Roads and Trails

Mt. Rainier NP is still under Winter Recreation Rules (PDF newsletter). Additional information available from the NPS Website.

Permits are now available for the Wonderland Trail after the installation of three new bridges. Washington Trail Association interactive Trail Damage Report and Tacoma News Tribune interactive Guide to the damage in the three Washington State National Parks.

The following is a summary of access to Mt. Rainier National Park from their Web page of the current conditions in the National Park. It summarizes the basic information in a simplier form, and you can go to the NPS Web page for more and detailed information. The locations are listed by their respective number on the above map.

Nisqually Entrance is open to Longmire. The road to Paradise is open depending on the weather and ability to clear it for traffic. They have a barricade just past Longmire. The Westside Road, number 2, closed at Nisqually road (turnoff). Sunshine Point Campground, number 1, is still under construction through the summer. Longmire, number 5, is open.

Carbon River Entrance is open at the NP Boundary to hikers and bikers, and closed to all vehicles. The trail is rough and flagged through the damaged areas for four miles to the Ipsut Campground, which is open. They're asking you to be careful for the endangered species currently nesting or spawning.

Ohanapecosh Entrance, number 8, is open. Highway 123, number 10 is open to the Stevens Canyon Highway, number 7, is closed. The highway to Cayuse Pass closed until the WA Dept. of Transportation can rebuild the damaged road.

White River Entrance, number 12, is closed, as is the road to Sunrise. Highway 410, number 11, is open to Chinook and Cayuse passes, but check with the Washington Department of Transportation Pass Conditions. The road is only maintained to the Crystal Mountain Resort during winter months.

This Web page will be update routinely as road and trail conditions change throughout the year. Generally snowmelt conditions don't start until mid-to-late March. You can get updated weather information for Paradise from the NRCS Website.

Please send me information if you note errors in the information or changes from your trip.