Name: Comet Falls
Rating: 4.6

Conditions

Unknown

History

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“An easy to follow journey past three distinct waterfalls, Comet being one of Rainier's highest.”

— Tom Robson

Driving Directions GPX File

Dogs No Dogs

Features Birding · River/Creek · Views · Waterfall · Wildlife

Fires are prohibited. No pets on trails. Treat water before drinking.

Overview

One of the highest waterfalls in the park, Comet Falls was named because it resembles the tail of a comet. Van Trump Park honors P. B. Van Trump, who, with Hazard Stevens, was one of the first people to stand on the summit of Mount Rainier.

Need to Know

There is no designated camp along this trail. Permits are required for camping. Permits and current trail conditions are available park-wide from wilderness information centers, ranger stations, and visitor centers.

Runner Notes

Comet Falls is a little pretty steep for running, but provides great hill training. In addition to the slope angle, the wet roots might prove difficult to navigate.

Description

The Comet Falls trailhead is located four miles east of Longmire on the road toward Paradise. Parking space is limited and often full. There is no additional parking nearby, so have an alternate run in mind.

The trail climbs steadily uphill for 1.8 miles until it reaches the base of Comet Falls. From there, it switchbacks 0.8 mile uphill to the junction with the Rampart Ridge Trail. Van Trump Park is to the right, where the trail winds through the meadows until the maintained trail ends in 0.5 mile - at Mildred Point.

Flora & Fauna

Three hundred-twenty foot Comet Falls is a popular destination for many runners. For those folks who continue to Van Trump Park, Mount Adams and Mount St. Helens are visible to the south while the Kautz and Van Trump Glaciers dominate views of Mount Rainier to the north. Look for marmots, pikas, and goats on rocky open slopes.

Contacts

Local Club: Washington Trails Association

Jan 18, 2019: Humility Hill

Jan 18, 2019: Pinnacle Mountain

Jan 18, 2019: Marsupial Peak

Land Manager: National Park Service - Mount Rainier National Park

Full Details

Trail Ratings

4.6 from 21 votes

#2

in Longmire

#300

Overall

4.6 from 21 votes

5 Star		57%
4 Star		43%
3 Star		0%
2 Star		0%
1 Star		0%

Rankings

#2

in Longmire

#27

in Washington

#300

Overall

49 Views Last Month

1,259 Since Mar 4, 2015

Intermediate/Difficult

		0%
		6%
		24%
		71%
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Photos

Late summer at Christine Falls in Mt Rainier Na…

Christine Falls

Comet Falls, Mt Rainier National Park

Crossing Van Trump Creek on a nice bridge.

Comet Falls, 320 foot fall

Eagle Peak.

Looking down at Comet Falls (photo by Brewbooks)

Looking down from Mildred Point (photo by Brewb…

Start of the Comet Falls trail from the parking…

View of Comet Falls

4.6 Miles 7.4 Kilometers 61% Runnable	1,919' 585 m Ascent -1,918' -585 m Descent
16% Avg Grade (9°) 51% Max Grade (27°)	5,507' 1,679 m High 3,638' 1,109 m Low

Comet Falls

4.6 Miles 7.4 Kilometers

61%

1,919' 585 m

-1,918' -585 m

16%

51%

5,507' 1,679 m

3,638' 1,109 m

Shared By Tom Robson

Conditions

“An easy to follow journey past three distinct waterfalls, Comet being one of Rainier's highest.”

Dogs No Dogs

Features Birding · River/Creek · Views · Waterfall · Wildlife

Overview

Need to Know

Runner Notes

Description

Flora & Fauna

Contacts

You & This Featured Run

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Trail Ratings

#2

#300

#2

#27

#300

Photos

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