Washington · Hiking · Near Greenwater

Crystal Lakes

2.8 mi
round trip
2,833 ft
climb
5,838 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Jul–Sep
best months

Is Crystal Lakes open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Mount Rainier National Park. It doesn't name Crystal Lakes, 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.

Crystal Lakes is a hard hike in Mount Rainier National Park in Washington, managed by the National Park Service. The route is an out-and-back of about 5.7 miles, with a total elevation gain of 2,833 feet, and it starts at the Crystal Lakes Trailhead. The climb is front-loaded, with the steepest stretch at about 0.29 miles from the trailhead, where the grade reaches 34 percent. The high point on the route is 5,838 feet, and the trailhead sits at about 3,620 feet. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at a similar elevation show July and August highs around 62 to 64°F with lows in the mid-40s, while winter highs stay in the low to mid 30s. The hike carries a fee. Plan for about 3.5 hours on the trail. Crystal Peak Trail lies about 0.6 miles away, and Northway Trail and Henskin Lake are both within about 2.3 miles. Silver Springs Campground, roughly 4.9 miles off, is the closest place to camp.

Around this trail

Add any of these when you start a trip
  • Sleep close

    Lower Crystal Lake Camp

    Campground

    Campground · 1.2 mi from the trail
  • Eat after

    Alaskan Fish Shack

    Restaurant

    On your way back · 2 mi
  • If it rainsSteven Pavlov, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

    Longmire Museum

    Museum

    Museum · 18 mi from Greenwater

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors · Photos: Steven Pavlov, CC BY-SA 4.0 (commons)

More in Greenwater

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.