Washington · National Park trail

Paradise Trails Orientation: Avalanche Lily & Alta Vista Trail Junction

in Washington · centroid 63 mi from Seattle

Season: Summer Paradise is open year-round, but this orientation guide is designed for the summer season when trails are snow-free. In spring and fall, there may be patches of snow covering sections of trail. Please stay on trails, even if it means crossing snow, to avoid trampling delicate meadow plants.

Pets are not allowed on trails. This location is the main junction of Avalanche Lily Trail and Alta Vista Trail. The summit of Mount Rainier is visible to the northwest with the Alta Vista trail heading uphill to the north.

A short bypass trail also connects the Avalanche Lily Trail and Alta Vista Trails uphill from this main intersection. Avalanche Lily Trail is oriented roughly east-west at this intersection, with the trail to the east connecting to the Jackson Visitor Center and upper parking lot and the trail to the west connecting to the Deadhorse Creek Trail. The bypass trail connects back to the Alta Vista Trail on the right after 150 feet heading west along the Avalanche Lily Trail.

States: Washington
Trail type: National Park trail
Centroid nearest city: Seattle, WA · 63 mi · ~1.8 hr drive
Centroid coords: 46.7861°, -121.7391°

About Mount Rainier National Park

National Park

This trail is inside Mount Rainier National Park, a national park managed by the U.S. National Park Service. Conditions, road status, trail closures, and reservation requirements are published on the park's NPS page — check it before driving in, especially in winter or during major weather events.

Entrance fee: $30 per vehicle (verify current rate on the park page). An America the Beautiful annual pass ($80) covers entrance to all NPS units.

Official NPS trail page: https://www.nps.gov/places/paradise-trails-orientation-avalanche-lily-alta-vista-trail-junction.htm

Park homepage: https://www.nps.gov/mora/index.htm

Plan your hike

Practical notes

Maps + permits: long-distance trails like this often require permits for through-hiking, backcountry camping, or specific sections (especially in National Parks). Check with the maintaining organisation listed above and the relevant land manager before booking travel.

Water + supplies: water sources vary seasonally on most U.S. trails. Carry a filter and consult current trail-condition reports — through-hiker journals (PCT-L, AT Reddit, etc.) and the maintaining organisation publish regular updates.

When to go: hiking seasons vary widely with elevation, latitude, and snowpack. Through-hikers traditionally start the AT in March-April (Springer northbound) and the PCT in late April (Campo northbound). High-elevation western trails (CDT, JMT, Wonderland) generally aren't passable until July.

If you've hiked Paradise Trails Orientation: Avalanche Lily & Alta Vista Trail Junction and have current notes (water sources, trail closures, permit changes), tell us at /contact — we update pages as we learn.

Stay nearby

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Driving in? The nearest documented metro is Seattle, WA — 63 miles away (~1.8 hr drive). See accommodation in Seattle on Booking.com → RoamFound earns a small commission if you book through this link, at no extra cost to you. How we handle affiliate links.