Hiker Headlines: Speak up against Roadless Rule repeal, Naches Peak Loop, Ingalls Creek and more fire closures;

It’s Sept. 11. Speak up for the Roadless Rule, which protects 45 million acres of our national forests, as the federal government plans to repeal it. Submit your photos to WTA’s annual Northwest Exposure Photo Contest by Oct. 6! And updates on fires and some other closures affecting trails. Here’s some news you may have missed while out on trail this week.

Several fires have started and keep burning across the state, including the Perry Fire in the North Cascades. Firefighting crews continue to work hard to put them out. Photo courtesy of the National Park Service. 

Speak up for the Roadless Rule! The federal government wants to open nearly one-quarter of our national forests (45 million acres) to road construction and activities like logging and mining by removing the Roadless Rule. The Roadless Rule protects 25,000 miles of trail nationally, including some of our state’s most beloved hiking destinations. Communities in Washington from Leavenworth to Walla Walla depend on these areas of our national forests for clean drinking water and support for local businesses. See what areas could lose protection and take 30 seconds to join the groundswell of folks who are speaking up.

Share your best photos: Northwest Exposure, WTA's annual photo contest, celebrates outdoor photography and the community of hikers who explore Washington's trails. The contest features four main categories, Trailscapes, Hikers in Action, Trail Family, and Flora and Fauna, and two bonus categories — Instagram and Random Acts of Kindness. Enter your photos by Oct. 6! 

Fire closures: With the start of new fires and growth of existing fires, the following closures are now in place: 

• The Naches Peak Loop and Shriner Peak trails, as well as the Deer Creek and Owyhigh Lakes trailheads, in the Mount Rainier area are closed due to the Wildcat Fire. 
• Several trails within Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest — including Ingalls Creek and Johnson Creek - Medra Pass — and on Washington Department of Natural Resources land — including Middle Creek — are closed due to the Labor Mountain Fire.
• Several trails near Snow Peak in Colville National Forest — including Kettle Crest South, Barnaby Buttes and Edds Mountain — are closed due to the Snow Peak Fire.
• Several trails near Hoodoo Mountain in Colville National Forest — including Hoodoo Canyon and Emerald Lake via Deadman Trailhead — are closed due to the Katy Creek Fire. 
• The Tunnel Creek trail in Olympic National Forest is closed due to the Tunnel Creek Fire.

Road and park closures: Some roads and other non-fire-related closures are upcoming:

• Highway 542, the Mount Baker Highway, will be closed east of Canyon Creek Road from 7 a.m. to noon on Sunday, Sept. 14, for the Mount Baker Hill Climb. This will restrict vehicle access to the trailheads of various hikes, including the High Divide, Picture Lake, Bagley Lakes, Fire and Ice, Lake Ann, Artist Ridge - Huntoon Point and Ptarmigan Ridge trails. 
• Westside Road in Mount Rainier National Park is closed until further notice due to debris flow activity from recent storms, restricting access to several hikes, including Gobblers Knob, Lake George and the Tahoma Creek Suspension Bridge - Emerald Ridge Loop. 
• Mora Road will allow single-lane traffic only near milepost 1.75 due to construction, expected to end Nov. 1. Travelers should expect delays. 
• Parts of Cape Disappointment State Park will start closing for major improvement construction projects on Sept. 16. The park is expected to fully reopen in the spring of 2026. Different parts of the park may be closed at different times; check the Hiking Guide or contact Washington State Parks for latest closure information. Camping reservations will not be available during the closure. 

Fire updates: Some land managers have shared fire updates:

• Two new fires were discovered in Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest last weekend and are being monitored. 
• The Sunnybrook Meadow Fire was discovered near Constance Pass in Olympic National Park last weekend. 
• North Cascades National Park reports that the Perry Fire near Ross Lake is showing “moderate fire behavior.” 
• The Arctic and Neeve fires were discovered in North Cascades National Park earlier this week.  

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