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 2024

Last Updated: 4/16/24
Spring opening operations start in late April and continue into the beginning of July. Check back for updates as roads and facilities begin to open for the summer season.

OPEN Roads, weather dependent:

Nisqually to Longmire - open year-round
Longmire to Paradise – open with nightly closures Thurs-Mon, closed Tues-Wed. Check Alerts for daily updates.

CLOSED Roads:

White River Road
Sunrise Road
Stevens Canyon Road
Paradise Valley Road
Ricksecker Point Road
Mowich Lake Road
Westside Road to Dry Creek
SR123/Cayuse Pass
SR410/Chinook Pass

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.

View full screen >

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