If you’re planning a trip to Mount Rainier, you should put aside at least one, maybe two days to explore the Sunrise Corridor. The Sunrise Corridor may be less famous than the Paradise Corridor, but it features some of the best hikes, views, and wildflower valleys in Mount Rainier National Park without nearly as much tourism traffic.
My name is Lukas Gott, and I worked at Paradise Inn in the summer of 2024. I spent my weekends exploring any hike or view the park had to offer. Follow along to find out my 8 can’t-miss spots in the Sunrise Corridor of Mount Rainier National Park!
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Mount Fremont boasts one of four remaining fire lookouts in Mount Rainier, and lucky for you, it may be the easiest one to get to. At nearly a 6-mile hike and just over 1,000 feet of elevation gain, this hike is a great fit for intermediate and experienced hikers alike. No matter your skill set, Mount Fremont Lookout’s view is astounding.
Something that always intrigued me about the Sunrise views of Mount Rainier is the ability to see just how wide the mountain is. After living in the Paradise Corridor, my view was limited to the Nisqually Glacier side of the mountain, so I was amazed at how wide and just how many different glaciers Mount Rainier had from the views on the Sunrise Corridor of the park.
GOOD TO KNOW: Make sure to bring your water bottle and sunscreen, as with Sunrise being at 6,400 feet elevation, cloudy or not, you will get burned.
Burroughs Mountain stems directly from Frozen Lake up a series of three peaks, each with a closer view of Mount Rainier. While this trail is just under 9 miles to reach the final peak, having three peaks means turning around at any given one is still a great option if time or distance is a problem.
I highly recommend that, if able, you do both Burroughs Mountain and the Skyline Trail, as both will get you the closest to Mount Rainier’s glaciers and on opposite sides of the mountain. While I never got an opportunity to see mountain goats, one of my good friends made this trek and was able to see a few wandering about there, so keep your eyes open!
Mount Rainier is full of wildflowers, but there’s a mixed opinion that Sunrise may rival the quantity and quality of Paradise wildflowers.
Just like Paradise, the wildflower viewing period is best in late July and early August, although from my one year of experience, Sunrise had a slightly later bloom due to the dense snowpack left from the previous winter. Once that snow melts, wildflowers grow rapidly, with the first wildflowers appearing a few days to a week later. Luckily, timing a visit to Sunrise to see wildflowers shouldn’t be too difficult, as the White River (Sunrise) Entrance doesn’t open its gates until early July, about the time when the snow melts in the area.
CHECK OUT: Absolute Best Time to See Wildflowers at Mount Rainier + Where to Find Them
No matter where you visit in Sunrise, there will be wildflowers everywhere, so don’t worry about missing them by choosing one activity over another. But there is one hike to check out if you want the best wildflowers in the area…
This 7.6-mile out-and-back trail may be one of my favorite wildlife areas in the park. This hike also stems from Frozen Lake but doesn’t lead up a mountain like the Burroughs Mountain and Fremont Lookout, instead leading to a lush valley blooming with wildflowers in late summer. With Sunrise being less visited than Paradise, this trail offers a more untouched alternative to Skyline Trail wildlife viewing, with an almost guarantee that hiking Berkeley Park will lead to numerous marmot and pika sightings.
These little fellas will perch on high-standing rocks, sounding the alarm to other pikas in a manner that looks similar to a mighty lion roaring. 10 out of 10 in cuteness levels.
*For Frozen Lake, add 1.3 miles and 30 minutes
All Sunrise hikes stem from one trailhead, Sourdough Ridge, which also passes through the Sunrise Nature Trail. The nature trail isn’t a hike until reaching Sourdough Ridge, but if hiking far isn’t on the agenda, this little trail will still provide possible wildlife and wildflower encounters. If pushing a little further is on the agenda, one of the main and easiest attractions to access is Frozen Lake, a small alpine lake with great views of Mount Rainier. For those not looking for a big hike, this trail will only take an hour and a half to complete.
DON’T MISS: Quick and Easy Guide to Hiking in Mount Rainier
This is sadly a hike I have never done. Although I’ve heard nothing but great things, which inclines me to include this hike over other options. Leading opposite Berkeley Park and Burroughs Mountain via Frozen Lake, this 2.8-mile hike has one of the best 360-degree views of the Sunrise and Washington alpine area on a clear day. There’s a chance on an especially clear day to see Mount Adams and Mount St. Helens, whose exploded nature can be seen as clear as day from afar.
