How to Hike the Skyline Loop Trail Mt Rainier

The Skyline Trail (also known as the Skyline Loop Trail) is one of the most iconic hikes in Mount Rainier National Park. Starting from the Paradise area, this loop delivers nonstop views of Mount Rainier, alpine meadows, glaciers, and some of the best mountain scenery in Washington.

We hiked the Skyline Trail on a clear, summer day in summer and it completely blew my expectations out of the water. Yes, it’s a busy trail, but once you’re out on the loop, it’s easy to understand why. There were moments where Mount Rainier felt so close it barely seemed real.

When you reach Panorama Point (the highest point of the trail), the views stretch far beyond the park itself. On a clear day, you can see Mount Hood in Oregon along with a chain of other Cascade volcanoes, a reminder of just how high and exposed this trail really is.

This guide covers everything you need to know before hiking the Skyline Trail, including which direction to hike the loop, parking tips at Paradise, trail conditions to expect, and where to stay near Mount Rainier.

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The Skyline Trail in Mount Rainier – Paradise

Hike Stats

Where in Mt Rainier NP is the Skyline Loop Trail located?

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The Skyline Trail is located in the Paradise area of Mount Rainier National Park.

Where to park for the Skyline Trail

You can park in the Visitor Centre’s parking lot, however please note that it does fill up extremely early especially on the weekends.

There is an overflow parking lot not too far away from the main one, however this also fills up fairly quickly so plan to get there early.

We arrived at about 8am on a Saturday and found that the parking lot was already almost completely full!

The Skyline trailhead is located next to the Visitor Centre and the Paradise ranger station. This is where you will start and end the loop. The start of the trail is actually paved which we were surprised to find.

Best Time to do the Skyline Trail Hike

The best time of the year to do the Skyline Trail hike is Summer or early Fall. The wildflowers along the trail are gorgeous during Summer, however the trail is quite exposed and so it gets quite hot in the Summer.

The cooler weather in the Fall makes the hike more bearable and the Fall colours are really pretty along the Skyline Trail. The next time I do this trail, I definitely want to visit in the Fall.

If you decide to go early in the summer season, it might be worth bring along some micro spikes because snow and ice can sometimes linger into July.

I recommend starting the hike first thing in the morning as this is the most popular hike in Mount Rainier and you risk not getting a parking spot if you are late. Alternatively, you could try to get a parking spot later in the afternoon once the morning hikers have finished.

Is the Trail Dog Friendly?

Dogs are not allowed in Mount Rainier National Park’s wilderness areas or on the trails. The reason for this is to protect the wildlife and fragile vegetation or sensitive archaeological sites in the park.

Service animals are the exception to this rule, however must be kept on a leash at all times.

Dogs are allowed in certain areas of Mt Rainier with restrictions. For more information about having pets in Mount Rainier check out this website.

Do I need a National Parks Pass for the Skyline Loop Trail?

As the trail is located in Mount Rainier National Park, you will need a National Parks Pass (America the Beautiful pass).

If you are visiting more than one National Park in an annual period, I recommend purchasing the Annual Pass rather than a day pass as the day passes work out to be more expensive in the long run.

In additional to the National Parks Pass, you will need to obtain a timed entry reservation for the day that you want to hike the trail. Each reservation is good for one day only.

Leave No Trace

Whenever you are enjoying the beautiful nature that our world has to offer, remember to leave no trace (LNT)! Respect the beautiful places that make our world beautiful and take out everything that you take in, take only photos and respect the wildlife and other people. You can read more on the 7 LNT principles here.

How Hard is the Skyline Loop Trail?

The Skyline Loop Trail is steep in sections and fairly long so is rated as moderate.

As frequent hikers, we found the trail long but not all that technical as it was very well looked after. I’d say the epic views from the top are definitely worth the incline.

Should I hike the Skyline Loop Trail clockwise or counter clockwise?

Whichever way you choose the to hike the Skyline Trail, you will enjoy but I have listed some pros and cons on each direction below.

We hiked the Skyline Loop Trail clockwise and I think I’d do it again this way.

Pros and cons of hiking clockwise

If you choose to do the hike clockwise, you will hike up up a pretty steep section to Panorama Point. This is the way that we hiked the trail and didn’t find the uphill too bad as it didn’t last too long.

While you hike, views of Mount Rainier will be right in front of you the entire way which is pretty amazing. We found that we were stopping so much to take photos that we barely noticed the steep section.

Once you have reached the highest point of the climb, the way back down will be much more steady which is nicer on the knees.

Pros of hiking counter clockwise

The hike up to Panorama Point is much more gradual but a longer hike.

Instead of being short and steep like the clockwise direction, the counter clockwise is long and a gradual incline. You will still have amazing views of Mt Rainier, but slightly further away.

