A fan-shaped waterfall cascades over lava cliffs with a rainbow in its mist.
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Mount Rainier National Park Photography Guide

National Park · Washington

  • Bortle 3
  • 106 photo spots
  • Clearest: July
Photo: NPS Photo / E. Brouwer · Public domain (NPS)

Mount Rainier National Park is a National Park in Washington. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and 106 photo locations inside or next to the park.

Ascending to 14,410 feet above sea level, Mount Rainier stands as an icon in the Washington landscape. An active volcano, Mount Rainier is the most glaciated peak in the contiguous U.S.A., spawning five major rivers. Subalpine wildflower meadows ring the icy volcano while ancient forest cloaks Mount Rainier’s lower slopes. Wildlife abounds in the park’s ecosystems. A lifetime of discovery awaits.Description: National Park Service (public domain) — nps.gov
Photo spots
106
matched locations
Sky darkness
Bortle 3
Rural sky
Clearest month
July
29% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
Apr–Aug
Nearest town
Crocker
39 km (24 mi)

Light at Mount Rainier

Live
Sunrise
7:32 AM
Sunset
6:12 PM
Golden hour AM
7:13 AM – 8:15 AM
Golden hour PM
5:30 PM – 6:31 PM
Blue hour AM
7:02 AM – 7:13 AM
Blue hour PM
6:31 PM – 6:43 PM
Full darkness
7:53 PM – 5:52 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 71%
Moonrise / set
3:51 PM / 1:12 AM
Day length
10h 40m
Sunrise azimuth
104°
Sunset azimuth
256°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Los Angeles. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Best photo spots in Mount Rainier

We matched 106 named overlooks, waterfalls, peaks and other features to Mount Rainier. Each has its own page with sun directions and a monthly golden hour table.

Scenic Viewpoints (3)

Scenic Viewpoint
Emmons OverlookPierce County · 1,943 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Palisades ViewpointLewis County · 677 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Sun Top ViewpointPierce County · 1,592 m

Waterfalls (49)

Comet FallsWaterfall
Comet FallsPierce County · 1,501 m
Christine FallsWaterfall
Christine FallsPierce County · 1,125 m
Narada FallsWaterfall
Narada FallsLewis County · 1,393 m
Van Trump FallsWaterfall
Van Trump FallsPierce County
Chenuis FallsWaterfall
Chenuis FallsPierce County · 684 m
Silver FallsWaterfall
Silver FallsLewis County · 602 m
Pearl FallsWaterfall
Pearl FallsPierce County · 1,728 m
Spray FallsWaterfall
Spray FallsPierce County · 1,585 m
Carter FallsWaterfall
Carter FallsLewis County · 1,122 m
Waterfall
Sydney FallsPierce County
Waterfall
Kautz Creek FallsPierce County
Waterfall
Fairy FallsPierce County · 1,722 m

Natural Arches (2)

Chinook Entrance ArchNatural Arch
Chinook Entrance ArchPierce County
Natural Arch
Natural BridgePierce County

Mountain Peaks (10)

Mount RainierMountain Peak
Mount RainierPierce County · 4,392 m
Tolmie PeakMountain Peak
Tolmie PeakPierce County · 1,790 m
Little Tahoma PeakMountain Peak
Little Tahoma PeakPierce County · 3,357 m
Unicorn PeakMountain Peak
Unicorn PeakLewis County · 2,102 m
Plummer PeakMountain Peak
Plummer PeakLewis County · 1,933 m
Dege PeakMountain Peak
Dege PeakPierce County · 2,130 m
Pinnacle PeakMountain Peak
Pinnacle PeakLewis County · 1,972 m
Lane PeakMountain Peak
Lane PeakLewis County · 1,832 m
McNeeley PeakMountain Peak
McNeeley PeakPierce County · 2,048 m
Mount WowMountain Peak
Mount WowPierce County · 1,800 m

Lakes (5)

Mowich LakeLake
Mowich LakePierce County · 1,505 m
Eunice LakeLake
Eunice LakePierce County · 1,633 m
Tipsoo LakeLake
Tipsoo LakePierce County · 1,615 m
Snow LakeLake
Snow LakeLewis County · 1,427 m
Bench LakeLake
Bench LakeLewis County · 1,385 m

Canyons (1)

Box CanyonCanyon
Box CanyonPierce County

Hot Springs (1)

Hot Spring
Ohanapecosh Hot SpringsLewis County

Glaciers (18)

Emmons GlacierGlacier
Emmons GlacierPierce County
Winthrop GlacierGlacier
Winthrop GlacierPierce County
Nisqually GlacierGlacier
Nisqually GlacierPierce County
Puyallup GlacierGlacier
Puyallup GlacierPierce County
South Tahoma GlacierGlacier
South Tahoma GlacierPierce County
North Mowich GlacierGlacier
North Mowich GlacierPierce County
Carbon GlacierGlacier
Carbon GlacierPierce County
Kautz GlacierGlacier
Kautz GlacierPierce County
Ohanapecosh GlacierGlacier
Ohanapecosh GlacierPierce County
Paradise GlacierGlacier
Paradise GlacierPierce County
Russell GlacierGlacier
Russell GlacierPierce County
Sarvant GlacierGlacier
Sarvant GlacierPierce County

Caves (1)

Cave
Paradise Ice CavesPierce County

Mountain Passes (3)

Chinook PassMountain Pass
Chinook PassYakima County · 1,656 m
Cayuse PassMountain Pass
Cayuse PassPierce County · 1,490 m
Panhandle GapMountain Pass
Panhandle GapPierce County · 2,055 m

Volcanoes (2)

Volcano
East CraterPierce County
Volcano
West CraterPierce County

Fire Lookouts (6)

