Paradise River Camp
Campground
Campground · 1.9 mi from the trail
Washington · Hiking · Near Packwood
Alta Vista
- 1.1 mi
- round trip
- 699 ft
- climb
- 5,971 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Jul–Sep
- best months
Is Alta Vista open right now?
Closure in the area
There's a closure order in Mount Rainier National Park. It doesn't name Alta Vista, so check the source for the area it covers.
Paradise Road Status: Gate closed at Longmire: projected to open tomorrow
Park closure covering Mount Rainier National Park · NPS · Mount Rainier National Park
WILDFIRE CLOSURES: Sunrise & northern trails.
Park alert covering Mount Rainier National Park · NPS · Mount Rainier National Park
As of · Source: NPS · Mount Rainier National Park. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Alta Vista is an easy out-and-back hike in Mount Rainier National Park in Washington, managed by the National Park Service. The route is about 2.2 miles long, with a total elevation gain of 699 feet, and it starts at roughly 5,877 feet, reaching a high point of about 5,971 feet. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Rainier Paradise run to highs around 62°F in July and 64°F in August, with lows in the mid-40s. That station sits a few hundred feet lower than the trail's high point, so temperatures up top run a little cooler. The hike is short enough to fit into a day of exploring the park. The Skyline and Moraine hikes both start about 0.1 mile away, and the Mount Rainier summit route lies about 0.6 mile off. Cougar Rock Campground is about 3.3 miles away for an overnight stay.
Around this trail
Add any of these when you start a tripSleep close Eat after 
If it rainsSteven Pavlov, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Places © OpenStreetMap contributors · Photos: Steven Pavlov, CC BY-SA 4.0 (commons)
More in PackwoodLocal outfitters
- Sunset Lake Summer Camp & Retreat Center25 mi away
- Silver Beach Resort26 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
- SkylineHiking0.1 mi
- MoraineHiking0.1 mi
- Mount RainierMountaineering0.6 mi
- Liberty CapMountaineering2.2 mi
Cougar Rock CampgroundCampingPhoto: Recreation.gov (RIDB) / public domain3.3 mi
Cougar Rock Group CampgroundCampingPhoto: Recreation.gov (RIDB) / public domain3.3 mi
Nisqually RiverCanoeingPhoto: Ian Poellet, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)4.3 mi- Muddy Fork Cowlitz RiverCanoeing6.6 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
WaterfallHiking · Next doorPhoto: Ralph Arvesen from Round Mountain, Texas, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
Pinnacle PeakHiking · ~4 min drivePhoto: justin prince, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
Tatoosh Trail #161Hiking · ~13 min drivePhoto: U.S. Forest Service- Pacific Northwest Region, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)- SkylineHiking · Next door
Nisqually VistaHiking · ~1 min drivePhoto: Mount Rainier National Park from Ashford, WA, United States, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)
Pyramid Peak TrailHiking · ~8 min drivePhoto: justin prince, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)- Unicorn Peak climbing routeHiking · ~5 min drive
- Comet Falls-Van TrumpHiking · ~3 min drive
Mildred PointHiking · ~4 min drivePhoto: brewbooks — CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)- Tatoosh Lake Trail #161BHiking · ~10 min drivePhoto: U.S. Forest Service- Pacific Northwest Region, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)
Best time to visit Alta Vista
Best months: July–September. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
34° / 24°
Feb
34° / 23°
Mar
36° / 24°
Apr
40° / 26°
May
48° / 33°
Jun
54° / 37°
Jul
62° / 44°
Aug
64° / 45°
Sep
57° / 41°
Oct
46° / 33°
Nov
37° / 26°
Dec
33° / 22°
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Rainier Paradise Rs, WA, 0.6 mi away at 5,427 ft. The station sits about 500 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Route details
- Distance
- 1.1 mi round trip
- Climbing
- About 699 ft
- Summit
- 5,971 ft
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time
- About 0.5 hours
Other routes up Alta Vista
Questions about this route
How long is the Alta Vista on Alta Vista?
About 1.1 mi round trip.
How much elevation gain is on the Alta Vista?
About 699 ft of climbing round trip.
How hard is the Alta Vista?
It is rated easy.
How long does the Alta Vista take?
About 0.5 hours round trip.
How many routes go up Alta Vista?
2: Moraine and Alta Vista.
Conditions and forecast on Alta Vista
Daily highs and lows, wind and the chance of precipitation at the summit and route start for the next 7 days, from the Open-Meteo model.
