How to Hike to Dege Peak in Mount Rainier National Park
If you’re looking for a relatively easy hike in Mount Rainier with amazing views, then put the hike to Dege Peak on your list. This trail in the Sunrise section of the park gives panoramic views over Mount Rainier, Sunrise, and the surrounding Cascades without the crowds of the park’s more popular trails. In this guide, learn everything you need to know to hike to Dege Peak in Mount Rainier!
Mount Rainier National Park is one of the best places in Washington to hike…and for good reason. Mount Rainier’s hiking trails take you through wildflower-strewn meadows and by beautiful alpine lakes to epic views of Mount Rainier and the surrounding Cascades. Even on the easiest of trails, you can still reap the amazing rewards of hiking here. But this is a double-edged sword…because of how awesome they are, many of Mount Rainier’s hiking trails are quite popular, and they can often be a bit crowded.
If you’re looking for a relatively easy hike without the crazy crowds of some more popular trails in the area (yes, please!), then check out the Dege Peak hike in Mount Rainier National Park. Found in one of the more popular regions of the park known as Sunrise, this Mount Rainier hike still manages to allude the crowds which are found on other Sunrise hiking trails, like the Mount Fremont Lookout Trail and the Burroughs Mountain Trail. These trails are popular for a reason and absolutely worth your time, but if you’re looking for something a little less crowded, then we highly recommend the hike to Dege Peak.
On the Dege Peak hike, you’ll walk along the incredibly scenic Sourdough Ridge Trail before making the short but steep climb to the Dege Peak summit where you’ll get panoramic 360 degree views out to Mount Rainier, the Sunrise area, and the surrounding Cascades.
In this guide, we’ll go over everything you need to know to hike to Dege Peak in Mount Rainier National Park, including how to get there, when to go, what to expect on the trail, and more.
In this Dege Peak hiking guide:
Learn more about all of our favorite hikes in Mount Rainier National Park!
Where is Dege Peak in Washington?
You can find these amazing views from Dege Peak in Mount Rainier National Park!
The Dege Peak hike is located in Mount Rainier National Park, about two hours from Seattle. There are five main regions in Mount Rainier National Park, each with its own collection of sights and hiking trails. Dege Peak is found in the area of the park called Sunrise, which is on the eastern side of the mountain.
The entrance to Sunrise is called the White River Entrance Station, located off of State Route 410. This is about an hour from Enumclaw (the closest town North along State Route 410) and about 40 minutes from Packwood (the closest town South on State Route 410). This entrance is about an hour from the other most popular Mount Rainier region…Paradise.
Mount Rainier National Park map
This park map is taken from the National Park brochure and is meant to give a general overview of the different regions of Mount Rainier National Park and where the Dege Peak trail is located.
This is a broad map meant to show the entire National Park, but we’ve highlighted Sunrise and Dege Peak to give you an idea of where the Dege Peak hike is in relation to the rest of the park.
Mount Rainier National Park Reservations
Both Paradise and Sunrise are now implementing timed entry reservations due to high visitation to these areas. Each area requires its own reservation (i.e. a reservation for Paradise cannot be used to get into Sunrise, and vice versa). The reservation process and dates are slightly differently between the two, but in this Dege Peak guide, we’ll be talking about just the process for securing Sunrise reservations, as this is where the Dege Peak hike is located. For more information about Paradise reservations, check out our Mount Rainier National Park guide and itinerary.
Here's the need-to-know info on the timed entry reservations for Sunrise in Mount Rainier:
A timed entry reservation is required only from July 3rd to September 2nd, so if you want to visit Sunrise and hike to Dege Peak before or after these dates, you won’t need to get a reservation first!
A timed entry reservation is needed only between 7 am and 3 pm each day. If you come to Sunrise before or after these times, you won’t need a reservation.
The reservation will give you a two hour window (for example, 9 am to 11 am) in which you can enter through the White River Entrance Station, and is good for one vehicle (it’s not per person!). And it’s only good for one day, so if you want to visit Sunrise on multiple days between 7 am and 3 pm, you’d need one reservation for each day.
For more specific information, check out the National Park website FAQs for answers to any question you probably have!
How to get a reservation for Sunrise
Now that you know you need one and how it works, how do you get a reservation for Sunrise?
For starters, you can only get reservations at recreation.gov, and they cost $2 each.
There are two important timeframes in which you can get a Mount Rainier reservation for Sunrise:
Most of the available time slots are released into the system at 8 am PT about 90 days in advance for roughly one month blocks of time:
On April 1st, slots open for July 3rd-July31st
On May 1st, slots open for August 1st-September 2nd
Some slots are saved for a next day timed entry, and these are released into the system at 7 pm PT the day before, starting on July 3rd. These are great for those who didn’t get the more advanced reservations or for those planning a last-minute trip!