Gobbler's Knob Fire LookoutFire Lookout
Gobbler's Knob Fire LookoutPierce County
Mount Fremont Fire LookoutFire Lookout
Mount Fremont Fire LookoutPierce County
Shriner Peak Fire LookoutFire Lookout
Shriner Peak Fire LookoutPierce County
Tolmie Peak Fire LookoutFire Lookout
Tolmie Peak Fire LookoutPierce County
Suntop LookoutFire Lookout
Suntop LookoutPierce County
Fire Lookout
High Rock LookoutPierce County

Wilderness Areas (5)

Clearwater WildernessWilderness Area
Clearwater WildernessPierce County
Tatoosh WildernessWilderness Area
Tatoosh WildernessLewis County
Glacier View WildernessWilderness Area
Glacier View WildernessPierce County
Norse Peak WildernessWilderness Area
Norse Peak WildernessYakima County
Mount Rainier WildernessWilderness Area
Mount Rainier WildernessPierce County

Sunrise, sunset & golden hour

At Mount Rainier the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 54° (NE) at the June solstice and 125° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 307° (NW) in June to 236° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 67° in summer but only 20° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
Month (15th)SunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetSunset az.Daylight
January7:48 AM8:37 AM3:56 PM4:45 PM239°8h 57m
February7:12 AM7:55 AM4:49 PM5:32 PM253°10h 20m
March7:20 AM8:01 AM6:32 PM7:13 PM268°11h 52m
April6:20 AM7:01 AM7:14 PM7:55 PM286°13h 35m
May5:33 AM6:17 AM7:51 PM8:35 PM300°15h 03m
June5:13 AM6:00 AM8:16 PM9:04 PM307°15h 51m
July5:28 AM6:14 AM8:13 PM8:59 PM304°15h 30m
August6:05 AM6:47 AM7:37 PM8:19 PM292°14h 14m
September6:45 AM7:25 AM6:40 PM7:20 PM275°12h 35m
October7:25 AM8:07 AM5:40 PM6:21 PM258°10h 56m
November7:11 AM7:57 AM3:47 PM4:34 PM243°9h 23m
December7:46 AM8:38 AM3:28 PM4:19 PM236°8h 33m

Computed for the park's reference point (46.8608, -121.7044); large parks span several minutes of difference.

Milky Way & dark skies

From Mount Rainier, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 14° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitude
JanuaryNot visible in darkness——
FebruaryNot visible in darkness——
March5:24 AM – 5:34 AM0.211°
April3:27 AM – 4:17 AM0.813°
May1:33 AM – 3:03 AM1.514°
June11:55 PM – 2:15 AM2.314°
July11:32 PM – 1:12 AM1.714°
August10:20 PM – 11:10 PM0.813°
September9:05 PM – 9:05 PM0.010°
OctoberNot visible in darkness——
NovemberNot visible in darkness——
DecemberNot visible in darkness——

3 Estimated Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead.

Weather & best time to visit

Weather patterns at Mount Rainier are strongly influenced by the Pacific Ocean and elevation. The climate is generally cool and rainy, with summer highs in the 60s and 70s. While July and August are the sunniest months of the year, rain is very likely in spring, fall, and winter. Visitors should be aware that mountain weather is very changeable. In the higher elevations, like Paradise, winter can last from November to May with many feet of snow on the ground.

Weather overview: National Park Service.

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 29% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (75%). August is the warmest month and December the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.

Average cloud cover (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Average high (°F)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Photography permits, drones & fees

Permits. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.

Drones. Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.

Entrance feeCost (USD)
Entrance - Private Vehicle$30.00
Entrance - Per Person$15.00
Entrance - Motorcycle$25.00
Commercial Entrance - Mini-bus$100.00

Fees as published by the NPS when this page was built — confirm on nps.gov before you go.

Getting there

Mount Rainier National Park is located in west-central Washington state. Several major cities in Washington- Seattle, Tacoma, and Yakima- and Portland, Oregon, are within 200 miles of the park. For GPS to Nisqually Entrance use: 39000 State Route 706 E, Ashford, WA 98304.

Directions: National Park Service.

Activities

  • Auto and ATV
  • Scenic Driving
  • Astronomy
  • Stargazing
  • Biking
  • Camping
  • Backcountry Camping
  • Car or Front Country Camping
  • Group Camping
  • Climbing
  • Mountain Climbing
  • Fishing
  • Freshwater Fishing
  • Food
  • Dining
  • Picnicking
  • Guided Tours
  • Self-Guided Tours - Walking
  • Self-Guided Tours - Auto
  • Hands-On
  • Citizen Science
  • Hiking
  • Backcountry Hiking
  • Front-Country Hiking

Nearby parks

WA
Wing Luke Museum Affiliated Area94 km away · Affiliated Area
Klondike Gold Rush - Seattle Unit National Historical ParkWA
Klondike Gold Rush - Seattle Unit National Historical Park95 km away · National Historical Park
Fort Vancouver National Historic SiteOR/WA
Fort Vancouver National Historic Site156 km away · National Historic Site
Ebey's Landing National Historical ReserveWA
Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve168 km away · National Historical Reserve
Olympic National ParkWA
Olympic National Park181 km away · National Park
Lewis and Clark National Historical ParkOR/WA
Lewis and Clark National Historical Park187 km away · National Historical Park

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Mount Rainier National Park?
July has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Spring and autumn usually bring softer light and fewer crowds; check the monthly table for sunrise and sunset times.
Do you need a photography permit in Mount Rainier?
Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Can you fly a drone in Mount Rainier?
Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Can you see the Milky Way in Mount Rainier?
Yes — from April to August, best in June. Estimated sky: Bortle 3.
What time is sunset in Mount Rainier?
On the 15th of October the sun sets at about 6:21 PM local time; see the live widget for today.