Naches Peak Loop Hike – Mount Rainier National Park

The Naches Peak loop is an easy hike through subalpine beauty filled with wildflowers and views of surrounding peaks.

best months: July – October (depending on snow levels)**
trailhead:** Chinook Pass Overlook Trailhead
distance: 4.2 miles (loop)
elevation gain: 660 ft.
difficulty: easy
hike description: Washington Trails Association: Naches Peak Loop
trail conditions: Naches Ranger District
parking pass: NW Forest Pass

This is an extremely popular and crowded hike, especially on weekends, so plan to go early or later in the day and midweek when possible.

Located at Chinook Pass off Highway 410 in Mount Rainier National Park, half of this loop hike is within the national park. Note that dogs only allowed on the part of the trail before it enters the national park – on the Pacific Crest Trail, but they are not allowed on the Naches Peak Trail.

A clockwise route provides better views of Mount Rainier on this loop, so I started at the Chinook Pass trailhead and crossed the highway on a bridge over it. This section of the loop follows the Pacific Crest Trail south until it connects with the Naches Peak Trail.

Wildflowers were abundant on the east side of the loop and included paintbrush, lupines and pink heather.

The only snow left on the loop was no longer covering the trail and easy to pass by.

An unnamed lakelet is a highlight on the loop.

Looking back towards Chinook Pass with views of Naches Peak, Yakima Peak, and Deadwood Peak.

Just before the trail junction with the Naches Peak Loop Trail, an overlook with a view of Big Dewey Lake. The Pacific Crest Trail heads south and goes by the lake on it’s way to White Pass.

The Naches Peak Trail enters the National Park and dogs are not allowed past this point. View of the Tatoosh Range loom on the horizon.

Views of Mount Rainier are exceptional in this section of the loop, with several unnamed lakelets and open meadows along the way.

This little chipmunk was munching on a snack that someone dropped on trail. I thanked her for cleaning up after the humans as I hiked by. Please don’t feed wildlife intentionally… it’s not good for them even though they may beg for food, it’s best to leave wildlife wild.

Continuing on the loop with Mount Rainier in view.

The trail reaches the highway at Tipsoo Lake where you’ll need to cross to continue the loop. I stayed on the right side of the lake and took the Pacific Crest Trail back to Chinook Pass and the parking lot.