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A must do route for the area handpicked by local experts.
An active Mount Rainier National Park entrance pass is required. During peak summer months, timed entry reservations are typically required to enter the Paradise Corridor between 7:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.
Parking is available at the small 4th Crossing trailhead along Stevens Canyon Road or at the larger Paradise parking area. Parking spaces fill rapidly on summer weekends, making early morning or late afternoon visits ideal. Stevens Canyon Road experiences seasonal winter closures, which restricts vehicle access to the 4th Crossing trailhead outside of the summer and fall seasons.
Pets are strictly prohibited on all trails, in wilderness areas, and on snow within Mount Rainier National Park.
Path Type
There and Back
Starting from the 4th Crossing trailhead along Stevens Canyon Road, this scenic 4.1-mile round-trip hike offers a quieter, less-crowded alternative to the popular Skyline Trail loop in Mount Rainier National Park. The route begins with a steep climb up the 4th Crossing Trail to its junction with the Skyline Trail. Turning right, hikers ascend via switchbacks onto Mazama Ridge, where sweeping vistas of Mount Rainier begin to unfold.
As the trail climbs toward a maximum elevation of approximately 6,407 feet, it offers viewpoints of Sluiskin Falls. Upon reaching the Stevens-Van Trump Memorial, the route transitions onto the Paradise Glacier Trail. This quieter path winds through rocky alpine meadows, crosses seasonal meltwater streams, and traverses lingering snowfields that often persist well into the summer months.
The maintained portion of the trail continues for about one mile to an official sign marking the end of the maintained route. For those seeking even closer views of the high-alpine environment and the remnants of Paradise Glacier, an unmaintained trail continues slightly higher over rugged, rocky terrain. This hike gains approximately 1,192 feet of elevation and provides a rugged mountain experience away from the busier paved paths of Paradise.
Nearly a century ago, the Paradise-Stevens Glacier area was one of the national park's main attractions. At that time, the bottom of the glacier was riddled with ice caves and crevasses and was within easy walking distance of major roads. An 1896 map of the glacier places its terminus within 0.6 mile (1 km) of Sluiskin Falls. However, by the 1970s the glacier area had decreased to less than 50% of its 1896 area and separated into two small segments of stagnant ice (glacier ice no longer in motion). In 2023, the Stevens Glacier was officially removed from the Park's inventory, due to its lack of features indicating flow, and therefore is no longer a glacier but instead a perennial snowfield. What's left of the Paradise Glacier is now high above it's former extent, so hiking this trail is the only way to get a good view. - Information from Mount Rainier National Park website.
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Mount Rainier Summit: Disappointment Cleaver Route
Mount Rainier Summit: Disappointment Cleaver Route
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