White River Campground
Campground
Campground · 0.2 mi from the trail
Washington · Hiking · Near Greenwater
Glacier Basin
Photo: Troy Mason, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)- 3.1 mi
- round trip
- 2,337 ft
- climb
- 5,968 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Jul–Sep
- best months
Is Glacier Basin open right now?
Closure in the area
There's a closure order in Mount Rainier National Park. It doesn't name Glacier Basin, 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.
Glacier Basin is a moderate out-and-back hike in Mount Rainier National Park in Washington, managed by the National Park Service. The trail starts at Glacier Basin Trailhead and reaches a high point of about 5,968 feet, with a total elevation gain of roughly 2,337 feet over the course of the 6.2-mile round trip. The climb is a steady one, with the trail gaining about 1,600 feet from the trailhead's starting elevation of around 4,356 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 in the low 60s and lows in the mid 40s, while winter highs stay in the mid 30s. The hike is about 3 miles long one way, and the National Park Service estimates it takes about 3 hours. A fee is charged for the visit. Several other trails sit close by. Silver Forest and Sunrise Rim are each about 0.8 miles away, and the Emmons Moraine Trail is about 0.9 miles away. For an overnight stay, Silver Springs Campground is about 8 miles off.
Around this trail
Add any of these when you start a tripSleep close Eat after Snack Bar
Restaurant
On your way back · 1 mi
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 GreenwaterLocal outfitters
- Sunset Lake Summer Camp & Retreat Center22 mi away
- Silver Beach Resort26 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
- Silver ForestHiking0.8 mi
- Sunrise RimHiking0.8 mi
- Emmons Moraine TrailHiking0.9 mi
- West Fork White RiverCanoeing4.4 mi
Mount RainierRock climbingPhoto: shinsain, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)6.4 mi
Silver Springs CampgroundCampingPhoto: Recreation.gov (RIDB) / public domain8.3 mi- Silver CreekCanoeing8.4 mi
- Liberty CapMountaineering9.5 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
Palisades LakesHiking · ~5 min drivePhoto: brewbooks, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
Crystal Peak TrailHiking · ~10 min drivePhoto: Walter Siegmund (talk), CC BY 2.5 (via Wikimedia Commons)
Tipsoo LakeHiking · ~11 min drivePhoto: Steven Pavlov, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
Northern LoopHiking · ~14 min drivePhoto: brewbooks from near Seattle, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)- North Burroughs MtnHiking · ~3 min drive
Skookum Flats TrailHiking · ~14 min drivePhoto: Steven Pavlov, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)- Silver ForestHiking · ~1 min drive
- Huckleberry CreekHiking · ~2 min drive
- Mount FremontHiking · ~3 min drive
- Sourdough RidgeHiking · ~2 min drive
Best time to visit Glacier Basin
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, 9.2 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.
