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 is the most prominent...
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | National Park Service |
| State | Washington |
| Size | 228,480 acres (Wilderness Connect) |
| Designated | 1988, by Congress |
| Center point | 46.8625, -121.7044 |
| 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
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. 16 are within ten miles of it. 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, refreshed September 18, 2026. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.
Fire nearby
- WildfireWest Fork
6 mi from the center point · 310 acres · 16% contained
- WildfireThree Queens
43 mi from the center point · 9,562 acres · 23% contained
- WildfireKing
47 mi from the center point · 3,304 acres · 0% contained
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
- 0 miChristine Falls Bridge ↗Paradise, WA
- 0 miGobbler's Knob Fire Lookout ↗Nisqually Entrance, WA
- 0 miHuckleberry Creek Patrol Cabin ↗Sunrise, WA
- 0 miIndian Bar Trail Shelter ↗Paradise, WA
- 0 miIndian Henry's Patrol Cabin ↗Longmire, WA
- 0 miLake George Patrol Cabin ↗Longmire, WA
- 0 miMowich Lake Patrol Cabin ↗Carbon River Entrance, WA
- 0 miMt. Fremont Fire Lookout ↗Sunrise, WA
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
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?
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is Ohanapecosh Campground, 0.1 miles out. 16 in all are within ten miles. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit rules.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Mount Rainier Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 46.862, -121.704. 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?
3 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-09-18, the nearest West Fork at 6 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
How dark is the night sky at Mount Rainier Wilderness?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 29 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, very dark ground, a faint glow at most.
Source: NASA Black Marble
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?
53 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Christine Falls Bridge and Gobbler's Knob Fire Lookout.
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.