News Release

Chinook and Cayuse passes to reopen Friday, May 28

Date: May 25, 2021
Contact: Summer Derrey, WSDOT communications (Chinook Pass), 509-577-1750
Contact: Tony Black, WSDOT communications (Cayuse Pass), 206-556-5390
Contact: Terry Wildy, Mount Rainier National Park Chief of Interpretation, 360-569-6510

State Route 410/Chinook Pass and State Route 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, as will Stevens Canyon Road, from SR 123 to the Grove of the Patriarchs Trailhead.

Washington State Department of Transportation maintenance crews are in the final stages of clearing both roadways. When the gates open, park visitors can travel SR 410/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. SR 123/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

National park crews have been hard at work clearing a robust winter snowpack. The park’s Carbon River, Longmire, and Paradise areas are all open. 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. WSDOT and the National Park Service collaborate each spring to reopen the highways. This process has been a shared responsibility for decades. A history of Cayuse Pass and Chinook Pass opening and closing dates is available on the WSDOT website.

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