News Release

A stretch of Chinook and Cayuse passes to reopen Saturday, June 2; Access from Enumclaw will not open until Tuesday, June 12

Map of Mount Rainier National Park with road opening status as of June 2, 2018.

NPS Image

News Release Date: June 1, 2018

Contact: Summer Derrey, WSDOT communications (Chinook Pass), 507-577-1943

Contact: Nicole Daniels, WSDOT communications (Cayuse Pass), 206-440-4479

Contact: Kathy Steichen, Mount Rainier National Park, 360-569-6510

MOUNT RAINIER – Portions of State Route 410/Chinook Pass and SR 123/Cayuse Pass will reopen at 8 a.m., Saturday, June 2, as part of the annual spring reopening.

Washington State Department of Transportation maintenance crews are in the final stages of clearing both roadways. Saturday, crews will reopen SR 410 between Morse Creek and the SR 123 junction, and SR 123 between Stevens Canyon Road and the SR 410 junction.

Travelers will not have access to SR 410 between the SR 123 junction and Sunrise Park Road until Tuesday, June 12, due to a construction project on SR 410 near Crystal Mountain.

“We are excited to reopen part of this scenic route to travelers,” said WSDOT Assistant Regional Administrator Dave McCormick. “Our crews had a lot of snow to clear from this winter and worked hard to make the roadway accessible for travelers.”

Mount Rainier National Park

Contractor crews for Mount Rainer National Park began work on April 30, to repair a quarter-mile stretch of SR 410 near milepost 64 in the park. For several years, travelers have experienced rough road surfaces at this location related to a slow-moving and deep-seated landside. Crews aim to have one lane open to traffic by Tuesday, June 12, with both lanes reopening by the end of June.
Additional road access updates within the park will be provided by the National Park Service.

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. The passes closed to vehicle traffic for the season on Nov. 7, 2017.
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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