Skip to content

Needle Rock

Needle Rock, seen from above at true elevation

Needle Rock rises to 2,267 m in Washington. Columbia Crest stands 4,392 m to the southeast, 3.3 miles off. The nearest named place is Ptarmigan Ridge, a cliff 1.1 miles away. JCT MT RAINIER NATIONAL PARK TO JCT SR 162 VIC SOUTH PRAIRIE passes 5.7 miles off.

The story

crag in Pierce County, Washington, United States

Wikidata Q110542274, referenced by the OpenStreetMap record.

What the record says

Elevation
2267 m

How to reach it

Coordinates46.88390, -121.81239

Named places within 25 miles

Peaks
Waterfalls
Parks
  • 8th Avenue Park: 17.6 mi
  • Coke Oven Handcar Park: 18.5 mi
  • H. R. E. Nelson Park: 19.0 mi
  • Mud Mountain Dam Recreation Area: 19.0 mi
  • Wilkeson Skate Park: 19.1 mi
Cliffs: 26
Historic sites: 21
Picnic sites: 12
  • Paradise Picnic Area: 7.7 mi
  • Sunrise Picnic Area: 8.2 mi
  • Valley View Day Use Area: 16.9 mi
  • High Point Day Use Area: 17.8 mi
  • Eagle Crest Day Use Area: 18.3 mi
Attractions: 9
  • Coffee Cup: 4.1 mi
  • The Trident: 4.8 mi
  • Big Cedar: 14.9 mi
  • Caboose: 18.7 mi
  • Skookum Slope Mine & Queen Mine Cars: 18.8 mi
Museums: 9
Artworks: 9
Springs: 4
  • Iron Mike Springs: 9.1 mi
  • Bum Springs: 15.7 mi
  • Log Spring: 18.9 mi
  • Soda Springs: 19.9 mi
Ghost towns: 3
Gardens: 3
Rest areas: 2
Nature reserves: 2
Hot springs: 1
  • Ohanapecosh Hot Springs: 15.6 mi
Beaches: 1
  • Waterfront: 18.3 mi

Other summits around it

The highest named summits within 6.8 miles of Needle Rock. Elevation from each summit’s own record; bearing measured between the two coordinates.

SummitBearingElevationDistance
Columbia CrestSE 131°4,392 m3.3 mi
Mount RainierSE 130°4,392 m3.4 mi
Point SuccessSE 141°4,302 m3.4 mi
Liberty CapSE 129°4,297 m2.3 mi
Gibraltar RockSE 130°3,863 m4.1 mi
Tahoma CleaverSSE 155°3,533 m3.1 mi
Saint Andrews RockSSE 152°3,520 m2.4 mi
Little TahomaESE 117°3,395 m5.3 mi

When to go

Light through the year

DateSunriseGolden hourSunset
March equinox07:1118:4019:20
June solstice05:1320:1921:06
September equinox06:5518:2719:07
December solstice07:5115:3016:22

Local time (America/Los_Angeles).

Climate normals

Months averaging 50–80 °F: Jul–Aug.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Avg °F292830334145535449403227
Precip in17.212.913.28.35.13.81.41.64.411.318.218.9

1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, NOAA NCEI — Rainier Paradise RS, 8 mi away.

Inside the official boundary of Mount Rainier National Park. Quietest months by visitation: Feb and Dec; busiest: Jul.

NPS visitation statistics, monthly averages 2021–2025 (2020 excluded).

Where this comes from

Location and category confirmed against OpenStreetMap.

OpenStreetMapWikidata
  • USGS Geographic Names Information System feature 1523603 — Needle Rock, Pierce County, Washington.

OpenStreetMap element node/4401948867

More peaks in Washington

Day trips start here

Drive to it

Byway plans a real route around stops like this one.

Private beta · Free to join

Take the scenic way to Needle Rock.

Byway plans around your taste, verified places, real weather and opening hours — then opens every leg in Google Maps with one tap.

Private beta · Free to join · No card · Invite when a spot opens