Hiker Headlines: Fee-free days, Stevens Canyon Road reopens, warm days coming

It’s June 6. Parking fees will be waived in some areas this weekend. Stevens Canyon Road has reopened after a 2-year-long improvement project. The Forest Service has invested over $1.2 million in future Pacific Northwest forest restoration projects. Watch out for some upcoming closures and construction delays. And we’ve got some hot weather coming this weekend! Here’s some news you may have missed while out on trail this week.

Tides will be extra low this weekend — perfect for some tidepooling! Photo by trip reporter Muledeer.

Fee-free weekend: Parking fees will be waived in some places on both days this weekend! Saturday, June 8, is National Get Outdoors Day and Sunday is Free Fishing Day — fees will be waived all weekend on lands managed by Washington State Parks, the Washington Department of Natural Resources and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. The Forest Service will also waive fees on Saturday. 

Stevens Canyon Road: Stevens Canyon Road in Mount Rainier National Park is now open after a large, long-term repair and improvement project funded by the Great American Outdoor Act. Visitors will need a timed-entry permit to enter the park via the road every day between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. through Sept. 2.

Closures and delays: Some upcoming closures and construction delays might affect your hiking plans: 

• Lake Sylvia State Park is closing on June 10 through the summer for an improvement projec twith a new culvert and bridge at the park entrance, as well as general maintenance and improvements throughout the park. The park is expected to reopen Sept. 30. 
• Corral Road along Highway 410 will be closed temporarily starting June 13 for construction. This closure restricts access to the Rainier View and White River trails. 
• Expect delays and slowed traffic on North Lake Cushman Road in Olympic National Forest. The Big Creek Campground and Big Creek Upper Loop trails will temporarily close at some point during construction as well, to be announced at a later time. 

Forest funding: The U.S. Forest Service is investing $1.2 million into forest restoration projects across the Pacific Northwest. Nearly $290,000 has been allocated to landscape restoration of the Snoqualmie Tribe’s ancestral lands in the upper Tolt and Snoqualmie river drainages. Over $570,000 is allocated to two projects to mitigate wildfire damage and support fire recovery in Eastern Washington. 

Hot weekend weather! The forecast calls for sun and high temperatures this weekend, so make sure to bring what you need to keep cool on your outdoor adventures, including plenty of water and sun protection. We’re also expecting the lowest tides of the year, so it’s a great weekend to go tidepooling.

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