Mount Rainier National Park Alerts and Current Conditions

Cover of Brian Russ's guide to Mount Rainier National Park

Last checked: October 25, 2026. This page tracks what's closed, what's changed, and what's coming up at Mount Rainier National Park, Washington, from the park's alerts, conditions, and hours pages. I check it daily and rewrite it when the park posts something new, so bookmark it rather than an old news story. Snow can bring chain requirements and gate closures on the road to Paradise from one day to the next, so check the park's own alerts and road status the morning you go.

Current alerts

  • Tire chains required above Longmire. As of October 25, every two-wheel-drive vehicle must use chains from 7 miles beyond Longmire up to Paradise. (NPS)
  • Winter road closures are in place. Paradise Valley Road, Ricksecker Point Road, White River Road, and Sunrise Road are closed for the season. Closed roads may be open to bicycling when no work is underway, but check the signs on the gate first. (NPS)
  • Wildfire closures on the north side. The Grand Park 2, West Fork, Garda Falls, and Pigeon fires are still active, and the park expects them to burn until they go out naturally. Closed until further notice: the Grand Park area and its trails, the Northern Loop Trail, and the Wonderland Trail from the Carbon River Suspension Bridge to White River Campground, plus the backcountry camps along them. (NPS)
  • No access to Carbon River or Mowich Lake. The SR 165 Carbon River/Fairfax Bridge outside the park is closed to vehicles, bikes, and pedestrians, and there's no alternate route. (NPS)
  • Ohanapecosh is closed for construction. The whole campground area is shut for 2026, including the campsites, visitor center, restrooms, picnic area, and river access. (NPS)
  • Grove of the Patriarchs is closed. The suspension bridge that's the only safe way in was damaged by flooding in November 2021. Replacement construction is scheduled to start in 2028 and will take several years. The parking lot, restrooms, and the Eastside and Silver Falls trails have normal seasonal access. (NPS)
  • Fryingpan Creek Bridge construction. Work began September 28. The Summerland Trailhead is closed at the bridge through 2029, and pedestrians can't use White River Road through the work zone. (NPS)

Open and closed right now

  • The park is open 24 hours a day, all year. Entrance is $30 per private vehicle, good for seven days. In winter, the park says vehicle access is only through the Nisqually Entrance (SR 706), the way to Longmire and Paradise. (NPS)
  • Entrances: Nisqually is open year-round. White River closed for the season on October 14, and Carbon River is closed by the bridge closure. Chinook Pass, SR 410 North, and SR 123/Ohanapecosh are open for now.
  • Longmire Museum: open daily, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and may close from noon to 1 p.m. The Longmire Plaza restrooms are open daily.
  • Jackson Visitor Center at Paradise: open 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Friday through Monday. The Paradise Camp Deli and gift shop inside keep similar Friday-to-Monday hours.
  • Lodging and food: the National Park Inn at Longmire is open, with its dining room serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily. The Longmire General Store is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Paradise Inn and the Sunrise Day Lodge are closed for the season.
  • Closed for the season: all three campgrounds (Cougar Rock, White River, and Ohanapecosh), the Sunrise Visitor Center, all the wilderness information centers, and the Cougar Rock, Paradise, and Sunrise picnic areas. Climbers self-register in winter.

Coming up in the next few weeks

  • Monday, October 26: the Stevens Canyon Entrance closes until May 21, 2027, and the Box Canyon picnic area closes for the season.
  • Late October or early November: once weather requires nightly gate closures on the Paradise road, the Jackson Visitor Center, deli, and gift shop go to weekends and holidays only.
  • Holidays at Paradise: the visitor center is open Wednesday, November 11 (Veterans Day), closed Thursday, November 26 (Thanksgiving), and open Friday, November 27.
  • Thursday, November 19: the Chinook Pass, SR 410 North, and SR 123/Ohanapecosh entrances close until May 21, 2027.

What this means for your trip

From now until spring, Mount Rainier is mostly a one-road park: Nisqually to Longmire to Paradise. Carry chains even if the requirement lifts for a day, and check the road status before you leave. Once nightly gate closures begin, the road to Paradise closes overnight, so plan to drive up and back in daylight.

If you're coming from the east side, the Stevens Canyon Entrance closing on Monday means no more crossing the park to Paradise. Ohanapecosh and the Grove of the Patriarchs are already closed, so to reach Paradise, plan on the long drive around to Nisqually. Sunrise and the north side are done for the year, between the winter road closures and the fires, and Carbon River and Mowich Lake can't be reached at all.

No campgrounds are open, so the National Park Inn at Longmire is the in-park option. Book it ahead rather than counting on a room. The visitor center at Paradise keeps limited days, so if you want to talk to a ranger, aim for a Friday through Monday this week, or a weekend once winter hours begin.

Before you go

  • Check the park's alerts and conditions and road status the morning of your visit. The park also posts live webcams for Paradise and Sunrise.
  • Call the park at 360-569-2211 to confirm road and facility status.
  • National Park Inn reservations: 360-569-2275.

If a closure knocks out part of your plan, my guide to Mount Rainier National Park has nine one- to three-day itineraries at easy, moderate, and strenuous effort, each with a backup plan for weather or closures. You can also check alerts and conditions for every national park.

This page is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by the National Park Service. Always check the park's current alerts before you go.