The Sunrise area of Mount Rainier is packed with epic viewpoints, but none quite match the Mount Fremont Lookout. Sitting on a ridge at over 7,000 feet, this old wooden fire tower has perhaps the best view of Mount Rainier in the entire national park.
Built in 1934, the Fremont Lookout was once a critical post for spotting wildfires before modern tech took over. Its location was perfect for keeping an eye on large swaths of land. Today, the tower is no longer used to spot fires, but its location high up on the ridgeline means that it provides one of the best views in all of Mount Rainier National Park.
In this guide, I’ll share everything you need to know before hiking to Mount Fremont Lookout in Mount Rainier National Park, including how to get there, what to expect on the trail, and tips from our own experience to help you make the most of your hike to this panoramic viewpoint in the Sunrise area of Mount Rainier.
Fremont Lookout Trail Complete Guide
The Fremont Lookout sits at 7,100 feet above sea level. It’s one of the best vantage points in Mount Rainier National Park.
As soon as you get to the lookout, it’s clear why this spot was chosen as a fire watch tower. It’s perched high up on a rugged ridge overlooking the northeastern face of Rainier, with sweeping views of the Burroughs, Grand Park, and a vast expanse of the Cascade Range stretching out to the horizon. It’s easily one of the best views in the entire national park.
But while the lookout is the highlight, the hike there is also an experience in itself.
The hike begins at the Sunrise area. It’s the highest point in the park you can reach by car. From the Sunrise parking lot, start your hike on the Sourdough Ridge Trail, which goes up the hillside before leveling out and veering west along the ridgeline. As you walk along the trail, Mount Rainier gets larger with every step while the open terrain provides unobstructed views of the surrounding landscapes.
Along the way, you’ll pass McNeeley Peak, Frozen Lake, and the rocky slopes of Mount Fremont. The high elevation landscape makes you feel like you’re in another world.
At the end of the trail, the Fremont Lookout stands perched on a rocky ridge. While the interior of the lookout is off-limits, you can walk on the deck that wraps around the tower and admire 360-degree panoramic views.
Park rangers still use the tower on occasion as a base when working in the area. The interior of the tower is rustic with just a wooden table, a cot, a map, and some supplies. It’s a look into the solitude of life while on fire watch.
But your view isn’t limited to the tower’s deck. All around the lookout, rocky outcrops make for perfect resting spots. Find a spot, sit back, and relax with a view of Mount Rainier overlooking the skyline.
Fremont Lookout Hike Details
- Hike Distance: The total distance of the hike is about 5.6 miles round-trip to Fremont Lookout Tower and back.
- Hike Duration: The hike takes approximately 4 hours in total, including time spent enjoying the views at Fremont Lookout. The hike is a moderate distance, but the trail has no shade.
- Hike Incline: The total incline for this hike is about 1200 feet. The trail is uphill nearly the entire way to Fremont Lookout.
- Dogs are NOT allowed on this trail because it is located in Mount Rainier National Park.
- A Mount Rainier Entrance Pass is required to hike to Fremont Lookout. Fremont Lookout is located in the Sunrise area of Mount Rainier National Park and also requires a Sunrise Timed Entry reservation ahead of time.
How to get to the Fremont Lookout Hike Trailhead
The Mount Fremont Lookout hike begins at the Sourdough Ridge Trailhead in the Sunrise area of Mount Rainier National Park.
But getting to Sunrise comes with some access rules.
Because it’s one of the most visited parts of the park, you’ll need a Sunrise Timed Entry Reservation during the peak summer season. These permits are required for day-use access and can be booked in advance starting in May through the Recreation.gov website. If you miss the initial release, a limited batch of additional tickets becomes available the day before your visit at 7 PM.
The map location below for the start of the Mount Fremont Lookout hike is accurate and can be used to navigate there.
Fremont Lookout Hike in Mount Rainier: Our Experience
Our first day exploring the Sunrise area of Mount Rainier ended with a sunset hike to the Mount Fremont Lookout.
We hit the trail under full daylight, the sun high and strong as we walked up the dusty path. As we hiked up the trail, we passed many hikers already heading back. But we were just getting started. We were fully loaded with water, jackets, snacks, and the goal of catching golden hour from one of the best seats in the park.
