Where To Start
I am hesitant about recommending favorite hikes, for a couple of reasons:
- I have yet to meet a Rainier trail that didn't have something great about it.
- Back before I got serious about wanting to hike every trail, I found myself revisiting the same favorites over and over again. This was a bad rut and I was missing out on other fantastic options.
But everyone has to start somewhere. With the caveat that all Rainier trails are very much worth hiking, here are some suggestions on where to begin. Most of these trails are best visited from late July to September, as they'll be under deep snow at other times of year.
| Epic views |  Burroughs Mountain |
 Panorama Point and Skyline Trail |  Summerland and Panhandle Gap |
| Waterfalls |  Comet Falls |
 Silver Falls |  Spray Falls |
| Wildflowers |  Palisades Lakes |
 Panorama Point and Skyline Trail |  Spray Park |
| Fantastic forests |  Carbon River to Ipsut Falls |
 Grove of the Patriarchs |  Twin Firs Loop |
| Sunrise or sunset |  Dege Peak from Sunrise |
 Fremont Lookout |  Tolmie Peak |
| Seeking solitude |  Laughingwater Creek |
 Moraine Trail |  Paul Peak Trail |
| Off-season or snowshoe |  Green Lake |
 Lakes Loop |  Rampart Ridge Loop |
| Wheelchair accessible |  Myrtle Falls |
 Nisqually Vista |  Trail of the Shadows (partially) |
| Challenge yourself |  Indian Henry's from Longmire |
 Indian Bar |  Camp Muir |
| Backpacking | |
 Spray Park Loop |  Northern Loop |