.
Mount Rainier Area > SW - Longmire/Paradise
2.8 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 660 feet
Highest Point: 3,650 feet
Rating:
Paradise Valley Road is closed for the season. The road from Longmire to Paradise is closed Monday through Friday until further notice.
Cougar Rock to Carter Falls is a moderate and readily accessible segment of the Wonderland Trail that packs stunning mountain vistas, river views, waterfalls, wildflowers, old growth, and edible berries into just 1.3 miles of family-friendly hiking in Mount Rainier National Park.
Mount Rainier Area > SW - Longmire/Paradise
0.8 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 185 feet
Highest Point: 5,600 feet
Rating:
Paradise Valley Road is closed for the season. The road from Longmire to Paradise is closed Monday through Friday until further notice.
A good, short destination just outside of the main Paradise visitors area, Myrtle Falls is a beauty.
Mount Rainier Area > SW - Longmire/Paradise
5.0 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 1,150 feet
Highest Point: 5,400 feet
Rating:
Paradise Valley Road is closed for the season. The road from Longmire to Paradise is closed Monday through Friday until further notice.
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 > SW - Longmire/Paradise
2.2 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 400 feet
Highest Point: 5,850 feet
Rating:
Paradise Valley Road is closed for the season. The road from Longmire to Paradise is closed Monday through Friday until further notice.
Sometimes the crowds at Mount Rainier’s Paradise can be overwhelming. Hike the Moraine Trail to get off of asphalt paths and away from the throngs. The reward is a view down into the immense Nisqually River Valley from the very edge of its moraine.
Mount Rainier Area > SW - Longmire/Paradise
1.1 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 200 feet
Highest Point: 5,400 feet
Rating:
Paradise Valley Road is closed for the season. The road from Longmire to Paradise is closed Monday through Friday until further notice.
Follow the trails here to views of Mount Rainier's rocky Nisqually River valley and the much-receded Nisqually Glacier.
Mount Rainier Area > SW - Longmire/Paradise
4.0 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 1,160 feet
Highest Point: 6,400 feet
Rating:
Paradise Valley Road is closed for the season. The road from Longmire to Paradise is closed Monday through Friday until further notice.
Follow a loop trail that samples what Mount Rainier has to offer: a popular waterfall, vast expanses of wildflowers, numerous snowmelt streams, a historic monument to the mountain’s first climbers, and of course views of Mount Rainier itself.
Mount Rainier Area > SW - Longmire/Paradise
5.0 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 1,300 feet
Highest Point: 6,700 feet
Rating:
Paradise Valley Road is closed for the season. The road from Longmire to Paradise is closed Monday through Friday until further notice.
Paradise is one of the most gorgeous (and, as a result, popular) parts of Washington. This short but steep trail offers tourists and locals alike one of the most stunning views for the least number of miles in Washington state, but that doesn't mean you won't sweat! Be prepared to climb more than 1000 feet in less than a mile at the outset of this trail .
Mount Rainier Area > NE - Sunrise/White River
2.5 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 325 feet
Highest Point: 6,400 feet
Rating:
The road to Sunrise is closed for the season
The Silver Forest Trail is a lesser-known and therefore less-crowded alternative at Mount Rainier’s Sunrise. Enjoy mountain, glacier and river valley views along a gentle trail that is mostly out of sight of the bustle of Sunrise.
Mount Rainier Area > SE - Cayuse Pass/Stevens Canyon
2.5 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 1,000 feet
Highest Point: 5,920 feet
Rating:
Chinook Pass and Stevens Canyon Road are closed for the season
Imagine that you are looking through a telephoto lens at one of those iconic images of Mount Rainier taken from the south. Now zoom out to a wider view of the entire mountain, the thick forests below timberline, the enormous brown gash of the Nisqually River Valley, and beside it the verdant parkland that became known as Paradise. This is the view from the Pinnacle Saddle trail.
