Choose the Perfect Time of Year for You
From vast mountain views, rocky lookouts, fields of flowers, evergreen forests and serene waterfalls, each area of Mount Rainier National park has a different feel and offers a different view of the mountain if visibility permits! Seasons greatly affect Mount Rainier’s accessibility, weather, and the look of locations so it’s best to know a timeframe in order to narrow down what is available. 


I start with Summer because this is truly how I feel most “envision” Mount Rainier National Park. Summer at Mount Rainier visually begins in mid-July when the snow melts out and the wildflowers begin to bloom. There’s not an exact science to this one - it just depends on how quickly the snow melts. I’ve personally seen that as early as mid-June and as late as the beginning of August. It’s a short season with boundless areas in the park - all within an arms reach. It’s also important to understand that this is the peak of tourist season and often when crowds flock to the park. I highly encourage weekdays to make accessibility a bit easier. If you’re looking to hike, this is the perfect time of year for you. So many of the trails are only accessible during Summer and early Fall. If you’re open to easy to access locations, another season (or once school is back in) may drastically increase your ability to gain some privacy. 
 

Beautiful colors filter through in the fall affecting higher elevation locations first. Fall colors begin as early as the beginning of September but more commonly towards the end of the month. This also tends to be that moody time of year where fog begins to creep in and rain becomes more frequent approaching the Winter months. It is not uncommon for a dusting of snow to sweep through as early as the beginning of October. Sometimes it stays and sometimes it melts back out reviving Fall colors. 
 

The colder it gets the more precipitation increases and for high elevation locations, that means SNOW! Most areas of the park are not accessible after mid-October when road closures begin to limit access. The exact date depends on conditions so I highly recommend planning for the Nisqually entrance or Crystal Mountain.
 

 This is the lovely time of year where the Snow is beginning to melt out. Lower elevation locations tend to be clear with vast amounts of water creating “pop-up” waterfalls. Higher elevation areas are still packed with thick slippery snow until becoming patchy around June. 

summer

fall

spring

winter