Hiking the Tolmie Peak Lookout Trail in Mount Rainier National Park

Summertime Adventure
This July, two friends and I spent a week in the Mount Rainier National Park. Although I live in the PNW, I’ve never actually spent time in this park and had always admire Mount Rainier from a distance The first hike on our list was Tolmie Peak. It’s located in the northwest corner of Mount Rainier National Park and once you reach the end of the hike, there is a historical fire lookout tower and you have a majestic view Mount Rainier and a panoramic view of the other peaks in the area. I’ll preface that I’m not the strongest hiker, but this is easily one of my favorite hikes to date. It was worth the trek and mosquito bites. Remember to check the trail reports and road conditions the few days leading up to your hike.

Tolmie Peak Lookout Trail Info
Elevation Gain: 1,400 feet
Distance: 6.4 miles round trip
Difficulty: Moderate
Time: 4 hours
National Park Pass Needed: America the Beautiful Pass or Mount Rainier National Park Entrance Pass

About the Trail
We got to the trailhead in the early AM to make sure we found a parking spot. We started on the Wonderland Trail, which lead us to Eunice Lake, and then up to the fire lookout. There are quite a few uphills and switchbacks, so I would not classify this hike as beginner. Halfway through the hike, we began to notice a lot of mosquitoes swarming - more than I have ever seen in my life. As beautiful as Eunice Lake was, we couldn’t stop for too long because we were afraid of being bit. Be warned of mosquitoes - I was in long sleeves, pants, drenched in bug repellent and finished this hike with over 50 bites.

Once you reach the top and past the tree line, you will have a direct view of Mount Rainier! It is breath taking. There’s something surreal about being this close to Mount Rainier. Climb up the fire lookout and admire the panoramic view. I’d love to come back for a sunset or sunrise hike.

What I Wore
Top: Lululemon Energy Bra (Barry’s branded, of course)
Bottom: Lululemon Align Leggings (I suggest wearing something that’s more moisture wicking with compression, this was a bad choice on my part given the intensity of the hike)
Shoes: New Balance trail runners (old pair that I used to wear for Spartan OCRs)
Other: Carry a light hoodie/jacket with you and dress in layers, cap, sunscreen