Mount Rainier Area > SE - Cayuse Pass/Stevens Canyon
3.2 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 600 feet
Highest Point: 5,850 feet
Rating:
Chinook and Cayuse Passes are closed for the season
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 > SW - Longmire/Paradise
3.0 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 1,056 feet
Highest Point: 5,469 feet
Rating:
Trailhead Inaccessible by vehicle: 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 > NW - Carbon River/Mowich
2.9 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 1,300 feet
Highest Point: 6,200 feet
Rating:
Mowich Lake Road is closed for the season
Knapsack Pass follows a no-longer-maintained hiking trail. It now requires GPS or map and compass skills to reach the pass, located near Mother Mountain.
Mount Rainier Area > SE - Cayuse Pass/Stevens Canyon
2.5 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 610 feet
Highest Point: 4,725 feet
Rating:
Chinook Pass and Stevens Canyon Road are closed for the season
Escape the crowds within Mount Rainier National Park without going on a lengthy adventure. Visit one or both of two alpine lakes, the second one just a bit more than a mile from the parking lot.
Mount Rainier Area > SW - Longmire/Paradise
4.4 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 950 feet
Highest Point: 5,450 feet
Rating:
Trailhead Inaccessible by vehicle: 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 > SW - Longmire/Paradise
3.0 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 600 feet
Highest Point: 5,425 feet
Rating:
Chinook Pass and Stevens Canyon Road are closed for the season
Reflection Lakes are not just a popular photography stop. From the lakes you can hike to a stunning cliffside view of the lakes and the Tatoosh range. From there you have the option of returning the way you came, or hiking in a loop around the largest of the lakes.
Mount Rainier Area > NW - Carbon River/Mowich
2.35 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 104 feet
Highest Point: 1,446 feet
Rating:
Mowich Lake Road is closed for the season
Once a booming coal town, Fairfax Ghost Town is an adventure of exploration and discovery. Expect thick vegetation and undefined trails once you arrive at the town site, so pack a good sense of direction, plenty of time and a thirst for exploration is highly recommended.
Mount Rainier Area > NE - Sunrise/White River
3.7 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 200 feet
Highest Point: 6,386 feet
Rating:
This sweet little loop leaves from the Sunrise Visitor Center at Mount Rainier and encompasses a lovely little lake, an unexpected campsite, and views of the mountain's eastern flanks and glaciers.
Mount Rainier Area > Chinook Pass - Hwy 410
2.2 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 470 feet
Highest Point: 5,600 feet
Rating:
This un-maintained trail can be accessed from the Pacific Crest Trail. The trail can be difficult to follow, so be sure to take appropriate precautions.
Mount Rainier Area > Chinook Pass - Hwy 410
4.4 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 900 feet
Highest Point: 5,200 feet
Rating:
A long dirt road provides access to the central trailhead for the William O. Douglas Wilderness Area. The popular, easy forest hike to the Twin Sisters Lakes is a prelude to miles of exploration possible on trails and cross-country through open forest, past meadows, ponds, and lakes.
Mount Rainier Area > Chinook Pass - Hwy 410
4.9 miles, one-way
Gain: 2,780 feet
Highest Point: 5,880 feet
Rating:
This moderately difficult trail accesses the William O. Douglas wilderness area. Passing through dense timber near Flat Iron Lake, the way also hosts good campsites for visitors
Mount Rainier Area > NE - Sunrise/White River
Highest Point: 7,400 feet
Rating:
Banshee Peak is an off-trail summit that requires advanced mountaineering skill to reach. It lies east of Mount Rainier.
Mount Rainier Area > SW - Longmire/Paradise
4.5 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 1,300 feet
Highest Point: 4,080 feet
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
3.4 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 1,100 feet
Highest Point: 5,409 feet
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 feet
Highest Point: 5,750 feet
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 > NE - Sunrise/White River
4.4 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 1,250 feet
Highest Point: 6,920 feet
Rating:
Forest lake is a small lake in the Sunrise area of Mount Rainier.
Mount Rainier Area > Chinook Pass - Hwy 410
2.4 miles, roundtrip
Gain: 100 feet
Highest Point: 3,680 feet
Rating:
If you want both a walk in the sunshine and a walk through the trees, Mesatchee Creek is the place to go! Keep your feet dry on the turnpikes and bridge made by WTA.