Mount Rainier’s Longmire to Paradise road is closed weekdays. Here’s what to do instead

Jared Gendron
Peter Haley/News Tribune file photo

The National Park Service has announced it is closing road access from Longmire to Paradise at Mount Rainier on Mondays through Fridays for the remainder of winter, effective immediately, due to major staffing shortages.

Various areas and paths around Mount Rainier are shut down during the winter season and have restricted access. The News Tribune breaks down where outdoors enthusiasts can travel by vehicle and what trails and camping spots are available this season.

Open roads and entrances

Most roads inside the park are closed, and two of the park’s four main entrances are open to vehicles.

Currently, the entrances open to vehicles are the Nisqually and Carbon River entrances, located at the southwest and northwest sides, respectively. The roads and entrances closed off from vehicle traffic are:

  • Cayuse Pass

  • Chinook Pass

  • Longmire to Paradise: The road is open Saturdays and Sundays. Its two gates open at 9 a.m., then the uphill gate shuts at 3 p.m. while the downhill gate closes at 4 p.m.

  • Mowich Lake Road

  • Paradise Valley Road

  • Ricksecker Point Road

  • Stevens Canyon Entrance in the southeast

  • Stevens Canyon Road

  • Sunrise Road

  • Westside Road

  • White River Entrance in the northeast

  • White River Road to campground

The road ranging from the Nisqually entrance to Longmire is the only route in the park open to vehicles. Carbon River Road is open but just for recreational access.

Hiking and snowshoeing trails

Although the road to Paradise is blocked off on weekdays, access to most of the park remains open 24 hours every day, but visitors must have a park pass or pay an entrance fee. Numerous trails are accessible near the park’s two open entrances.

Near the Nisqually entrance, visitors can find:

At the Carbon River entrance, people can access:

Visitors may still access Paradise via the Wonderland Trail, which starts at Longmire. However, the park notes that navigating this path requires a “high level of skill with winter terrain and navigation,” according to its website’s Paradise Winter Access FAQ.

Camping

Winter camping is now available in most park areas if at least 2 feet of snow covers the ground. In addition, back country campers must have a wilderness permit.

Some camping areas have limited access:

  • Camping at Paradise is only allowed Saturday nights, and 5 feet of snow must be covering the ground.

  • The Cougar Rock campground is only open for Paradise overflow camping.

  • The Ipsut Creek Campground, located at the end of the Carbon River Trail from the Carbon River Entrance, is open all year

  • The Longmire area is not open for winter camping.

Normal park operations may change due to inclement weather. For more information on closures due to weather, the park’s Twitter account provides daily updates on park operations.

Advertisement