Visit the 10th Mountain Division Memorial
What to Expect
Safety Advisory
Snow can linger on even the lower Skyline Trail well into July. The memorial itself may be buried under several feet of snowpack until late June — call the Paradise ranger station or check the NPS webcam before driving up specifically for this.
Weather at Paradise shifts fast. You can start in sunshine and hit whiteout fog within thirty minutes. Carry a layer even for this short walk — it sits above 5,400 feet and temperatures drop sharply when clouds roll in.
Trail Details
Pro Tips
Arrive before 10 a.m. on summer weekends — the Paradise lot fills completely by mid-morning and the park closes the road when it's full, sometimes for hours. Weekdays are dramatically less crowded.
Pair this short walk with the full Skyline Loop if you want more mileage — the memorial sits right along the route, so you can pay your respects and then keep climbing toward Panorama Point without backtracking.
The memorial faces northwest, so late afternoon light illuminates both the stonework and Rainier behind it beautifully. Bring a real camera — this is one of those shots where a phone doesn't capture the scale.
Photos
NPS PhotoGetting There
More Trails in Mount Rainier
Hike to Gobblers Knob Fire Lookout
Hike to Shriner Peak Fire Lookout
Hike to Silver Falls
