Moraine Trail
route details
TRAIL NAME: Moraine Trail
DATE: September 1, 2020
LENGTH: 2.5 miles, 800 feet elevation gain
TRAILHEAD: Dead Horse Creek Trail, adjacent to the lower Paradise parking area
FEES/PERMIT: No permit is required to hike this trail.
All visitors to Mount Rainier National Park (MRNP) must pay applicable entry fees or display a valid interagency park pass. As of 2024, timed entry reservations are required in the Paradise corridor of the park from 7am to 3pm, May 24 through September 2. For more information, please consult the NPS website.
DIFFICULTY: Easy
WATER: Potable water is available at the trailhead, in the restrooms near Paradise Inn.
RESTROOMS: Flushing toilets and changing stations are available in the restrooms near Paradise Inn.
TIPS: A free copy of the “Paradise Area Trails” map, featuring this hike and more, is available at the Longmire Wilderness Information Center or Paradise Visitor Center. All visitor centers in MRNP have “Junior Ranger” resources and activity kits for children, by request. Visit here for more information.
trail notes
The lesser-hiked Moraine Trail - located in the Paradise corridor of Mount Rainier National Park - is one of the area’s best-kept secrets. A family-friendly alternative to the paved cobweb of paths used by most park visitors, this trail offers hikers the opportunity to experience wildflower meadows in bloom, distinctive views of Tahoma and the Nisqually Glacier, and potential sightings of wildlife - all beyond the often overwhelming crowds at Paradise.
This trail can be accessed from two locations: 1) directly adjacent to Paradise Inn, via the Skyline Trail, or 2) from the lower Paradise parking area, via Dead Horse Creek Trail. The description below is based on our hike from the latter access point.
My parents, Aleks, and I visited the park in search of late season wildflowers on the first day of September 2020. We were surprised to find so many varieties - including Cascade aster, magenta paintbrush, Sitka valerian, American bistort, lots and lots of broadleaf lupine, and more - still in bloom, and the often crowded trails here virtually empty in the early evening.
the hike
We began this hike shortly before 6pm - an unusual start time for our family, typically on the trail by 6am - but this was a spontaneous adventure with no particular expectations (or even destination) in mind. The paved trail from the parking area climbed from the outset, but we were quickly rewarded with the wildflower meadows we were hoping for - and then some! It was truly like something out of a fairytale…
At roughly 0.8 miles from the trailhead, we made a sharp left turn onto a dirt path signposted “Moraine Trail”. The path descended gently through a grove of trees before emerging into yet more wildflower meadows with clear, unobstructed views of Mount Rainier. We avoided a handful of way trails here that descended directly - but over more treacherous terrain - to the edge of the moraine, opting instead to stay on the upper trail moving parallel to the rim.
Aleks was quite taken with a small stream he found running through the fields of pink monkeyflower pictured above, so Grandpa stayed to play with him while I carried on solo to the edge of the moraine. The views from the rim were truly spectacular: the broad Nisqually River valley and what remains of the Nisqually Glacier below, with an open, expansive view of Mount Rainier above. While it’s possible to take in views like this from the Skyline Trail, standing atop the moraine on this route is perhaps the only place to do so in solitude.
***Although Aleks wasn’t with me for this portion of the hike, I feel compelled to mention the importance of safety and supervision for young children here. The walls of the moraine are precipitous and unstable; a fall can result in serious injury. Please exercise caution for all hikers, big and small.***
I caught back up with my parents and Aleks as we re-traced our steps to the paved path. We stopped together briefly at the trail junction to watch the sun dip through the trees and over the horizon. There was smoke in the air from a distant wildfire, and the colors of the setting sun blazed against the peaks of the Tatoosh Range as we ambled slowly back to the car.
final thoughts
Aleks - just over 2.5 years old at the time - clocked about two miles of hiking in roughly two hours (with lots of flower smelling, rock throwing, and marmot friendship talks along the way). This is a lovely, short hike for families, or for anyone interested in exploring Paradise away from the throng of summer visitors. As previously noted, please exercise caution - particularly with young children - if your journey takes you to the edge of the moraine.
