Observation Rock
Observation Rock rises to 2,508 m in Washington. Columbia Crest stands 4,392 m to the south-southeast, 4.0 miles off. The nearest named place is Ptarmigan Ridge, a cliff 0.4 miles away. Chinook Scenic Byway passes 12 miles off.
The story
Mountain in Pierce County, Washington, United States.
Wikidata Q49058146, referenced by the OpenStreetMap record.
What the record says
- Elevation
- 2,508 m
How to reach it
- 12.3 mi off the Chinook Scenic Byway, National
- 18.1 mi off the White Pass Scenic Byway, National
Overlooks nearby
- Sourdough Gap · 14 mi
- Skookum Falls Viewpoint · 15 mi
- North Snoquera Point · 15 mi
- South Snoquera Point · 15 mi
Named places within 25 miles
- Echo Rock: 0.5 mi
- Tillicum Point: 1.0 mi
- Needle Rock: 1.3 mi
- Lee: 1.3 mi
- Division Rock: 1.9 mi
- 8th Avenue Park: 16.9 mi
- Coke Oven Handcar Park: 17.7 mi
- Mud Mountain Dam Recreation Area: 17.9 mi
- H. R. E. Nelson Park: 18.1 mi
- Wilkeson Skate Park: 18.3 mi
- Spray Falls: 1.9 mi
- Giant Falls: 2.2 mi
- Cataract Falls: 2.8 mi
- Cress Falls: 4.0 mi
- Garda Falls: 4.1 mi
- Ptarmigan Ridge: 0.4 mi
- Mowich Face: 2.4 mi
- Eagle Cliff: 2.7 mi
- Jeanette Heights: 2.7 mi
- Willis Wall: 3.0 mi
- Marine Memorial Airplane Crash Monument: 8.1 mi
- Stevens-Van Trump Historical Monument: 8.6 mi
- Cross-section of 1293 Douglas Fir: 10.5 mi
- Stephen Tyng Mather Memorial: 13.7 mi
- Old Mineshaft: 17.1 mi
- Sunrise Picnic Area: 7.7 mi
- Paradise Picnic Area: 8.7 mi
- Valley View Day Use Area: 17.8 mi
- Corral Pass Picnic Area: 17.8 mi
- Group Picnic Site 13: 18.2 mi
- The Wilkeson Way to Carbon Glacier: 18.1 mi
- Bacon and Eggs: 18.3 mi
- Wheel: 18.6 mi
- Recycled Spirit of Iron: 18.6 mi
- The Great Outdoors: 22.0 mi
- Coffee Cup: 3.4 mi
- The Trident: 4.4 mi
- Big Cedar: 15.4 mi
- Caboose: 17.9 mi
- Skookum Slope Mine & Queen Mine Cars: 18.0 mi
- Longmire Museum: 10.5 mi
- Transportation Exhibit: 10.5 mi
- Foothills Historical Society: 20.9 mi
- Mount Rainier Railroad and Logging Museum: 21.1 mi
- Historic Packwood Station: 21.2 mi
- Iron Mike Springs: 10.3 mi
- Bum Springs: 16.7 mi
- Log Spring: 19.4 mi
- Soda Springs: 20.5 mi
- Middle Boise Creek Natural Area: 21.6 mi
- Northwest Trek Wildlife Park: 22.0 mi
- Stonequarry Creek Natural Area: 24.6 mi
- Fell Hill Park: 24.7 mi
- Jean Caithness Greenlees Grove: 18.1 mi
- Goodwill Garden: 22.5 mi
- Discovery Park Gardens: 23.9 mi
- Elbe Rest Area: 20.6 mi
- Bevin Lake Rest Area: 24.3 mi
- Ohanapecosh Hot Springs: 16.2 mi
- Waterfront: 17.4 mi
Other summits around it
The highest named summits within 6.6 miles of Observation Rock. Elevation from each summit’s own record; bearing measured between the two coordinates.
| Summit | Bearing | Elevation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia Crest | SSE 147° | 4,392 m | 4.0 mi |
| Mount Rainier | SE 146° | 4,392 m | 4.1 mi |
| Point Success | SSE 154° | 4,302 m | 4.3 mi |
| Liberty Cap | SSE 151° | 4,297 m | 3.1 mi |
| Gibraltar Rock | SE 143° | 3,863 m | 4.8 mi |
| Tahoma Cleaver | SSE 166° | 3,533 m | 4.2 mi |
| Saint Andrews Rock | SSE 166° | 3,520 m | 3.4 mi |
| Little Tahoma | SE 129° | 3,395 m | 5.7 mi |
When to go
Light through the year
| Date | Sunrise | Golden hour | Sunset |
|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | 07:11 | 18:40 | 19:20 |
| June solstice | 05:13 | 20:19 | 21:06 |
| September equinox | 06:55 | 18:27 | 19:07 |
| December solstice | 07:51 | 15:30 | 16:22 |
Local time (America/Los_Angeles).
Climate normals
Months averaging 50–80 °F: Jul–Aug.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg °F | 29 | 28 | 30 | 33 | 41 | 45 | 53 | 54 | 49 | 40 | 32 | 27 |
| Precip in | 17.2 | 12.9 | 13.2 | 8.3 | 5.1 | 3.8 | 1.4 | 1.6 | 4.4 | 11.3 | 18.2 | 18.9 |
1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, NOAA NCEI — Rainier Paradise RS, 9 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 1523965 — Observation Rock, Pierce County, Washington.
OpenStreetMap element node/348178811
Day trips start here
- Mount Rainier National Park · 5 mi
- Eatonville · 22 mi
- Puyallup · 30 mi
Take the scenic way to Observation Rock.
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