But from what I’ve been told, this is one of the best spots to possibly catch sight of a mountain goat (as mentioned on Burroughs Mountain, they’ve escaped my sight for now), which can be quite elusive, but all the more reason to give it a try. This hike is still on my list (mostly because I want to see a wild goat), and for being a quick 2.8 miles, it should be on yours.
You can make a quick stop at the visitor center and see the few exhibits and look through the binoculars to get a better look at Mount Rainier. There are also some seats by the fireplace to hang out. There is no movie, but rangers will give occasional talks. You can also find restrooms, as well as a picnic area next to the visitor center.
As mentioned, to enter Sunrise, you must first pass through the White River entrance and drive the beautiful Sunrise Road. When designing the road, engineers made a plan to leave the natural landscape as untouched as possible, creating a road swerving any valley or landmark.
At the peak of their work, a lava ridgeline boasted one of the best views of Mount Rainier and the Emmons Glacier, where a specially designed overlook was made to bend with the ridgeline. Sunrise Point is worth a stop, where you can find plaques going into greater detail on the design and planning of Sunrise Road.
Sunrise has one road, Sunrise Road, and one entrance, the White River Entrance. The gates to White River are opened most years in early July, when Sunrise Road is deemed safe to drive on.
With Mount Rainier’s new timed entry system, a time ticket will be necessary to enter the gate from 7:30 am to 5 pm to even reach Sunrise Road. I recommend coming before the opening time of 7:30 am, as getting to any trail before the crowds never hurts.
DISCOVER: Which Entrance Should I Use to Visit Mount Rainier?
After passing the gates, take a scenic drive on Sunrise Road and eventually end up at Sunrise Day Lodge, where, if you decide to come later than 11:00 am, the parking lot will be an issue. Once parking is found, every hike on this list will run from the Sourdough Ridge Trailhead, which is just a short walk from the lodge.
DISCOVER: Driving in Mount Rainier: 10 Things You Need to Know
Due to its high elevation, Sunrise will have hard-packed snow covering the area until late June or early July. The White River entrance to Sunrise is closed in the winter, and the gates open when park management deems it safe to drive Sunrise Road. With a late summer, Sunrise also experiences an early winter, which means the gap for visiting is quite small, normally from early July to some point in late September or early October.
With high elevation and alpine areas, unpredictable weather will come hand in hand. That means coming prepared with rain gear and layers if bad weather does arrive, as well as ample sunscreen even if it’s cloudy. And while I’d argue the Sunrise Road design is relatively safe, early morning freeze, surprising snow, and crazy fog can make this road terrifying.
In my opinion, if you have the time, visit for two days. If you’re an experienced hiker, you may be able to do a few of these spots in one day, but if I were to go back again, I would take two days to choose two different hikes to do in the area.
If you can only visit for a day or are more focused on the Paradise Corridor, I recommend doing one of the top 3 options of Mount Fremont, Burroughs Mountain, or Berkeley Park, and you’ll still be thrilled with the Sunrise experience.
Sunrise is almost purely a day-use area and the food options within are limited. So when planning a visit to either side of the park, I highly recommend using the town of Packwood as a home base between days in the park.
GOOD TO KNOW: Sunrise is far less populated than Paradise, and due to the unfinished design of the Sunrise Day Lodge, there’s no overnight accommodation. The Day Lodge provides some basic cafeteria food, but I recommend packing a lunch and then finding dinner outside the park, considering the lodge closes at 6 pm.
Packwood is a small town (but the biggest town you’ll find in the area) that sits on the Southeastern corner of the park. What makes Packwood so ideal is that it has the best access to both the White River and Stevens Canyon Entrances, with White River leading to Sunrise and Stevens Canyon to Paradise. With only a 15-minute drive to Stevens Canyon and just under an hour’s drive to White River, it’s the closest you’ll get to both Corridors of the park.
Packwood has several accommodation options, such as Historic Hotel Packwood and Packwood Lodge (book here) (They’re not the same thing, trust me, I double-checked), as well as plenty of Airbnb cabins or houses nearby.
If you’re looking for a more natural experience or are just on a budget (me, always), the White River campground in Sunrise is a ~$20 first-come, first-served campground. Another option is to follow Skate Creek Road beyond Packwood, where free state and back-country car camps can be found easily.
The real kicker on Packwood is the food, with a grocery store, a few different style restaurants to choose from, as well as a Brewery, it provides more than anywhere else near or in the park. My favorite restaurant is Cliff Droppers, where large burgers are meant to be devoured after big hiking days.
You can find more options in our article Where to Eat In and Around Mount Rainier.
Most travelers want to visit the most popular sites and still avoid the crowds. We have a detailed itinerary that gives you a step-by-step game plan so you can get to the best places at the right times.
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