In either case, we definitely recommend having your recreation.gov account ready to go, and be logged in and on the reservation page a few minutes before the slots open to increase your chances of getting one…they are sure to go fast!
Any cancellations are also released back into the system immediately, so if you were unlucky, be sure to keep checking back to see if anything becomes available on the date you want!
Make sure to print your reservation or download it to your phone ahead of time…service isn’t the greatest in the park and you might not be able to pull it up from your email once you’re at the entrance gate.
How to hike to Dege Peak without a Sunrise reservation
Didn’t get a reservation? Don’t worry! You can still hike to Dege Peak without one. You’ll just be more limited as to when you can hike it.
The best way to visit Sunrise without a reservation is to get to Sunrise before 7 am or after 3 pm, when timed entry reservations aren’t needed. If you’re just planning on hiking to Dege Peak only, getting to the park after 3 pm is perfectly fine in the summer, because this trail is short enough so that you can be off the trail before dark. If you want to combine the hike to Dege Peak with some other great trails in the area, such as the Mount Fremont Lookout Trail or the Burroughs Mountain Trail, you’ll want to get to the park before 7 am to ensure you have all day to spend on the trails. It will be a rough early start to the day, but so worth it!
You can also visit Sunrise before July 3rd and after September 2nd without a reservation…just keep in mind that going too early in the season can bring variable weather conditions and maybe even snow on the trail. September is often a good month to visit Mount Rainier, with the crowds of summer gone but weather still pretty favorable for a hike.
The White River Campground, found along the road to Sunrise, is a first-come first-served campground, and if you can score a site here, you are free to enter through the White River Entrance without a timed entry reservation for however many days you’re staying at the campground. Just show your camping permit in lieu of a timed entry reservation at the gate.
If you have a Wilderness Permit to begin a backpacking trip out of Sunrise, you also won’t need a separate timed entry reservation to get into Sunrise on the day of your hike.
How to Get to the Dege Peak Trailhead
From the White River Entrance, the road up to Sunrise is about 14 miles long and climbs almost 3,000 feet. Luckily, it’s all paved and accessible to cars, but it can be slow-going as the road twists and switchbacks up to the Sunrise parking lot, so expect it to take about 30-40 minutes from the entrance gate up to the parking lot. Towards the end of the drive, the views really open up and Mount Rainier will be in clear view. Make sure to stop at Sunrise Point Lookout on the way to admire the views!
The road to Sunrise with Mount Rainier towering over it
This road ends at the Sunrise parking lot, which has a visitor center, picnic area, day lodge with a café and gift shop, restrooms, water, and the trailhead for most of the hikes found in Sunrise.
You can hike to Dege Peak from one of two trailheads.
The first trailhead is at Sunrise Point Lookout (the pulloff along the road to Sunrise). From here, it’s a 3 mile round trip hike to Dege Peak.
The second trailhead is at the Sunrise parking lot and from here it will be a 4 mile roundtrip hike. The trailhead is found at the North end of the lot, to the left of the day lodge. You’ll see a large paved path leaving the lot, and you’ll follow signs leading to the trail access (not to the picnic area). After about 600 feet, there will be a large trailhead sign, and the trail to Dege Peak (and to many other hikes in the area) will branch off this main walkway to the right.
While the hike from Sunrise Point Lookout is a bit shorter, we would still recommend hiking to Dege Peak from the Sunrise parking lot. Because the hike from Sunrise Point Lookout is shorter, it’s a bit steeper to get to the summit, and the views of Mount Rainier from this end of the Sourdough Ridge Trail aren’t as constant and good as those from the other end. The Sunrise parking lot is where you’ll find all the services and facilities in the area, and it’s the point of access for most other hikes in the Sunrise area, so if you are planning on doing any other trails, we recommend just doing the Dege Peak hike from here.
We did the Dege Peak hike from the Sunrise parking lot, and it’s how we will describe the hike in this guide.
Dege Peak trail map
We got this map of Sunrise hiking trails from the Sunrise Visitor Center and highlighted the two trails to Dege Peak.
The trail highlighted in purple is the main trail to Dege Peak that starts from the Sunrise parking lot. The trail in blue is the trail to Dege Peak that starts at Sunrise Point Lookout.
