Best time to visit Mount Rainier National Park
The short answer
Best months to visit Mount Rainier National Park: July–August. Daily highs run about 65–70°F, with visitor numbers near the yearly peak (July).
Hardest months: November–February, mostly because of cold weather.
How we picked these months: each month is scored on daily highs (65–82°F is ideal), rain, snow and seasonal closures, then reduced by up to 30% for crowds, measured against the park's busiest month. We list the months within 15% of the top score (at most 5).
Weather and crowds by month
Mount Rainier National Park month by month
Park-wide averages across 7 locations. Crowds compare each month with the park's busiest month: Quiet is under 35% of it, Moderate under 60%, Busy under 85%, Peak above that.
| Month | Rating | High / low | Rain | Snow | Crowds | Closures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Poor | 36° / 25°F | 3.7 in | 62.1 in | Quiet | White River; Chinook; Stevens Canyon; SR123/Ohanapecosh; SR 410/North Entrance |
| February | Poor | 33° / 22°F | 2.8 in | 65.0 in | Quiet | White River; Chinook; Stevens Canyon; SR123/Ohanapecosh; SR 410/North Entrance |
| March | Poor | 37° / 25°F | 2.8 in | 44.7 in | Quiet | White River; Chinook; Stevens Canyon; SR123/Ohanapecosh; SR 410/North Entrance |
| April | Poor | 42° / 28°F | 2.1 in | 35.2 in | Quiet | White River; Chinook; Stevens Canyon; SR123/Ohanapecosh; SR 410/North Entrance |
| May | Poor | 51° / 35°F | 2.7 in | 10.4 in | Quiet | White River; Chinook; Stevens Canyon; SR123/Ohanapecosh; SR 410/North Entrance |
| June | Fair | 58° / 41°F | 3.0 in | 3.3 in | Moderate | – |
| July | Best | 67° / 48°F | 1.1 in | – | Peak | – |
| August | Best | 69° / 49°F | 1.4 in | – | Peak | – |
| September | Fair | 60° / 43°F | 3.2 in | 2.4 in | Busy | – |
| October | Poor | 50° / 36°F | 7.0 in | 15.0 in | Quiet | White River; Stevens Canyon |
| November | Poor | 39° / 27°F | 6.5 in | 41.4 in | Quiet | White River; Stevens Canyon |
| December | Poor | 33° / 23°F | 4.2 in | 68.0 in | Quiet | White River; Chinook; Stevens Canyon; SR123/Ohanapecosh; SR 410/North Entrance |
Weather by location
Parks with a big range of elevation can differ a lot from one area to another. Open a location to see its own numbers.
Park-wide (center of the park)
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 24°F | 14°F | 2.0 in | 95.0 in |
| February | 21°F | 10°F | 1.6 in | 87.3 in |
| March | 24°F | 13°F | 2.0 in | 61.2 in |
| April | 29°F | 16°F | 0.8 in | 51.2 in |
| May | 38°F | 25°F | 1.9 in | 18.4 in |
| June | 46°F | 30°F | 2.5 in | 7.5 in |
| July | 56°F | 38°F | 1.0 in | – |
| August | 58°F | 40°F | 1.5 in | – |
| September | 48°F | 33°F | 2.9 in | 6.8 in |
| October | 38°F | 25°F | 6.2 in | 29.4 in |
| November | 27°F | 16°F | 5.9 in | 63.9 in |
| December | 22°F | 12°F | 2.8 in | 98.6 in |
Paradise
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 33°F | 22°F | 2.6 in | 78.9 in |
| February | 29°F | 19°F | 1.9 in | 80.2 in |
| March | 33°F | 22°F | 1.9 in | 56.1 in |
| April | 38°F | 25°F | 1.2 in | 44.5 in |
| May | 47°F | 32°F | 2.3 in | 13.1 in |
| June | 55°F | 38°F | 3.1 in | 4.3 in |
| July | 64°F | 46°F | 0.9 in | – |
| August | 66°F | 47°F | 1.4 in | – |
| September | 57°F | 41°F | 3.5 in | 2.4 in |
| October | 47°F | 33°F | 7.3 in | 19.4 in |
