Washington · National Park trail

Sunrise Nature Trail Stop 3

in Washington · centroid 58 mi from Seattle

Winter snows affect the distribution of plants. Note the clumps of dense vegetation surrounded by relatively bare soil. The higher mounds of vegetation are first to melt, providing a head start to the growing season for these plants.

The first blooms announce the arrival of summer in the high country. In late summer, after clumps of fleeceflower, or Newberry's knotweed (pictured), turn a salmon pink, their stems break apart at the joints, dispersing seeds as they tumble in the wind. Take the trail to the right to continue the walking tour.

States: Washington
Trail type: National Park trail
Centroid nearest city: Seattle, WA · 58 mi · ~1.7 hr drive
Centroid coords: 46.9172°, -121.6437°

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-3.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 3 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 — 58 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.