Skyline Trail

Skyline Trail is the most-hiked trail at Mt Rainier — a 5.5-mile loop from the Paradise Inn that climbs 1,788 feet through the subalpine meadows that bloom mid-July through mid-August in the most-photographed wildflower display in the National Park system. The high point at Panorama Point (6,800 ft) is the closest a casual day hiker can stand to the Nisqually Glacier without crampons. Paradise's parking is mandatory-reserved May through September: timed-entry tickets via recreation.gov gate ALL vehicle access (rigs or cars) to the upper road. Without a ticket, the Paradise area is unreachable. RVs over 25 feet are advised to stage at Cougar Rock Campground (7 miles west, 35-ft rig cap) and drive to Paradise in the tow vehicle. The trail closes at the high snow-bridge sections through mid-July most years; July 10 is the typical first-clear date per ranger reports.