Mount Rainier Expands Closures as Wildfires Affect Park Access

Mount Rainier National Park expanded and formalized visitor restrictions on August 27 as active wildfires affected the park’s Sunrise, White River, Grand Park and Pinnacle Peak areas.

The National Park Service adopted an emergency regulation effective August 27 under 36 CFR Part 1.5. The regulation closes the Sunrise and White River areas until further notice. The park says the restrictions are intended to protect visitors and keep roads and airspace clear for aviation and ground firefighting operations.

What is closed

Sunrise Road and White River Road are closed to State Route 410. Trails originating from those roads and trails in the Grand Park area are also closed until further notice.

The Wonderland Trail is closed from the Carbon River Suspension Bridge to White River Campground because of the Garda Falls Fire, part of the Wonderland Complex. The Northern Loop Trail is closed in affected sections, including the route from Berkeley Park toward the Wonderland Trail junction near Carbon River.

The park lists Dick Creek, Mystic Lake, Granite Creek, Sunrise, Yellowstone Cliffs, Lake James, Fire Creek and Berkeley Park among the closed backcountry camps. Carbon River Camp, Ipsut Creek Camp and the upper and lower Carbon River crossings remain open according to the park’s current fire information page.

The restrictions are tied to the Grand Park 2 Fire and the Wonderland Complex. The signed emergency regulation says active suppression efforts require clear and unobstructed access and that the closure will remain in place until conditions are considered safe for reopening.

Separate closure near Pinnacle Peak

A separate Plummer Peak Fire has closed Pinnacle Peak Trail and the surrounding ridge area. The closure includes the ridge from Lane Peak to Foss Peak and the area from Stevens Canyon Road to the southern park boundary.

Stevens Canyon Road remains open, but nearby trails and backcountry areas are not necessarily accessible. Visitors using the road should follow posted restrictions and avoid entering the closed Pinnacle Peak and ridge areas.

What visitors should do

People planning to approach Mount Rainier through State Route 410 should not expect access to Sunrise or White River roads or their connected trailheads. Hikers and backpackers should review the park’s current alerts, road status, trail conditions and backcountry-camp conditions before departing, checking every planned route and camp.

Visitors should monitor smoke and air-quality information, carry a backup plan and follow the parkwide fire ban. The National Park Service reported air quality as good in its August 27 update, but smoke and conditions can change as fire behavior and winds shift.

The emergency regulation remains in effect until further notice. Reopening decisions will depend on fire conditions, visitor safety and suppression needs. The documented restrictions do not close the entire park, but they significantly affect access to major roads, trailheads, long-distance routes and backcountry camps in the affected areas.

Sources

• National Park Service: Wildland Fire Information — Mount Rainier National Park
• The Spokesman-Review: Lightning sparks new wildfires in Mount Rainier National Park