Best Time to Visit Mount Rainier National Park

Crowds and weather by month · Washington · NPS visitor counts through 2025

The short answer

Mild weather, fewer people: September — 56% as busy as July, about 7,479 visitors a day, average high 57°F (14°C).

Quietest month: February — about 616 visitors a day, average high 34°F (cold).

Busiest month: July — about 13,273 visitors a day.

Best balance of crowds and weather (Sep)Other monthsNumber = visitors per day as % of the busiest month (100)

Mount Rainier month by month

MonthCrowds · visitors/dayHigh / low · precip.
January× Cold Very quiet5% of peak · 687/day34° / 24°F1° / -5°C · 17.2 in
FebruaryQuietest× Cold Very quiet5% of peak · 616/day34° / 23°F1° / -5°C · 12.9 in
March× Cold Very quiet5% of peak · 696/day36° / 24°F2° / -5°C · 13.2 in
April× Cool Very quiet7% of peak · 910/day40° / 26°F4° / -3°C · 8.3 in
May× Cool Quiet22% of peak · 2,879/day48° / 33°F9° / 1°C · 5.1 in
June× Cool Moderate57% of peak · 7,513/day54° / 37°F12° / 3°C · 3.8 in
July○ Mild weather, busy Peak100% of peak · 13,273/day62° / 44°F17° / 7°C · 1.4 in
August○ Mild weather, busy Peak98% of peak · 13,054/day64° / 45°F18° / 7°C · 1.6 in
SeptemberBest◎ Mild weather, fewer people Moderate56% of peak · 7,479/day57° / 41°F14° / 5°C · 4.4 in
October× Cool Moderate35% of peak · 4,666/day46° / 33°F8° / 0°C · 11.3 in
November× Cold Very quiet7% of peak · 901/day37° / 26°F3° / -3°C · 18.2 in
December× Cold Very quiet5% of peak · 675/day33° / 22°F0° / -6°C · 18.9 in

Crowds = visitors per day as % of the busiest month: ●●●●● Peak (85–100) · ●●●●○ Busy (60–84) · ●●●○○ Moderate (35–59) · ●●○○○ Quiet (15–34) · ●○○○○ Very quiet (under 15). ◎ mild weather, fewer people · ○ mild but busy · △ very few visitors (often seasonal closures) · × cold or hot. Wet days = days with at least 0.1 in of rain or melted snow.

Visitors per year

YearRecreation visits
20151,237,231
20161,356,913
20171,415,867
20181,518,491
20191,501,621
2020pandemic1,160,754
2021pandemic1,670,063
20221,622,395
20231,674,294
20241,620,006
20251,635,342

Where the weather numbers come from

Temperatures and precipitation are 30-year averages (1991–2020) from the NOAA station RAINIER PARADISE RS — Paradise (main visitor area, 5,400 ft), at 5,427 ft (1,654 m). Higher viewpoints and trails can be much colder and snowier than the station.

Months with very few visitors often have roads, campgrounds or visitor centers closed for the season. Check current conditions on the official Mount Rainier National Park website before you go.

How “best” is chosen: the least crowded month with an average high between 55°F and 85°F (13–29°C), skipping months with under 30% of peak visitors because those are often seasonal closures. Crowds compare visitors per day, so short and long months are treated fairly.

Sources. Visitor counts: National Park Service, Visitor Use Statistics (recreation visits, final figures through 2025; typical months use 2022–2025). Weather: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (station RAINIER PARADISE RS, USC00456898, 5,427 ft / 1,654 m). Both are U.S. Government works in the public domain. How we calculate.

Park Months is an independent site and is not affiliated with the National Park Service or NOAA.