| November | 35°F | 24°F | 6.5 in | 49.6 in |
| December | 30°F | 21°F | 3.4 in | 80.8 in |
Sunrise
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 30°F | 20°F | 1.1 in | 78.2 in |
| February | 27°F | 16°F | 0.9 in | 71.8 in |
| March | 30°F | 19°F | 1.1 in | 49.5 in |
| April | 35°F | 22°F | 0.4 in | 40.2 in |
| May | 45°F | 30°F | 1.5 in | 12.6 in |
| June | 52°F | 35°F | 1.9 in | 4.2 in |
| July | 63°F | 43°F | 1.0 in | – |
| August | 64°F | 44°F | 1.2 in | – |
| September | 55°F | 37°F | 2.2 in | 3.4 in |
| October | 44°F | 29°F | 4.3 in | 22.1 in |
| November | 33°F | 21°F | 3.7 in | 52.9 in |
| December | 27°F | 18°F | 1.7 in | 84.2 in |
Longmire
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 41°F | 30°F | 6.4 in | 40.2 in |
| February | 38°F | 28°F | 4.7 in | 52.9 in |
| March | 43°F | 30°F | 4.6 in | 38.4 in |
| April | 48°F | 33°F | 3.8 in | 29.4 in |
| May | 57°F | 40°F | 4.2 in | 6.1 in |
| June | 63°F | 46°F | 4.3 in | 0.5 in |
| July | 71°F | 52°F | 1.3 in | – |
| August | 73°F | 53°F | 1.9 in | – |
| September | 64°F | 48°F | 4.4 in | 0.5 in |
| October | 55°F | 41°F | 9.2 in | 6.1 in |
| November | 45°F | 33°F | 8.5 in | 31.3 in |
| December | 39°F | 29°F | 6.5 in | 51.3 in |
Ohanapecosh
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 42°F | 31°F | 4.8 in | 48.7 in |
| February | 40°F | 29°F | 3.7 in | 51.4 in |
| March | 46°F | 32°F | 3.5 in | 33.2 in |
| April | 51°F | 35°F | 3.0 in | 21.0 in |
| May | 62°F | 42°F | 2.9 in | 3.8 in |
| June | 69°F | 48°F | 2.9 in | – |
| July | 78°F | 54°F | 0.9 in | – |
| August | 80°F | 55°F | 1.0 in | – |
| September | 70°F | 49°F | 3.1 in | – |
| October | 59°F | 42°F | 7.6 in | 4.8 in |
| November | 46°F | 34°F | 7.4 in | 28.5 in |
| December | 39°F | 29°F | 5.0 in | 55.3 in |
Carbon River
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 46°F | 34°F | 7.4 in | 18.2 in |
| February | 43°F | 31°F | 5.7 in | 35.7 in |
| March | 47°F | 33°F | 5.4 in | 20.8 in |
| April | 52°F | 37°F | 4.9 in | 16.0 in |
| May | 60°F | 44°F | 4.2 in | 1.7 in |
| June | 65°F | 49°F | 3.6 in | – |
| July | 73°F | 54°F | 1.2 in | – |
| August | 74°F | 56°F | 1.6 in | – |
| September | 66°F | 51°F | 3.8 in | – |
| October | 58°F | 45°F | 8.8 in | 2.1 in |
| November | 49°F | 37°F | 8.8 in | 15.5 in |
| December | 43°F | 33°F | 7.8 in | 26.2 in |
Mowich Lake
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 35°F | 24°F | 1.7 in | 75.2 in |
| February | 31°F | 21°F | 1.2 in | 75.6 in |
| March | 35°F | 23°F | 1.2 in | 53.5 in |
| April | 39°F | 26°F | 0.6 in | 44.4 in |
| May | 49°F | 34°F | 1.8 in | 16.8 in |
| June | 56°F | 40°F | 2.4 in | 6.6 in |
| July | 65°F | 47°F | 1.1 in | – |
| August | 67°F | 49°F | 1.5 in | – |
| September | 58°F | 42°F | 2.8 in | 3.5 in |
| October | 48°F | 35°F | 5.5 in | 21.4 in |
| November | 38°F | 26°F | 4.9 in | 48.1 in |
| December | 32°F | 23°F | 2.3 in | 79.7 in |
Mount Rainier National Park by season
Spring (March–May)
Spring (March–May) is a difficult time to visit Mount Rainier National Park. Daily highs average 37–51°F and lows 25–35°F. Expect about 2.5 in of rain a month and 30.1 in of snow, with up to 68 in on the ground. Visitor numbers run 6–20% of the busiest month, which is quiet by this park's standards. Closures listed by the NPS: White River; Chinook; Stevens Canyon; SR123/Ohanapecosh; SR 410/North Entrance.
