Alerts & Conditions

Alerts

Park Closure

• Many park roads are closed for the winter season.

  Alert, Severity, closure, Many park roads are closed for the winter season.Many park roads are closed for the winter season, including White River, Sunrise, Mowich Lake, Stevens Canyon, Westside Road, and SR410/123. more

• Paradise Road Status: Weekly road closure Tuesday-Thursday

  Alert, Severity, closure, Paradise Road Status: Weekly road closure Tuesday-Thursday03/25/2025 The Paradise Road is open to Longmire. All vehicles, including 4WD and AWD, must carry tire chains and be ready to use them. The road is projected to re-open Friday 03/28 at 9:00 AM but is subject to change, check back for updates.more

Caution

• All vehicles are required to carry tire chains Nov 1 - May 1 when traveling in the park.

  Alert, Severity, caution, All vehicles are required to carry tire chains Nov 1 - May 1 when traveling in the park.All vehicles, including 4WD and AWD vehicles, must carry tire chains in the park during the winter season (November 1 - May 1) and be prepared to use them when tire chain requirements are posted. more

• Always check signs on closed road gates before recreating; roads closed to all use if work underway.

  Alert, Severity, caution, Always check signs on closed road gates before recreating; roads closed to all use if work underway.Closed roads may be open to non-motorized vehicles like bicycles. CHECK SIGNS on closed road gates before proceeding. During snow plowing operations or when otherwise posted, park roads are closed to all use, including hiking, bicycling, skiing, etc.more

Information

• No decisions have been made if timed entry reservations will be required for the 2025 summer season.

  Alert, Severity, information, No decisions have been made if timed entry reservations will be required for the 2025 summer season.Currently, timed entry reservations are NOT required to enter any part of Mount Rainier National Park (last updated 3/18/25). All visitors are still required to pay the park entrance fee or use an interagency or park pass.

Alert Locations

 

Park Notices

Updates about current park conditions.

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• Grove of the Patriarchs - The Grove of the Patriarchs is CLOSED to all public entry due to flooding in November 2021 which caused significant damage to the suspension bridge that provides the only safe access to the area (News Release, 11/17/21). See the attached emergency regulation signed by the Deputy Superintendent. The Grove of the Patriarchs Trail will remain closed until the bridge can be replaced, which will first require a series of environmental evaluations and engineering work to reevaluate the bridge design. During the closure, the Grove of the Patriarchs parking lot and restrooms have normal seasonal access, along with the Eastside and Silver Falls Trails. Construction to replace the bridge is scheduled to begin summer 2027. Summers represent the only viable construction season in the park due to the heavy snow that blankets the park from roughly November through May.
• Please remain alert to your surroundings at all times and be aware of geohazards. Report any unusual stream flow or conditions to a park ranger.

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Planning Your Visit

Conditions can change rapidly on Mount Rainier. Before heading to the park, make sure to check the following:

 

 

Laws and Policies

Please note several laws and policies relating to Mount Rainier National Park that may affect your visit. The full park compendium is available on the park management page.

Marijuana on Federal Lands
Mount Rainier National Park would like to provide clarification regarding the use and possession of marijuana on Federal lands. The recently passed Washington State law, which allows for limited recreational marijuana use under certain conditions, has no bearing on Federal laws which continue to identify marijuana as a Schedule I illegal drug, and prohibit its use. Possession of marijuana or use of any amount of marijuana is still prohibited in Mount Rainier National Park, its facilities, concessions, and campgrounds, and in the surrounding National Forest Lands. Violations are punishable by a fine of not more than $5,000.00 for an individual or $10,000.00 for an organization, or imprisonment for not more than six months, or both (16 U.S.C. 551, 18 U.S.C. 3559 and 3571).

Drones
Launching, landing, or operating an unmanned aircraft (drone) from or on lands and waters administered by the National Park services within the boundaries of Mount Rainier National Park is prohibited (36 CFR 1.5 (a)(1) Superintendent's Compendium).

This restriction is to protect the public from hazards and preserve the park's natural, aesthetic, and scenic values. The use of unmanned aircraft devices, such as Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) or drones, has the potential to interfere with public safety by posing an in-flight hazard to other legal aircraft use in the park. The use of these devices also has the potential to disrupt wildlife by interrupting migration, nesting, mating, and hunting activities to include, but not limited to protected species such as the Northern Spotted Owl, Marbled Murrelets, and Peregrine Falcon, as well as native birds and mammals. This restriction is in accordance with NPS Management Policy 8.2 which prohibits recreational uses that conflict with the scenic, natural, and historic values the park was designated to protect, and the associated activities in which individuals seek solitude and tranquility with an expectation of privacy. 97% of Mount Rainier National Park is designated Wilderness. Launching and landing of UAS's in the park can invite violations to the Wilderness Act, which prohibits the operation of motorized vehicles or mechanized transport.