The trail forked where the Sourdough Ridge Trail splits: one path went right to Dege Peak (which we had done earlier that day), and the other veered left toward the Fremont Lookout. Once we turned left, we got a new perspective of the ridge trail. Straight toward Mount Rainier.
The landscape opened up to the north, giving us a look at the landscapes surrounding McNeeley Peak not too far in the distance.
The trail hugged the ridgeline, and it wasn’t long before we hit a major five-way junction at Frozen Lake. It’s where several trails converged: the Wonderland Trail, the Burroughs Mountain Trail, the Sourdough Ridge Trail, and the Mount Fremont Trail all met there. It’s a place you’ll go through at some point if you’re doing a lot of hiking in the area.
From the intersection, we continued onto the Mount Fremont Trail. The path crossed into a meadow before starting a steady climb uphill.
And this is where the terrain really started to get interesting.
Soon, the green meadow gave way to a rocky ridgeline. Jagged formations overshadowed the trail. Up ahead, we could just make out the tiny silhouette of the Fremont Lookout tower. Step by step, it grew closer.
When we finally reached the tower, it felt a little surreal. We had just walked through an inhospitable alpine landscape, but it brought us into the presence of a man-made structure.
The lone wooden structure sat on the ridge, surrounded on all sides by vast mountain views. It was clear why this place was chosen as the location for a fire watch tower.
We climbed the steps up to the deck and peeked inside the cabin through the windows. The interior was rustic: a wooden table, a shelf, a cot, and an old map. It looked like the original built-in bed platform had been replaced by an aluminum cot. It made me wonder what sleeping in this tower was like for the firewatchers of yesteryear.
When we circled the deck, we were met with an unobstructed view of Mount Rainier. One of the best ones we’d seen yet. The glacier-covered peak dominated the skyline.
But the epic view of Mount Rainier wasn’t the only thing on display. To the north, we spotted Grand Park far below us. From this angle, its flat, green meadows looked like a manicured lawn. Chloe jokingly called it the “Mount Rainier golf course.” Maybe one day we’ll make it out there, but I’ll bring my hiking boots, not golf clubs.
As the afternoon pressed on, more hikers arrived with the same idea we had: sunset. I climbed up onto the rocks beside the tower for a better view. A few people had blankets and were settling in for the long haul. We had brought jackets but not gloves. I quickly regretted it once the sun started to dip and the temperature dropped fast.
But the cold air didn’t bother us. We ended up chatting with a fellow hiker who had been there before. He wasn’t even from Washington, but he had the timing of the sunset down to a science. He pointed out where the light would hit Rainier and even predicted the colors we’d see. Sure enough, as the sun sank behind the horizon, the sky exploded in reds, oranges, then softened into pinks and purples, hitting the mountain in exactly the way he described it. Nailed it.
Eventually, the light faded to blue and then black, and we were left with not much else besides a chilly alpine climate. We put on our headlamps and began the trek back in the dark, chatting with our new friend until the trail split and we parted ways.
By the time we got back to our campsite at Sunrise, it was late at night, but completely worth the epic sunset at Fremont Lookout. It’s one we’ll never forget.
Fremont Lookout Hike Photos
More Hikes in Mount Rainier National Park
We’re based in Seattle and have done a ton of hikes in Mount Rainier National Park. To help fellow adventurers, we’ve put together guides to the best trails we found. You can check them out by clicking the links below.
- Hike to a subalpine meadow with views of the Tahoma Glacier: Emerald Ridge Hike
- An old fire watch tower sitting atop a rocky peak: Gobbler’s Knob
- Lesser-known spot for camping in Mount Rainier: Lake George
- Wooden fire watch tower with one of the all time best views in Mount Rainier: Fremont Lookout
- Explore the wildflower meadows below Rainier at Summerland, or proceed further to glacial moraines of Panhandle Gap
- Hike through a rocky, tundra-like landscape with close-up views of Rainier’s summit: Burroughs Mountain Trail
- A short hike in the Sunrise area that has big views without big crowds: Dege Peak
I hope you enjoyed our guide to the Mount Fremont Lookout hike in Mount Rainier National Park. Feel free to leave a comment below if you have any questions 🐸
