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Summit

Pinnacle Peak

Washington

About

Pinnacle Peak is a summit of 6,560 feet in the Mount Rainier Wilderness, within Mount Rainier National Park in Washington. The National Park Service manages the land, and the nearest town is Packwood, about 11 miles away. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show July highs around 62°F with lows near 44°F, and the peak sits higher than that station, so temperatures on top run cooler. The Tatoosh Range climbing area lies just 0.4 miles away, and the Mazama Ridge and Narada Falls hikes are each within about a mile and a half. Cougar Rock Campground is about 3 miles off for anyone planning an overnight stay.

Summit Facts

Summit elevation

6,560 ft

Land manager

National Park Service

Elevation from USGS 3D Elevation Program terrain data (about 10 m resolution).

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Location

Pinnacle Peak

Washington

Name and location: U.S. Geological Survey, Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). Elevation: USGS 3D Elevation Program. View the GNIS record.

Facts about this place

When to go

Best time to go: Jul–Aug. The mildest months here, with typical highs of 62–64°F and lows of 44–45°F.

Typical monthly averages (not a forecast) from the Rainier Paradise Rs, WA weather station, 2 mi away. High / low in °F.

  1. Jan34° high24° low
  2. Feb34° high23° low
  3. Mar36° high24° low
  4. Apr40° high26° low
  5. May48° high33° low
  6. Jun54° high37° low
  7. Jul62° high44° low
  8. Aug64° high45° low
  9. Sep57° high41° low
  10. Oct46° high33° low
  11. Nov37° high26° low
  12. Dec33° high22° low

The station sits about 1,100 ft lower than this spot, so expect it to run cooler up here.

Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020

Where it is

Nearest town
Packwood, Washington · 11 mi
Managed by
National Park Service

Source: Wilderness.net boundaries; NPS Land Resources boundaries; USGS PAD-US 4.1; USGS GNIS populated places

Conditions

Active alerts for Mount Rainier National Park as of Oct 9, 2026:

Source: NPS Alerts API

Nearby

Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)

Is Pinnacle Peak open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Mount Rainier National Park. It doesn't name Pinnacle Peak, so check the source for the area it covers.

As of · Source: NPS · Mount Rainier National Park. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Best time to visit Pinnacle 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.

  1. Jan

    34° / 24°

  2. Feb

    34° / 23°

  3. Mar

    36° / 24°

  4. Apr

    40° / 26°

  5. May

    48° / 33°

  6. Jun

    54° / 37°

  7. Jul

    62° / 44°

  8. Aug

    64° / 45°

  9. Sep

    57° / 41°

  10. Oct

    46° / 33°

  11. Nov

    37° / 26°

  12. Dec

    33° / 22°

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Rainier Paradise Rs, WA, 2 mi away at 5,427 ft. The station sits about 1,100 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.

Closures we've recorded since August 2026

  • Pinnacle Peak Trail - Plummer Peak Backcountry Area CLOSURE

    Mount Rainier National Park · seen Aug 23, 2026 → lifted Aug 31, 2026 · National Park Service