Evans Creek
Campground
Campground · 1.5 mi from the trail
Washington · Hiking · Near Greenwater
Paul Peak
- 2.9 mi
- round trip
- 3,070 ft
- climb
- 3,687 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Jul–Sep
- best months
Is Paul Peak open right now?
Closure in the area
There's a closure order in Mount Rainier National Park. It doesn't name Paul Peak, 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.
Paul Peak is a hard hike of about 5.8 miles, set as an out-and-back route in Mount Rainier National Park in Washington. The climb gains about 3,070 feet round trip, with the high point at 3,687 feet, and the steepest stretch comes at about 1.9 miles in, where the grade reaches 42%. The trailhead is Paul Peak Trailhead. The park charges a fee for this hike. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from the nearby Longmire weather station show July and August highs in the mid-70s with only seven or eight wet days a month, while winter brings highs in the upper 30s and frequent snow. That station sits well below the peak, so temperatures up high run cooler. Nearby options include the West Boundary Trail, about half a mile away, and the Grindstone and Mowich Access hikes within about 2 miles. Paddlers can reach the Mowich River and North Mowich River, about 2.5 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 GreenwaterLocal outfitters
- Sunset Lake Summer Camp & Retreat Center13 mi away
- Camp Lakeview16 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
- West Boundary TrailHiking0.5 mi
GrindstoneHikingPhoto: Steven Pavlov, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)1.9 mi- Mowich AccessHikingPhoto: Steven Pavlov, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)2 mi
- Mowich RiverCanoeing2.5 mi
- North Mowich RiverCanoeing2.5 mi
Carbon RiverCanoeingPhoto: Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)3.7 mi
Mount RainierRock climbingPhoto: shinsain, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)9 mi- Melmont bouldersRock climbing9.1 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
- GrindstoneHiking · ~3 min drivePhoto: Steven Pavlov, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
- Mowich AccessHiking · ~3 min drivePhoto: Steven Pavlov, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
Northern LoopHiking · ~10 min drivePhoto: brewbooks from near Seattle, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
Summit Lake TrailHiking · ~13 min drivePhoto: Steven Pavlov, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
Bearhead TrailHiking · ~12 min drivePhoto: justin prince, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
Northern Loop SpurHiking · ~9 min drivePhoto: brewbooks from near Seattle, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)- Spray-Seattle Park TrailHiking · ~4 min drive
- West Boundary TrailHiking · Next door
- SUMMIT LAKE TIE WITH CLEARWATEHiking · ~14 min drivePhoto: Steven Pavlov, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
- Rainforest Loop TrailHiking · ~7 min drive
Also worth it near here
Tolmie PeakSummit · ~4 min drivePhoto: Ricardo Martins from Gent, Belgium, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
Spray FallsWaterfall · ~6 min drivePhoto: Joanna Poe from Munith, MI, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)- Carbon RiverCanoeing · ~6 min drivePhoto: Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)
Mystic CampCamping · ~13 min drivePhoto: brewbooks — CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
Best time to visit Paul Peak
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
37° / 26°
21 wet · 9 snow
Feb
40° / 26°
18 wet · 8 snow
Mar
45° / 28°
20 wet · 8 snow
Apr
51° / 31°
18 wet · 4 snow
May
60° / 37°
17 wet · 1 snow
Jun
66° / 41°
14 wet
Jul
75° / 46°
8 wet
Aug
76° / 46°
7 wet
Sep
69° / 42°
10 wet
Oct
55° / 35°
16 wet · 1 snow
Nov
42° / 29°
19 wet · 5 snow
Dec
36° / 25°
21 wet · 10 snow
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Longmire Rainier Nps, WA, 13.6 mi away at 2,762 ft. The station sits about 900 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
