moun-rainier-national-park

Plan Your Visit

Mount Rainier's extreme weather and immense popularity mean its glorious summer season is short and requires advance planning.

Timed Entry Reservations Required

Important!

During peak season (late May to early September), a **Timed Entry Reservation** is required to enter the Paradise and Sunrise corridors during prime hours. These are booked on Recreation.gov and are released months in advance. Spontaneous visits during peak times are not possible.

Choosing Your Season: A Brief, Beautiful Summer

The Two Heavens: Paradise & Sunrise

The park has several regions, but most visitors focus on its two most famous, high-altitude destinations.

Paradise

Located on the south slope of the mountain, Paradise is world-famous for its spectacular wildflower meadows. In July and August, the fields erupt in color. It's the most visited part of the park, home to the historic Paradise Inn and the Jackson Visitor Center. The Skyline Trail, the park's signature hike, starts here, offering breathtaking, up-close views of the Nisqually Glacier.

Sunrise

At 6,400 feet, Sunrise is the highest point that can be reached by vehicle in the park. Located on the mountain's northeast flank, it offers a drier climate and a more rugged, "in your face" perspective of the Emmons Glacier, the largest in the contiguous U.S. The hiking trails here, like the Burroughs Mountain Trail, provide stunning panoramic views of the mountain and surrounding Cascade Range.

Signature Hikes

Hiking is the premier activity at Mount Rainier. These trails offer some of the best mountain scenery in North America.

Trail Comparison: Choose Your Challenge

Wildflowers & Glaciers

The park is defined by the interplay of ice and life, where massive glaciers feed vibrant meadows.

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Subalpine Wildflowers

For a few glorious weeks, typically from mid-July to mid-August, the meadows of Paradise and Sunrise become carpets of color. Lupine, paintbrush, and avalanche lilies create a world-class botanical display against the backdrop of the snowy peak.

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A Glaciated Giant

Mount Rainier is the most heavily glaciated peak in the contiguous U.S., with 25 named glaciers. These rivers of ice, like the Nisqually and Emmons glaciers, are powerful forces that continually sculpt the mountain and are a key focus of climate change research.