Hiker Headlines: PCT to northern terminus, White River Road at Rainier reopen; now hiring

It’s Sept. 10. Next Thursday, Sept. 17, is a fee-free day on federal lands! WTA is hiring for our Emerging Leaders Program. Exciting news — several trails and roads have reopened after fire closures. The Forest Service has released new details on the agency’s reorganization. And, here’s some news about closures that might affect your outdoor plans, including a long-term one at Larrabee State Park. Here’s some news you may have missed while out on trail this week.

Exciting news: The Pacific Crest Trail has reopened between Hart's Pass and the northern terminus! Photo from WTA archives.

Fee-free day: Sept. 17 is Constitution Day and parking fees will be waived on federally managed lands. You won't need a parking pass at Forest Service, National Park Service and Bureau of Land Management trailheads and recreation areas. 

Work at WTA: WTA is currently hiring summer associates for our Emerging Leaders Program, which provides an entry point for early professionals from communities with less exposure to and experience in the outdoors. This program offers hands-on learning while supporting WTA’s work and builds leadership skills to support future career interests in natural resources stewardship, outdoor recreation and environmental nonprofit work. Summer associates will work a season between February and September 2027, with a base of operations in WTA’s Seattle office. For more information, including application instructions, see the job description. The priority application deadline is Oct. 16. 

Reduced closure orders: Exciting news! With the cooling temperatures and recent rain, some trails have reopened and fire closure orders have been reduced:

• The Pacific Crest Trail has reopened between Hart’s Pass and the northern terminus. It was previously closed due to the Ptarmigan Fire. 
• White River Road to the campground at Mount Rainier National Park has reopened. It was previously closed due to the Grand Park 2 and Wonderland Complex Fires. Sunrise Road remains closed to vehicles, but is open to pedestrians and bikers. 
• The Ptarmigan Fire closure order in the Methow Valley Ranger District has been reduced. 
• The Little Giant Fire closure order in the Wenatchee River and Entiat ranger districts has been reduced. 

Forest Service update: The Forest Service recently released new details about the agency’s reorganization. In March, the Forest Service announced plans to close 50 research stations, which now has been reduced to 23 closures. Under the new plan, the research stations in Seattle and Wenatchee will remain open. This is good news for the research that keeps national forests healthy and communities safe. Other parts of the plan — moving the headquarters from Washington, D.C., to Salt Lake City, Utah and relocating regional offices — still raise concerns for the future of the Forest Service and its ability to retain its public servants. You can take 60 seconds and tell your members of Congress to ensure that the Forest Service has the staffing it needs. 

State park closure: Day-use areas and campgrounds at Larrabee State Park will be closed from Sept. 15 through May 2027 for improvement and maintenance projects. Shelters and restrooms in the park will be closed. Chuckanut Drive, Cleator Road, Clayton Beach, the Lost Lake parking lot and the Lost Lake, Fragrance Lake and Interurban trails will remain open during the closure. 

More closures: 

• The day-use area at Kayak Point Park will be closed Sept. 14–18 for a paving project. Trails leading to the beach will be closed. The trail that goes around the campground will remain open. 
• Bottle Beach State Park will be closed through Sept. 22 for construction. 
• Loomis State Forest is closed in its entirety until further notice due to the Sinlahekin Fire near Tonasket.

It's wasp season! It's starting to feel a lot like fall; colors are changing, temperatures are falling and hikers have been seeing wasps on trail recently! Be sure to watch your step (and other limbs) when you're out hiking. Check trip reports before heading out to know where to see fall foliage and where to avoid getting stung. And file your own after you get back home to let others know how your hike went!  

BE IN THE KNOW

• Keep up to date with Trail News, our monthly email newsletter.
• Search our Hiking Guide to find your next adventure.
• Check trip reports for latest conditions on trails. And if you go for a hike, file your own trip report.
• Sign up for Trail Action Network to stay up to date on issues impacting trails and ways to get involved.