Snow Lake Trail

Snow Lake sits in a polished granite cirque on Rainier's southeastern flank, fed by lingering snowfields that persist through August. The trail packs 1,300 feet of elevation gain into a short 1.25-mile approach, climbing through old-growth silver fir and Alaska yellow cedar before breaking into subalpine meadow just below the lake's outlet. The cirque walls rise 500 feet above the water, their pale granite faces striped with lichen in orange and black. The lake itself is deep enough to swim in, though the water stays near 50°F even in late summer. A primitive campsite at the far shore offers one of the park's most secluded overnight options, with Unicorn Peak reflected in the surface at dawn. The steep, maintained trail makes this one of the highest elevation-gain-per-mile routes in the park, yet the short total distance puts it within reach of most fit hikers. Watch for mountain goats on the cliffs above the lake — a small resident herd frequents the mineral licks on the east cirque wall throughout the summer.