Washington · National Park trail

Sunrise Nature Trail Stop 13

in Washington · centroid 57 mi from Seattle

At 14,410 feet, Mount Rainier towers over Sunrise and is a major influence on landscape and the life it supports. In addition to its volcanic and glacial activity, the mountain intercepts moisture-laden ocean air flowing inland. This air cools as it rises over the mountain, dropping most of its moisture as rain or snow on western slopes.

The northeast side receives less precipitation, resulting in more clear, dry days at Sunrise than at on the southwest side at Paradise. This “rain shadow” effect is a major influence on the plant life in this area. We hope you enjoyed this guided hike and that on your next visit to Mount Rainier the meadows will look as beautiful as they did today, in part due to your own efforts to keep it so.

As a good steward, you are leaving a lasting legacy by staying on designated trails to preserve the meadows that call Mount Rainier National Park home. Turn left and head down to the Sunrise parking area or take the trail to the right to hike the Sunrise Rim Loop, a 5.2-miles roundtrip, 1,000 feet elevation gain, or take in views from the Fremont Fire Lookout, 5.6-miles, 900 feet elevation gain roundtrip, or check out the water source for the Sunrise area, Frozen Lake, a 2.8-miles roundtrip trek.

States: Washington
Trail type: National Park trail
Centroid nearest city: Seattle, WA · 57 mi · ~1.7 hr drive
Centroid coords: 46.9185°, -121.6467°

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/sunrise-nature-trail-stop-13.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 Sunrise Nature Trail Stop 13 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 — 57 miles away (~1.7 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.