Camp Muir
Campground
Campground · 2.1 mi from the trail
Washington · Hiking · Near Packwood
High Skyline
- 0.8 mi
- round trip
- 687 ft
- climb
- 7,048 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Jul–Sep
- best months
Is High Skyline open right now?
Closure in the area
There's a closure order in Mount Rainier National Park. It doesn't name High Skyline, 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.
High Skyline is a short, easy out-and-back hike in Mount Rainier National Park in Washington, managed by the National Park Service. The route is about 1.5 miles long, with a total elevation gain of 687 feet, and it starts and ends near 7,045 feet, reaching a high point of 7,048 feet. The steepest stretch comes early, around 0.3 miles in, with a grade of about 21 percent. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Paradise run to highs around 62°F in July and 64°F in August, with lows in the mid-40s. That station sits well below the trail, so temperatures on the skyline run cooler. The hike is a quick outing, estimated to take about an hour. Pebble Creek and McClure Rock are both within a third of a mile, and Cougar Rock Campground is about 4 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.
- Pebble CreekHiking0.1 mi
- Mcclure RockHiking0.3 mi
- Mount RainierMountaineering1.4 mi
- Liberty CapMountaineering2.7 mi
Cougar Rock CampgroundCampingPhoto: Recreation.gov (RIDB) / public domain4.1 mi
Cougar Rock Group CampgroundCampingPhoto: Recreation.gov (RIDB) / public domain4.1 mi
Nisqually RiverCanoeingPhoto: Ian Poellet, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)5.2 mi- Muddy Fork Cowlitz RiverCanoeing6.9 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
WaterfallHiking · ~2 min drivePhoto: Ralph Arvesen from Round Mountain, Texas, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
Pinnacle PeakHiking · ~6 min drivePhoto: justin prince, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)- SkylineHiking · ~2 min drive
- Unicorn Peak climbing routeHiking · ~6 min drive
Nisqually VistaHiking · ~3 min drivePhoto: Mount Rainier National Park from Ashford, WA, United States, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)
Pyramid Peak TrailHiking · ~9 min drivePhoto: justin prince, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)- Comet Falls-Van TrumpHiking · ~4 min drive
- Cowlitz DivideHiking · ~10 min drive
Mildred PointHiking · ~5 min drivePhoto: brewbooks — CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
Tatoosh Lake Trail #161BHiking · ~12 min drivePhoto: U.S. Forest Service- Pacific Northwest Region, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)
Also worth it near here
- Mount RainierMountaineering · ~2 min drive
Camp MuirCamping · ~4 min drivePhoto: Mitch from Costa Mesa, CA, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
Narada FallsWaterfall · ~4 min drivePhoto: Mr.Z-man, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
Gibraltar RockSummit · ~5 min drivePhoto: Buidhe, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
Best time to visit High Skyline
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, 1.5 mi away at 5,427 ft. The station sits about 1,600 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
- 0.8 mi round trip
- Climbing
- About 687 ft
- Summit
- 6,915 ft
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time
- About 0.5 hours
Other routes up Panorama Point
Questions about this route
How long is the High Skyline on Panorama Point?
About 0.8 mi round trip.
How much elevation gain is on the High Skyline?
About 687 ft of climbing round trip.
How hard is the High Skyline?
It is rated easy.
How long does the High Skyline take?
About 0.5 hours round trip.
How many routes go up Panorama Point?
2: High Skyline and Skyline.
Conditions and forecast on Panorama Point
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.