As you can see, there are lots of intersecting trails in the Sunrise area, and while the hike to Dege Peak is pretty straightforward and avoids most other trails, we still recommend grabbing a map before you hit the trails. This will help you plot out your day and orient you to the area, especially if you plan on combining Dege Peak with other nearby trails.
How Long is the Hike to Dege Peak?
Here are our stats for hiking to Dege Peak from the Sunrise Visitor Center.
Distance: 4 miles out and back
Elevation gain: 770 feet
Time: Plan for 2-3 hours
Elevation profile:
We did the Dege Peak hike in combination with the Burroughs Mountain Loop. Therefore, we started the Dege Peak hike when we were already at the top of the Sourdough Ridge Trail, so this elevation profile begins where the main trail from the Sunrise lot meets up with Sourdough Ridge. The high point of the elevation profile is the summit of Dege Peak and from there, you can see the entire trail profile from the summit back to the Sunrise parking lot.
This is our tracked hike to Dege Peak. You can see it starts at the top of the Sourdough Ridge on the left, heads to Dege Peak, and then we retrace our steps long the ridge and head back down to Sunrise.
How hard is the hike to Dege Peak?
We would say that the Dege Peak hike is easy to slightly moderate. It’s a pretty short trail with nothing technical, but there is an up-and-down nature to the trail along the Sourdough Ridge, with some steep spurts mixed in. The most strenuous part of the Dege Peak trail is the last 0.3 miles, where it makes the final 300 foot climb to the summit, so it gets pretty steep here but it goes quickly.
One other thing to note for those a little afraid of heights or exposure…the Dege Peak trail does have some brief sections of trail that run along the top of the Sourdough Ridge where the there is a bit of a drop off on one side. It’s not a knife-edge or anything though, so you can stay a safe distance away from the edge as you walk along the trail here.
Overall, the hike to Dege Peak is a steady but short push to the top. We combined this trail with the Burroughs Mountain Loop trail which we did first, so by the time we got to the Dege Peak Trail, it did feel a little tiring to us, but on fresh legs, this trail should feel pretty easy.
Typical trail views from the Sourdough Ridge
The Hike to Dege Peak: Trail Description and Our Experience
Here’s our experience on the Dege Peak trail in Mount Rainier so you know what to expect! Just f.y.i., we describe the Dege Peak hike from the Sunrise Visitor Center parking lot, which is the more popular way to hike to Dege Peak, and not from the Sunrise Point Lookout.
From the Sunrise parking lot, take the large paved pathway on the North side of the lot (to the left of the day lodge). About 600 feet down this path, you’ll see the main trailhead for most trails in the Sunrise area branching off to the right, and this is where the hike to Dege Peak begins.
Head up this trail as it climbs steadily towards the Sourdough Ridge ahead. Along the way, you’ll already be treated to amazing views of Mount Rainier to your left, and if you’re hiking to Dege Peak in July or August, you’ll be surrounded by beautiful wildflowers adorning the meadows on either side of you. See, you’re not even five minutes in and this hike is already paying off!
Views start early on the Dege Peak trail in Mount Rainier!
Looking back down the trail towards the Sunrise Visitor Center and parking lot
Shortly up this trail, there will be a fork. Most of the Sunrise trails are found by taking a left here and then walking closer towards Mount Rainier (like the epic Mount Fremont Lookout Trail and the Burroughs Mountain Trail). For Dege Peak, you’ll take a right here and actually start by walking away from the mountain. We know, it may seem counterintuitive, but hiking a little bit further away from the mountain leads to viewpoints with different perspectives of Mount Rainier and Sunrise that are just as great as those close-up views you can get on other trails. Plus, the hike back down from the Dege Peak summit and back to the trailhead will be epic, with Mount Rainier in view ahead the entire time. So for now, as you hike away from the mountain and towards Dege Peak, you’ll have to just remember to keep turning around for the views (which we did approximately every 60 seconds!).
The junction for Dege Peak- bear right here
Looking back down the trail to Dege Peak
After a steady climb through wildflower-filled meadows, you’ll run into the Sourdough Ridge Trail, a popular trail for its views and for its access to many other trails in the area. However, the bulk of the crowds on the Sourdough Ridge Trail will be at the other end, near Frozen Lake. On this end of the trail, we didn’t run into very many people at all, so we could enjoy the views of Mount Rainier in solitude!
Meeting up with the Sourdough Ridge Trail
Once you hit the Sourdough Ridge Trail, this sign will guide you towards Dege Peak
Once onto Sourdough Ridge, you’ll take a right (heading east) and follow this trail for just over a mile as it meanders up and down along the ridge, but mostly, it will be a steady but doable climb.
