Mount Rainier Wilderness
Mount Rainier Wilderness is located on the west side of the Cascade Range, approximately 50 miles southeast of the Seattle-Tacoma metropolitan area. At 14,410 feet, Mount Rainier itself is the most prominent peak in the Cascade Range. It dominates the landscape of a large part of western Washington State. The mountain stands nearly three miles higher than the lowlands to the west and one and one-half miles higher than the adjacent mountains. Twenty-six named glaciers spill down the slopes, covering approximately 37 square miles, making it the most heavily glaciated peak in the contiguous United States. Mount Rainier is an active volcano that last erupted approximately 150 years ago.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | National Park Service |
| State | Washington |
| Size | 228,480 acres |
| Designated | 1988, by Congress |
| Center point | 46.86° N, 121.70° W |
| Night sky | Very dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 29) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Weather by month
Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.
Where to camp
None of the 16 federal campgrounds within ten miles sit inside the boundary. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Show 4 moreHide
4 more within ten miles are not listed here.
Trails
3 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 30 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| PCT: Naches Central ↗ | 19.4 | |
| Skookum Flats ↗ | 8.2 | |
| Puyallup | 2.5 |
Lengths and allowed uses come from the Forest Service trail layer by way of Trailhead Atlas. This trail list was copied from Trailhead Atlas on November 1, 2026 and is copied again on each weekly run. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.
Fire nearby
- WildfireGarda Falls
4 mi from the center point · 308 acres · 0% contained
- PrescribedHorse Piles Rx - North
13 mi from the center point
- PrescribedLynx Pile Rx - North
18 mi from the center point · 16 acres
- PrescribedPackwood Lake Piles Rx - North
20 mi from the center point
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge, and is measured from the center of a boundary that may be many miles across. Check the agency page for closures.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- under 0.1 miYakima Park Stockade Group ↗National Historic Landmark
- under 0.1 miChristine Falls Bridge ↗Paradise, WA
- under 0.1 miGobbler's Knob Fire Lookout ↗Nisqually Entrance, WA
- under 0.1 miHuckleberry Creek Patrol Cabin ↗Sunrise, WA
- under 0.1 miIndian Bar Trail Shelter ↗Paradise, WA
- under 0.1 miIndian Henry's Patrol Cabin ↗Longmire, WA
- under 0.1 miLake George Patrol Cabin ↗Longmire, WA
- under 0.1 miMowich Lake Patrol Cabin ↗Carbon River Entrance, WA
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Washington
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Mount Rainier Wilderness?
228,480 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Mount Rainier Wilderness?
The National Park Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Mount Rainier Wilderness in?
Washington.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Mount Rainier Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1988.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Mount Rainier Wilderness?
Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities, and the managing agency page has the permit rules. The federal campgrounds within ten miles are listed under Where to camp.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Mount Rainier Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 46.862° N, 121.704° W. Mount Rainier National Park is adjacent. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Mount Rainier Wilderness right now?
4 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Garda Falls at 4 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Which national parks are near Mount Rainier Wilderness?
Mount Rainier National Park (adjacent). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Mount Rainier Wilderness?
The National Register has 54 listings within 15 miles, including Yakima Park Stockade Group and Christine Falls Bridge.
Source: Register Atlas
Sources
- Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
- Trails: the Trailhead Atlas open-data file of Forest Service trails, matched on the wilderness each trail enters.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.