Parking
Park at Sunrise Point Overlook. The trail starts at the east end of the overlook.
Overview
About Palisades Lakes Trail
Why go
- Several alpine lakes, ending beneath the jagged Palisades formation
- Seasonal wildflowers, huckleberries and talus-side wildlife
Heads up
- A steep early drop has to be climbed on the return
- Repeated ridge climbs and no Mount Rainier view
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Mount Rainier map
Full mapElevation5,536–6,125 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
7 active Mount Rainier alerts
- ClosureWildfire closures in the northern parkGrand Park 2 and Wonderland Complex fire closures affect trails, backcountry camps, and Sunrise access; stay out of closed areas.Official details
- ClosureSR 165 bridge closed: no public access to Carbon River or Mowich LakeThe SR 165 Carbon River/Fairfax Bridge is closed to vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians; there is no public access or alternate route to Carbon River or Mowich Lake.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Mount Rainier Tour Guide
Your drive to Palisades Lakes Trail, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Mount Rainier National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Mount Rainier audio tourRecorded for this trailhead
Sunrise Point: The Roadside Panorama0:00 / 0:29
“You're approaching Sunrise Point, the overlook at a sharp hairpin in the road.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Mount Rainier Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- The Bird That Plants Pines
- A Mountain Goat's Grip
- Sunrise Road: Sideways Lava Columns
- Beargrass Has No Seven-Year Clock
- 77 audio storiesacross Mount Rainier’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Mountain Goat, Black Bear, Wolverine, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 99 trails, 87 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Palisades Lakes Trail
Is this your kind of hike?Palisades Lakes Trail is a 7-mile out-and-back from Sunrise Point Overlook to Upper Palisades…
Palisades Lakes Trail is a 7-mile out-and-back from Sunrise Point Overlook to Upper Palisades Lake, with about 1,800 feet of climbing. Allow four to five hours. It strings several alpine lakes beneath the Palisades rock formation, but the Sourdough Mountains block views of Mount Rainier. Expect a long, rolling lake hike rather than one steady climb.
The steep startThe trail begins at the east end of the Sunrise Point overlook parking area.
The trail begins at the east end of the Sunrise Point overlook parking area. Its first half-mile drops steeply, and this slope can hold snow into late July; the same pitch is a climb on the way back. Sunrise Lake is a short optional spur near the start and is not included in the seven-mile route.
Clover, Tom, Dick and HarryAfter the descent, the main trail climbs and dips over several ridges. Clover Lake is about 1.
After the descent, the main trail climbs and dips over several ridges. Clover Lake is about 1.5 miles from the start, with rocky sections on the approach. Continue past Tom, Dick and Harry Lakes toward the Palisades. Wildflowers and huckleberries add color in season; look for pikas and marmots around the talus, and listen for elk bugling during the early-autumn rut. Bugs can be thick near Dick Lake Camp, so repellent is useful.
Hidden Lake is a side tripAbout a mile before Upper Palisades Lake, a spur leaves for Hidden Lake.
About a mile before Upper Palisades Lake, a spur leaves for Hidden Lake. It is outside the mapped seven-mile route. The lake makes a quiet detour, with the Palisades and Marcus Peak reflected in the water on a calm morning. One visitor reported shallow waterfall crossings on this spur; expect conditions to vary.
The Palisades at the endUpper Palisades Lake is the turnaround, with a bouldery, sandy shore below the jagged rock…
Upper Palisades Lake is the turnaround, with a bouldery, sandy shore below the jagged rock formation that gives the trail its name. This is the route’s signature view: frame the lake with the cliffs above it. The lake’s camp is for overnight visitors with a wilderness permit.
Rules and waterPets are not allowed on park trails, fires are prohibited, and natural water must be treated…
Pets are not allowed on park trails, fires are prohibited, and natural water must be treated before drinking. Wilderness camping is permitted by permit at Dick Lake and Upper Palisades Lake; camping is not allowed at Hidden Lake. The named camps are overnight options, not facilities for day hikers.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Mount Rainier
466 sightingsMountain GoatMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
383 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
10 sightingsWolverineMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
58 sightingsElkMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
574 sightingsMule DeerMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
1,853 sightingsHoary MarmotMost seen around 6 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Mount Rainier. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