From the Sourdough Ridge Trail, you get steady views to the South of Sunrise, the foothills of Mount Rainier, and the distant peaks of the Cascades. If you look closely, you can even see another volcano, Mount Adams, in the distance on a clear day. And of course, don’t forget to look behind you for clear views of Mount Rainier.
The steady climb along the Sourdough Ridge to Dege Peak
Views from the Sourdough Ridge Trail on the way to Dege Peak
A close-up view of Mount Adams from the Dege Peak trail
Looking back along the Sourdough Ridge Trail to Mount Rainier and Sunrise
You’ll pass around two false summits, or small peaks, along the ridge, and in between these peaks the trail empties out onto small saddles where you’ll be hiking along a bit of exposed trail with drop-offs to your left. It’s not a knife-edge so you won’t get too close to the drop-off if you stay on the trail, and these sections are brief. But they do provide great views over the other side of the ridge and out to the distance Cascades to the North.
The trail to Dege Peak follows the Sourdough Ridge Trail as it goes along cliff edges and small peaks on the left
Views of the basin on the other side of Sourdough Ridge
Finally, you’ll see Dege Peak ahead (you’ll probably see people at the top from here). Eventually, you’ll come to a fork in the trail. Continuing straight will take you further along the Sourdough Ridge Trail to Sunrise Lookout Point. Take a left here to head up to the Dege Peak summit.
Walking along Sourdough Ridge with Dege Peak in view
Can you see the hikers on the summit of Dege Peak?
The junction for Dege Peak- head left here
This last 0.3 miles of the Dege Peak trail is definitely the most strenuous, climbing almost 300 feet in about four quick switchbacks (meaning, it’s steep!). As you climb, the views start getting better, until you reach the tiny Dege Peak summit.
The steep switchbacks on the final push to the summit of Dege Peak
There’s not a ton of room up here (but thankfully, it’s not an overly crowded spot! We only saw two other groups up here briefly when we were on the summit). But the panoramic views from Dege Peak are worth the short climb to get up here. From here, you have a postcard-worthy view back over Sunrise road, the Sunrise parking lot, and Mount Rainier towering behind. Opposite this view, you can look over the basin with Sunrise and Clover Lakes. And in the distance, you can see the peaks of the Cascade Mountains, including Mount Adams.
Epic views of Mount Rainier and Sunrise from the Dege Peak summit!
Looking South from the summit of Dege Peak
A view of Sunrise Lake and Clover Lake from the Dege Peak summit. On the far right, you can see the parking lot for Sunrise Point Lookout.
The views from Dege Peak are definitely a nice change of pace from the close-up views you get of Mount Rainier on a lot of the nearby hikes in Sunrise, and we think it’s a nice hike to pair with one of the other trails in the area. We personally did the Burroughs Mountain hike with Dege Peak and thought it was the perfect combination of up-close views and a quieter, more zoomed-out perspective of the mountain.
To finish the hike, simply retrace your steps back to the Sunrise parking lot. The hike back, though, is even better, as Mount Rainier is literally in your face for pretty much the whole way back! At the junction along the Sourdough Ridge Trail, remember to head left off the ridge for the shortest way back to the lot.
The views are even better on the way down from Dege Peak!
Hiking back on the Sourdough Ridge Trail
Loving the views of Mount Rainier on the way down!
Best Time to Hike to Dege Peak in Mount Rainier
We’d say the best time to hike to Dege Peak is from early July to late September for your best shot at snow-free conditions, although snow can linger on trails in Mount Rainier well into July. This period is also when the Sunrise road and all the facilities in Sunrise (visitor center and day lodge) are open. If you plan on hiking Dege Peak earlier or later than this, definitely check road and trail conditions to be prepared.
July and August in particular are great times to hike to Dege Peak because of the blooming wildflowers. On the Dege Peak trail, you’ll see tons of them on the trail up to the Sourdough Ridge, and even along the Sourdough Ridge Trail itself. This time of year is also the buggiest, and the busiest- although when we hiked to Dege Peak in July at midday, we still found the Dege Peak trail to be quite empty! There were people, but nowhere near as many as on the trails around Frozen Lake at the opposite end of the Sourdough Ridge Trail.
Summer wildflowers along the Dege Peak hike
In terms of the best time of day to hike to Dege Peak, we would advocate for- the earlier the better. As crowds aren’t really an issue on this trail, we say this primarily due to the sun. On the Dege Peak trail, Mount Rainier is directly West as you’re hiking, so starting in the late afternoon, the sun will be setting behind the mountain, making it hard to get good pictures and views of the mountain as you’re hiking back down.
