Spring Opening

Two plows remove snow on partially snow covered road.

NPS/Caroline Meleedy

 

At 14,410 feet, Mount Rainier is the most prominent peak in the Cascade Range. It dominates the landscape of western Washington, standing nearly three miles higher than the lowlands to the west. This majestic glacier-covered volcano has been called “an arctic island in a temperate sea.”

This extreme mountain creates extreme weather with an annual average snowfall of 643 inches at Paradise. Snow closes the majority of park roads and facilities in winter. In spring, park and state road crews begin the work to clear the roads of snow while utilities, campgrounds, visitor centers, and other facilities are prepared for the busy summer season. Detailed park access updates are posted on the Alerts & Conditions webpage.

 

Current Conditions - Spring 2022

Last Updated: 7/22/22

OPEN

• Paradise Inn
• National Park Inn at Longmire
• Jackson Visitor Center (Paradise), 10:30 am - 6:00 pm daily
• Wilderness Information Centers, 7:30 am - 5:00 pm daily
• Longmire Museum, 9:00 am - 4:30 pm daily
• Ohanapecosh Visitor Center, 9:00 am - 4:30 pm daily
• Sunrise Visitor Center, 9:30 am - 5:00 pm daily
• Sunrise Day Lodge
• Cougar Rock Campground
• Ohanapecosh Campground
• White River Campground
• Stevens Canyon Road is open with weekly closures due to construction. Stevens Canyon Road is closed between Stevens Creek and Box Canyon starting at 6:00 am each Monday through 8:00 pm each Thursday, July 18 - Sept 5. During the closure, Box Canyon is only accessible from the east side (SR123/Stevens Canyon Entrance). Check the Stevens Canyon Road Rehabilitation Project page for the latest updates.
• Box Canyon Picnic Area & Restrooms
• Grove of the Patriarchs Parking Area (trail is closed)
• Carbon River open with limited parking
• White River Road open from State Route 410 to White River day use parking lot (no access to Sunrise or White River Campground)
• State Route 123/Cayuse Pass (within park boundaries)
• State Route 410/Chinook Pass with access to Tipsoo Lake. Note that Tipsoo Lake is still covered in snow.
• Westside Road
• Sunrise Road
• Mowich Lake Road

CLOSED

• Grove of the Patriarchs Trail - will remain closed for the season.

Facility Seasons & Hours
Check predicted opening dates and current status of park facilities on the Operating Hours & Seasons page.

Spring Road Opening Status
View the following map and text for the road status updates (click on any section of road or notification symbol for more information). Additional information can be found on the Roads Status page.

 

 

For the best viewing experience, click on the "View full screen" link in the lower left corner of the map. 

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For images of spring opening operations in past years, check out the Spring Opening albums on Flickr: 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021