Paradise River Camp
Campground
Campground · 1.6 mi from the trail
Washington · Hiking · Near Packwood
Lower Lakes
- 1.4 mi
- round trip
- 1,570 ft
- climb
- 5,383 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Jul–Sep
- best months
Is Lower Lakes open right now?
Closure in the area
There's a closure order in Mount Rainier National Park. It doesn't name Lower 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.
Lower Lakes is a moderate out-and-back hike in Mount Rainier National Park in Washington, managed by the National Park Service. The trail is about 2.9 miles long, with a total elevation gain of 1,570 feet, and it reaches a high point of 5,383 feet. The route is rolling, and the steepest stretch comes at about 0.6 miles in, with a grade of nearly 29 percent. The trail starts at the Lower Lakes Trailhead, and the trip is estimated to take about two hours. A fee is charged for the visit. 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 Mount Rainier summit route lies just 0.1 mile away, and the Waterfall and Deadhorse Creek hikes are both within half a mile. Cougar Rock Campground is about 3.2 miles off.
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
- Silver Beach Resort26 mi away
- Sunset Lake Summer Camp & Retreat Center26 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
- Mount RainierMountaineering0.1 mi
WaterfallHikingPhoto: Ralph Arvesen from Round Mountain, Texas, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)0.2 mi- Deadhorse CreekHiking0.4 mi
- Liberty CapMountaineering1.8 mi
Cougar Rock CampgroundCampingPhoto: Recreation.gov (RIDB) / public domain3.2 mi
Cougar Rock Group CampgroundCampingPhoto: Recreation.gov (RIDB) / public domain3.2 mi
Nisqually RiverCanoeingPhoto: Ian Poellet, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)4.1 mi- Muddy Fork Cowlitz RiverCanoeing6.2 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 · ~3 min drivePhoto: justin prince, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
Tatoosh Trail #161Hiking · ~12 min drivePhoto: U.S. Forest Service- Pacific Northwest Region, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)- SkylineHiking · ~1 min drive
Nisqually VistaHiking · Next doorPhoto: 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 · ~4 min drive
- Comet Falls-Van TrumpHiking · ~4 min drive
Mildred PointHiking · ~4 min drivePhoto: brewbooks — CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)- Tatoosh Lake Trail #161BHiking · ~9 min drivePhoto: U.S. Forest Service- Pacific Northwest Region, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)
Best time to visit Lower Lakes
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, 0.4 mi away at 5,427 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