In terms of parking and crowding for the Dege Peak trail, there used to be an issue at the Sunrise parking lot since it’s such a popular area in the park. Often, the lot would fill by mid-morning, particularly on weekends, and cars would be held at entrance until spaces became available. However, with the new reservation system in place, this should eliminate any parking issues and you won’t have to worry much about it. We visited Sunrise before reservations were implemented, and even then, when we got there early (around 7 am) and also later (around 5:30 pm) we had no issues.
Tips for Hiking to Dege Peak in Mount Rainier
Here are some extra things to know before hiking to Dege Peak.
Fees for Mount Rainier
To visit Mount Rainier, you’ll need a park pass, which costs $30 per vehicle and is good for 7 consecutive days in the park. You can buy it online or at the park gates.
If you want to visit Sunrise during the timed entry period (7 am – 3 pm), you’ll also need reservations, which cost $2 each.
Dege Peak trail conditions
Before heading out, make sure to check on the Sunrise Road status and Mount Rainier trail conditions, especially if planning your Dege Peak hike earlier or later in the season. It’s also a good idea to check the Air Quality Index (AQI), as wildfires and smoke are common, particularly later in the summer.
What to bring on the Dege Peak hike
Sunscreen and hat: The entire Dege Peak trail is exposed, so make sure to have adequate sun protection.
Bug spray: The bugs can get pretty bad in Mount Rainier in the summer, and Dege Peak is no exception. They were pretty brutal up on the summit.
Bear spray: Mount Rainier is home to black bears, and we always recommend hiking with bear spray in case of an unexpected encounter.
Map: We recommend grabbing a simple trail map at the Sunrise Visitor Center like the one we showed above. Although the hike to Dege Peak is straightforward and all junctions are well-marked, having a map is good to orient you to the area and helps you plan out your route, especially if you want to hike more trails in the area.
Can I hike Dege Peak with my dog?
Unfortunately, dogs aren’t allowed on trails in Mount Rainier, including the Dege Peak trail.
Where to Stay Near the Dege Peak Trail in Mount Rainier
The closest place to stay near the Dege Peak hike in Mount Rainier is the White River Campground, located along the road up to Sunrise. It’s generally open from late June to late September depending on conditions and costs $20 per night.
The catch is that this campground is first- come first- served, and with timed entry reservations now in effect, it can be a little tricky to snag one. You can either buy a timed entry reservation to get into the Sunrise area and then hope that a site is available when you get to the campground, or you can come before 7 am (or after 3 pm) without a reservation and try to get one. Either way, make sure to have back up plans in case nothing is available!
There are three other campgrounds in Mount Rainier, but all are one to two hours away from Sunrise and found in other regions of the park (near Paradise and Carbon River). These are good options if planning on also visiting these other areas while in Mount Rainier.
The only lodging in Mount Rainier National Park is in Paradise and Longmire (again, 1-2 hours away from Sunrise).
For options outside of the National Park, you can check out cheap camping on National Forest Service Land around the White River entrance. Or for lodging, check out the Crystal Mountain Lodge nearby. Enumclaw (about an hour North along State Route 410), and Packwood (about 40 minutes South along State Route 410) are your next best options. Enumclaw is good if you also want to visit the Carbon River area of the park, while Packwood is a great spot for combining visits to Paradise and Sunrise.
Hikes Near Dege Peak in Mount Rainier
There are tons more epic hiking trails in Mount Rainier!
The Dege Peak hike is a short one in Mount Rainier, making it easy to combine this trail with other nearby hikes! Check out our hiking guides for other amazing Mount Rainier trails.
Hikes in Sunrise
Hikes in Paradise
Hikes in Carbon River
More Washington Hiking and Travel Guides
If you’re planning a Washington road trip, check out our other guides to help you see some of the best places in the state!
Mount Rainier National Park itineraries
If you’re feeling a little overwhelmed on how to plan your trip to Mount Rainier, check out our done-for-you itineraries to help you plan your time and hit all the best trails!
One Day in Mount Rainier National Park: Sunrise + Paradise
Mount Rainier National Park Itinerary: 3-4 Days
Mount Baker National Forest
Mount Baker National Forest and the Mount Baker Wilderness has its own epic collection of hiking trails, but often without the same crowds as the nearby National Parks!
Check out our favorite hikes in Mount Baker, and our more specific trail guides for:
North Cascades National Park
Hidden Lake Lookout- an epic hike to a fire lookout that you can spend the night in!
Are you planning to hike to Dege Peak in Mount Rainier National Park? Let us know if you have any questions, we love to help!