Washington · National Park trail

Sunrise Nature Trail Stop 8

in Washington · centroid 58 mi from Seattle

The meadows at Sunrise change color with the changing season. The blooming of Mount Rainier's gorgeous wildflower meadows is inextricably tied to the amount of snow on the ground. When snow melts earlier, some flowers bloom earlier.

As the climate warms, impacting snowmelt, “peak bloom”, when a large variety of wildflowers bloom simultaneously, could also change in the future. Wildflower season may stretch out throughout spring and summer, moving away from a time in which you could capture 20 species blooming in one photo. The yellow glacier lily and white pasqueflower bloom early in the season.

Blue lupine and purple Cascade aster (pictured) provide most of the color in midsummer. In late summer, the pasqueflower forms a seedhead (pictured) and the ripening red berries of Sitka mountain ash bring new color to the area. How many species do you see in bloom today?

States: Washington
Trail type: National Park trail
Centroid nearest city: Seattle, WA · 58 mi · ~1.7 hr drive
Centroid coords: 46.9186°, -121.6375°

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-8.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 8 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.