Hikes/United States/Washington State/Mount Rainier National Park

Difficulty

Moderate

Elevation

339 m

Distance

6.1 km

Duration

2-3h

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Golden Gate Trail

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Route description
Getting there
Route information
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The Golden Gate Trail is a 6.1 km moderately difficult hike in Mount Rainier National Park that provides access to some fantastic photo spots. With tons of wildflowers to admire and perfect views of the Tatoosh Range and Mount Rainier, this hike offers a quintessential Rainier experience.

Route Description for Golden Gate Trail

With knockout wildflower meadows and a unique “golden gate” viewpoint at the junction with the Skyline Trail, the Golden Gate Trail is a fantastic moderate hike in Mount Rainier National Park. This trail offers the chance to extend your journey by looping around nearby trails if you want to.

From the Paradise Inn, taking the initially paved trail. This trail doesn’t stay paved for long, switchbacking up verdant slopes. Enjoy the view of the Tatoosh Range as you approach the “Golden gate” at the junction with Skyline. This is a perfect spot for some photos! Rainier, the range, the flowers, and the sky make for a gorgeous scene.

Most people call this their goal and retrace their steps back to the lot. If you’d prefer to extend your trip a bit, you can loop on the Skyline Trail in either direction.

Getting to the Golden Gate Trail Trailhead

To get to the trailhead for the Golden Gate Trail from the Nisqually entrance to the park, take Highway 706 east to the Paradise parking lot.

Route Information

Backcountry Campground:
No
When to do:
June-October
Pets allowed:
No
Family friendly:
Older Children only
Route Signage:
Average
Crowd Levels:
Moderate
Route Type:
Lollipop