Parking
Park in the Paradise visitor-center area. Start by Jackson Visitor Center at the Paradise Meadows & Skyline Trailhead, then follow Skyline to Pebble Creek.
Overview
About Pebble Creek Trail
Why go
- A close Nisqually Glacier view without committing to Camp Muir.
Heads up
- A sustained climb to 7,200 feet.
- Spring and fall snow can obscure parts of the trail.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Mount Rainier map
Full mapElevation5,453–7,162 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 Pebble Creek 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
Paradise: Meadows, Myrtle Falls and the Inn0:00 / 0:40
“You're coming up on Paradise, where meadow walks start beside the visitor center and historic inn.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Mount Rainier Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Paradise Picnic Area: A Lunch Stop Among the Trees
- Nisqually Vista: A Short Glacier Walk
- Edith Gorge Falls: A Quick Bridge View
- Ruby Falls: Beneath the Bridge
- 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 Pebble Creek Trail
What the climb involvesPebble Creek is a 4.
Pebble Creek is a 4.6-mile out-and-back from the Paradise Meadows and Skyline trailhead, following Skyline Trail and then Pebble Creek Trail to the base of the Muir Snowfield. The route rises about 1,800 feet, ending around 7,200 feet; allow roughly three to four hours. You get a high alpine walk and a close view of Nisqually Glacier, but the sustained climb and altitude make this a hard hike.
Stay on the right branchStart near Jackson Visitor Center and follow Skyline north through Paradise's subalpine meadows.
Start near Jackson Visitor Center and follow Skyline north through Paradise's subalpine meadows. The lower path is paved, then becomes ground trail as it climbs. Stay on the tread to protect the meadow plants. At the upper junction, take Pebble Creek northeast; Pebble Creek Spur heads south toward East Skyline. The Skyline route is known for its subalpine wildflowers when they are in bloom.
The right place to turn aroundAt about 7,200 feet, Pebble Creek marks the end of the maintained trail and the start of the…
At about 7,200 feet, Pebble Creek marks the end of the maintained trail and the start of the Muir Snowfield. This hike ends there. The continuation toward Camp Muir is a separate, unmarked snowfield route, where sudden whiteout conditions are possible. Treat water from Pebble Creek before drinking.
Snow and trail rulesSnow can cover sections in spring and fall, and winter travel requires strong navigation skills.
Snow can cover sections in spring and fall, and winter travel requires strong navigation skills. Pets are not allowed on Mount Rainier trails. Check current trail conditions before setting out, especially outside the snow-free summer season.
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.
