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 eastside 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.

 

The historic Sunrise Visitor Center opens its doors for the 2018 summer season, 6/28/2018.

NPS Photo

Current Conditions - Check back Spring 2019!

Every year, park crews work for many weeks to clear roads and provide access to areas of the park that are closed during the winter season. View the following map and text for the latest updates. Additional information can be found on the Road Status page.

For more images of spring opening operations, check out the Spring Opening 2018 album on Flickr.

 

Map of Mount Rainier National Park showing current opening status of park roads.

NPS Image.