Summer (June–August)
Summer (June–August) is a good time to visit Mount Rainier National Park. Daily highs average 58–69°F and lows 41–49°F. Expect about 1.8 in of rain a month and 1.1 in of snow, with up to 7 in on the ground. Visitor numbers run 52–100% of the busiest month, which is busy by this park's standards.
Fall (September–November)
Fall (September–November) is a difficult time to visit Mount Rainier National Park. Daily highs average 39–60°F and lows 27–43°F. Expect about 5.6 in of rain a month and 19.6 in of snow, with up to 7 in on the ground. Visitor numbers run 7–60% of the busiest month, which is quiet by this park's standards. Closures listed by the NPS: White River; Stevens Canyon.
Winter (December–February)
Winter (December–February) is a difficult time to visit Mount Rainier National Park. Daily highs average 33–36°F and lows 22–25°F. Expect about 3.6 in of rain a month and 65.0 in of snow, with up to 59 in on the ground. Visitor numbers run 4–6% of the busiest month, which is quiet by this park's standards. Closures listed by the NPS: White River; Chinook; Stevens Canyon; SR123/Ohanapecosh; SR 410/North Entrance.
For what to do in each season, see our guides to trip planning, fees and hours, trails, camping and things to do, where the planning page also has our written advice on when to go. In-depth topic guides cover individual places and hikes.
Seasonal closures
Closures listed in the NPS operating hours, shown as month and day. Exact dates change every year with snow and staffing.
- White River: closed about Oct 14 – May 23
- Chinook: closed about Nov 19 – May 27
- Stevens Canyon: closed about Oct 14 – May 23
- SR123/Ohanapecosh: closed about Nov 19 – May 23
- SR 410/North Entrance: closed about Nov 19 – May 23
- Sunrise, White River, and southbound SR 123 are accessed via SR 410 from Enumclaw through the White River Entrance, open from late June to mid October.
- Entrance open June to mid-November, 24 hours a day.
- Open late May to mid September.
- Located along SR 123 via Hwy 12 from Yakima or Packwood, this park entrance is open 24 hours a day from late May to early November.
What the National Park Service says about the weather
Weather patterns at Mount Rainier are strongly influenced by the Pacific Ocean and elevation. The climate is generally cool and rainy, with summer highs in the 60s and 70s. While July and August are the sunniest months of the year, rain is very likely in spring, fall, and winter. Visitors should be aware that mountain weather is very changeable. In the higher elevations, like Paradise, winter can last from November to May with many feet of snow on the ground.
Weather: modeled monthly averages for 2014-2023 (Open-Meteo Archive API), averaged over 7 locations. Modeled grid cells can read cooler than weather stations in deep canyons and deserts, and warmer or colder at high elevation. Visits: monthly recreation visits for 2021-2024, National Park Service.
