Mount Rainier in December: Crowds, Weather & What to Pack

Harsh season · VisitWhen score 43/100 · #12 of 12 months

December is a harsh-season month at Mount Rainier National Park: crowds run 5% of the July peak (19,405 average visits). Weather: highs average 33°F and lows 22°F, with 18.9″ of precipitation and 8.6 hours of daylight. Roads and services are only partly open this month — see the access note below. Computed from NPS and NOAA data.

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Mount Rainier in December: what the park service says

A December trip to Mount Rainier starts at the Nisqually Entrance, the only way in by car in winter, according to the park service. Up at Paradise, the Henry M. Jackson Memorial Visitor Center opens only on weekends and holidays (10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.) and only when conditions allow, so check the park's road status page the morning you go. The Sunrise side is shut to vehicles; its visitor center normally opens again in July.

Source: NPS, checked 2026-11-05.

Crowds in December

Mount Rainier averages 19,405 recreation visits in December — 5% of what July, the peak month, draws — this is the second-quietest month of the year. That crowd level sets the tone for parking, permits and lodging — crowds are thin by this park's standards.

Weather & daylight

It is properly cold (highs average 33°F), and nights drop below freezing (lows average 22°F). This is one of the wetter months (18.9″ of precipitation on average). Mid-month daylight runs 8.6 hours.

NOAA 1991–2020 monthly normals, station RAINIER PARADISE RS, WA US (4 mi from park coordinates, 5,427 ft elevation) — conditions vary inside the park, especially with elevation. Daylight computed for the 15th of December.

What to pack for Mount Rainier in December

Computed from the month's weather normals above — not a generic list.

• Insulated jacket, beanie and gloves — nights average 22°F, below freezing
• Rain shell + pack cover — 18.9″ of precipitation is normal this month
• Headlamp — only 8.6 hours of daylight in mid-December (compare other options)
• Waterproof boots — plus navigation and a basic first-aid kit — 18.9″ of precipitation is normal this month

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Want quieter or kinder conditions? The computed best months for Mount Rainier are May and June.

Also at their best in December

Other parks whose computed December verdict is a best window — same NPS × NOAA formula:

• American Samoa in December — 17% of peak crowds, highs 88°F, score 66/100
• Everglades in December — 72% of peak crowds, highs 80°F, score 64/100
• Biscayne in December — 77% of peak crowds, highs 80°F, score 62/100

Common questions

See also: the best national parks to visit in December · Last verified 2026-09-24