Mount Rainier, Paradise
National park · Washington
Paradise at 5,400 feet doesn't do tree color. It does tundra: huckleberry and mountain-ash meadows turn scarlet against Rainier's glaciers from mid-September to early October, some of the earliest fall color in the Lower 48.
Don’t miss
Peak: September 15–October 5
Climatological window from published records. The weather model’s elevation extrapolation isn’t reliable on this terrain, so this is the long-run normal rather than a season-specific forecast.
When to go to Mount Rainier, Paradise
Peak usually arrives somewhere between September 15 and October 5. The elevation is 5,453 ft, which pulls the turn earlier.
It is roughly 63 mi out of Seattle.
Mount Rainier, Paradise on the map
Drag the date slider to see when color reaches this corner of Washington, or tap a pin for that stop’s own peak window.
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Frequently asked
- When does Mount Rainier, Paradise peak?
- In a typical year, color peaks around September 15–October 5. The weather model's elevation extrapolation isn't reliable on this terrain, so this is a climatological window (source: https://www.nps.gov/mora/index.htm) rather than a season-specific forecast.
- How do I get to Mount Rainier, Paradise?
- The closest city is Seattle, about 63 mi away. It's part of Washington's fall lineup.
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