Chinook, Cayuse passes through Mt. Rainier National Park open Friday
Mountain passes in Mt. Rainier National Park (Photo courtesy WSDOT)
MOUNT RAINIER NATIONAL PARK - SR-410 (Chinook Pass) and SR-123 (Cayuse Pass) through Mount Rainier National Park will reopen for the season by 8 a.m. Friday, May 28, in time for Memorial Day weekend.
According to the Washington State Department of Transportation, maintenance crews are in the final stages of clearing both roadways after a "robust winter snowpack."
When the gates open, park visitors can travel Chinook Pass (elev. 5,430 feet) between Crystal Mountain Boulevard, about 12 miles northwest of the summit, and Morse Creek, five miles east of the summit.
RELATED: Scenic North Cascades Highway reopens
Cayuse Pass (elev. 4,675 feet) will also open within the park boundaries between Stevens Canyon Road and the SR-410 junction.
Mount Rainier National Park
The park’s Carbon River, Longmire, and Paradise areas are all open, as is the road from Packwood to the Grove of the Patriarchs trailhead. Visitors should expect delays of up to 20 minutes along SR-123 due to ongoing paving work.
The entrance to the Ohanapecosh Campground will reopen on Saturday, May 29. The road to Sunrise is estimated to reopen July 2. Mount Rainer National Park road access updates are provided on the park’s website.
Winter closures
Cayuse and Chinook passes close each winter due to high avalanche risk, poor road conditions, lack of snow storage and no emergency response services within close proximity.
Both highways closed to vehicle traffic for the season on Nov. 12, 2020.
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