Note: Since Mount Rainier is such a large national park with several distinct areas, I’ve broken up my list of recommended hikes and grouped them geographically. 

Northeast Area (Sunrise & White River):
🥾 Mount Fremont Lookout (5.7 miles, 1,112 feet elev. gain): On a clear day, this trail provides spectacular views of the nearby Mount Rainier. The trail guides hikers to a fire lookout tower that offers panoramas of the surrounding Cascades. Be sure to check out the trail’s detours, like the Burroughs Mountains.
🥾 Glacier Basin Trail (7.8 miles, 2,194 feet elev. gain): This trail follows a tributary of the White River, passing through forests and providing occasional views of the mountain. It ends in the beautiful Glacier Basin, which sits below Camp Sherman.

South Area (Paradise & Ohanapecosh):
🥾 Skyline Trail Loop (6.2 miles, 1,788 feet elev. gain): There are many short trails that take visitors to beautiful spots in the Paradise area, but this trail hits all of them. You will pass Panorama Point, Myrtle Falls, and many vistas. This will be buried in snow during the winter months.
🥾 Nisqually Vista (1.1 miles, 180 feet elev. gain): This short, easy trail provides views of the Nisqually Glacier and Mount Rainier.
🥾 Muir Snowfield to Camp Muir (8.3 miles, 4,635 feet elev. gain): If you want to experience Mount Rainier but don’t have the proper mountaineering experience, this day hike will give you a taste. In warmer months, this hike begins on the Skyline Trail and ends in the snowfield. In colder months, it is less a “hike” and more a trudge through the snow.
🥾 Grove of the Patriarchs (1.1 miles, 52 feet elev. gain): This mellow trail offers up-close views of massive and ancient trees in an old-growth forest.

Northwest Area (Mowich):
🥾 Tolmie Peak (5.6 miles, 1,541 feet elev. gain): On a sunny day, this trail provides epic views of Mount Rainier from the fire tower at its summit. Reaching this trailhead requires navigation of a long, unpaved road that can be difficult for 2WD or large vehicle to traverse.

🏔️ Summit Mount Rainier: Not for the faint-hearted or the inexperienced, summiting Mount Rainier is the ultimate way to experience the park. There are many routes – all glaciated – that can be used to attain the summit: the Disappointment Cleaver (DC) route is most popular. Read my blog post to learn more about what it takes to achieve this feat. There are several guide services in the area that offer paid expeditions to the peak.
🚗 Drive the Park’s Perimeter: Mount Rainier features a long series of roads that circumnavigate the mountain. The south and east sides of the drive are contained in the park’s boundary, meaning they offer frequent pull-offs and overlooks of the mountains.
⛺ Camping: The park offers developed campgrounds with reservable sites. Visitors can also attain wilderness permits and camp in the park’s backcountry.

🏙️ Seattle: Washington’s most populous city sits about 2 hours from Mount Rainier, and is a common jump-off point for those visiting the park. The city offers lots to do for visitors, including the MoPOP, Space Needle, Chihuly Garden and Glass, Pike Place Market, and various sporting events.
🏔️ Mount Adams: Washington’s second-tallest mountain sits about 50 miles southeast of Mount Rainier. With an absence of glaciers to navigate, it provides offers a simpler summit experience for beginner mountaineers.
🏔️ Mount Saint Helens: This active volcano famously erupted in 1980 and offers hiking and summiting opportunities.
🏙️ Leavenworth: This faux-Bavarian mountain resort features plentiful opportunity for outdoor recreation and local food & drink. A large concentration of rock climbing exists near the town as well.
🏞️ Olympic and North Cascades National Park: Both of these national parks are more than 4 hours away from Mount Rainier, but are worth visiting if you are in Washington.

📅 When to Visit: Washington’s weather is the most reliably sunny in July and August, so these are popular months to visit Mount Rainier. If you visit in the summer, try to visit during the week (not on weekends) to avoid crowds. Fall and spring are also good times to visit the park, but the weather is less reliable during these times.
⌚ How Long to Visit: First-time visitors can sufficiently see and explore the park’s five established areas in ~2 days, but those looking for adventure can spend anywhere from a few days to several weeks in the park.
🚗 How to Visit: Mount Rainier is easy to access by car from Seattle, which is about 2 hours away from the park.
🛏️ Where to Stay: In addition to four developed campgrounds – Cougar Rock, Ohanapecosh, White River, and Mowich Lake – the park offers lodging at Paradise Inn and the National Park Inn. There are many options for hotels and private lodging outside the park.
🧳 What to Bring: If hiking, bring your usual hiking gear: sturdy boots, water containers, comfortable clothes, hiking pack, etc. If you own trekking poles, I’d recommend bringing them: they are helpful on the steep trails and snowpack found at higher elevations. Also, bring bear spray and sunscreen. If attempting to summit Rainier, you need way more gear than I have room to describe here. See my blog post about my summit attempt for an idea of just some of this required gear.

✅ DO visit during the week in summer months to avoid crowds.
✅ DO start your days in the park early if visiting during peak season.
✅ DO build flexibility into your plans when you visit Mount Rainier. Washington’s weather can be unpredictable and unreliable, even in the typically sunny summer months. Be sure to have backup or alternative plans when you visit.
❌ DON’T underestimate the sun. UV rays are more dangerous at higher elevations and can be intensified by the snow commonly found on the ground in the park.
❌ DON’T approach or feed wildlife. This is true literally everywhere, but begs repeating in Mount Rainier due to the presence of bears and mountain lions.