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Home News Blog Hiker Headlines: Mount Rainier timed-access permits, construction closures, spring is here!

Hiker Headlines: Mount Rainier timed-access permits, construction closures, spring is here!

Posted by tiffanyc at Mar 28, 2024 11:26 AM |
Filed under: Hiker News, Mount Rainier Area

Timed-access permits for July entry into Mount Rainier National Park will be available on April 1. Some construction projects throughout the state may cause road and trail closures or delays. $6 million has been allocated to preserving the Bridge of the Gods. And spring is here!

It’s March 28. Timed-access permits for July entry into Mount Rainier National Park will be available on April 1. Some construction projects throughout the state may cause road and trail closures or delays. $6 million has been allocated to preserving the Bridge of the Gods. And spring is here! Here’s some news you may have missed while out on trail this week.

Two hikers next to Lake Lenice along the Palouse to Cascades Trail - Crab Creek on a sunny day. Photo by David Hagen/trip reporter mytho-man.
It's starting to feel a lot like... spring! Photo by trip reporter mytho-man.

Mount Rainier: This year, in addition to a national park pass, visitors to Mount Rainier National Park will need to have a timed-access reservation to enter the park through the Nisqually/Stevens Canyon and Sunrise entrances. The reservations are required beginning in May and July, respectively, and are for visits between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. Permits for park entrance in July — starting July 1 for the Nisqually/Stevens Canyon entrance and starting July 4 for the Sunrise entrance — will be released April 1 at 8 a.m. Reservations can be made on Recreation.gov.

Road and trail construction: Some upcoming construction may cause closures and delays:

Bridge of the Gods: $6 million has been allocated for studies about preserving the Bridge of the Gods, which is the official Pacific Crest Trail route to cross the Columbia River between Washington and Oregon. The bridge currently does not have a pedestrian walkway, and hikers must walk across the grate bridge with vehicular traffic. This funding and these studies will help with maintaining the health of the bridge, and may also be a step toward an eventual pedestrian lane on the bridge. 

It’s spring! We’re seeing all sorts of shoulder-season weather and features on the trails right now: sunshine, snow, blossoming wildflowers (including cherry blossoms!), rain … With conditions so variable and changing every day, sharing your outdoor adventures with other hikers by writing trip reports can help other folks stay safe by knowing what to expect. (Plus, spring hikes always make for some beautiful photos!)


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