If you hike in this direction, you will be hiking down the steeper section rather than up and you will also reach Myrtle Falls earlier in the hike which might mean that you are able to beat the insane queues to see the waterfall.

The Skyline Loop Trail Description

The trail is very easy to follow. There is a well maintained path that is actually paved for the first section of the hike and then turns to dirt/gravel.

There are a few points of interest along the hike to check out. These are Myrtle Falls, Mount Rainier and Panorama Point.

Myrtle Falls

The Myrtle Falls Trail is a small offshoot of the Skyline Trail. Myrtle Falls is a beautiful waterfall which you can view from a bridge and is not too far from the beginning of the hike, if you do the hike counter clockwise.

As we did the hike clockwise, we reached Myrtle Falls at the end when we were tired and there was a HUGE line to get onto the bridge in front of the waterfall so we decided to skip it.

Mount Rainier

One of the best things about the Skyline Loop Trail is its epic views of Mount Rainier for the majority of the hike! These views are the reason that the Skyline trail is the most popular hike in Mt Rainier.

Panorama Point

Panorama Point, Mt Rainier is the viewpoint that you hike up to and approximately halfway along the loop.

It is the highest point on the Skyline Trail and from it on a clear day, you can see Mt. Adams in Washington, Mt. St. Helens in Washington and Mount Hood in Oregon.

After you have taken in the awesome view of the mountain range from Panorama Point, look behind you. You are now so close to Mount Rainier that you will hear the glacier cracking!

Are there restrooms / toilets

There are toilets at the trailhead in the visitors centre and also at Panorama Point.

Wildlife to look out for on the Skyline Trail

Even with the crowds of hikers, the Skyline Loop Trail has lots of wildlife. When we did the hike in late Summer, we saw deer and a marmot and hundreds of tourists hiking the trail. You should also look out for mountain goats on the trail.

Mount Rainier is also home to black bears and mountain lions so always make sure you are up to date with wildlife safety and carry bear spray with you.

Can you Camp along the Skyline Loop Trail?

There are no designated backcountry campsites on the Paradise Area Trails which includes the Skyline Loop Trail.

Other Must-Do Hikes in Mt Rainier National Park

If you are already in Mount Rainier National Park, you may as well make the most of your time there and do more than one hike. A few must do-hikes nearby the Skyline Trail are listed below.

Mount Fremont Lookout Trail – The Best Hike in Mt Rainier

Distance: 8.6km / 5.4 miles | Elevation: 274m / 900ft | Time: 3hrs |  Level: Easy-moderate

The Mount Fremont Lookout Trail is located in the Sunrise area of Mount Rainier NP and is a couple of hours drive away. This was our favourite hike in Mount Rainier and we actually did it twice because we loved it so much!

The hike takes you to an amazing fire lookout at the end of the trail with insane views and is a one of the best Mount Rainier hikes to do at sunrise or sunset.

You might even be lucky enough to get a cloud inversion which, if its not on your Bucketlist already, you need to add it on there!

Comet Falls Trail

Distance: 5.1km / 3.2miles | Elevation: 390m / 1,279ft | Time: 2 – 2.5hrs |  Level: Easy-moderate

If you love waterfalls, you are going to love this hike! Comet Falls is a huge waterfall located not too far from the Skyline Loop Trail. It is a great alternative hike for bad weather or if the parking lot at the Paradise Visitor Centre is full.

We did Comet Falls on a really foggy day instead of the Skyline Loop Trail and the fog made the whole hike so mystical! We felt like we were in another land and were definitely surprised at how much we loved this hike!

The hike is pretty short but quite steep and the trail is very easy to follow. A great option if you are looking for an amazing waterfall to check out in Mt Rainier!

Naches Peak Loop Trail

Distance: 5.3km / 3.2 miles | Elevation: 194m / 636ft | Time: 1.5 – 2hrs |  Level: Easy

The Naches Peak Loop Trail is another great hike located around a 45 minute – 1 hour drive from the Skyline Loop Trailhead. It is located at the beautiful Chinook Pass.

This was a Mt Rainier hike that was on our list for when we were there but we just didn’t have enough time to do it which we really regret because it looks absolutely gorgeous! The trail has the most incredible views of Tipsoo Lake surrounded by wildflowers.

For those who love an early start, the Naches Peak Loop trail is a great hike to do at sunrise.

Even if you don’t want to do the hike for sunrise, the parking lot is quite small so getting to the trailhead early is definitely a good choice either way.

Our Thoughts

Even though the Skyline Trail is pretty touristy, we are glad we did it. It is definitely a hike that you should not miss when visiting Mount Rainier National Park.

We recommend making a full day of it and bringing along a packed lunch and snacks to enjoy at Panorama Point. The Skyline Loop Trail is definitely a must-do hike in Mount Rainier!

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