Hiker Headlines: Rainier roads open, Enchanted Valley permits releasing soon, Marblemount bridge nightly closures

It’s May 28. Multiple roads at Mount Rainier National Park have opened for the season! Work on Graves Creek Road has completed, and backcountry permits for Enchanted Valley for the summer are releasing soon. The Skagit River Marblemount Bridge will undergo nightly closures every weekday from June 1–19 for repairs. And the Wedekind and Greenline trails at Capitol State Forest are closed until further notice. Here’s some news you may have missed while out on trail this week.

On the day Chinook Pass opened, WTA member and trip reporter hiked Crystal Peak and snapped a photo of snow still hanging onto the mountain. 

Mount Rainier roads open: Stevens Canyon Road, Sunrise Road to White River Campground, Cayuse Pass (SR 123) and Chinook Pass (SR 410) are all open for the summer season! Sunrise Road past White River Campground remains closed for the winter. Trip reporters have already been out around the mountain, reporting on lingering snow and trail conditions. 

Graves Creek Road: Work on Graves Creek Road has completed. Backcountry camping permits for Enchanted Valley for the remainder of the summer season will be released online on Recreation.gov starting at 9 a.m. on June 3. 

Marblemount Bridge closures: The Skagit River Marblemount Bridge will be closed for repairs every night 8 p.m. and 4 a.m. from Monday evening through Friday morning, between June 1–19. Those on either side of the closure will need to stay on those sides until the closure is lifted during the daytime or on the weekends. If on the east side of the bridge, you will not be able to access Highway 20 during the closure. 

Mount Margaret permits: Backcountry camping permits the Mount Margaret area in the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument for July will be available starting at 7 a.m. on June 1. Backcountry permits are required for all camping in the Mount Margaret backcountry between May 1 and Nov 30, and permits for each month are released on the first day of the preceding month. 

Trail closures: The Wedekind and Greenline trails in Capitol State Forest are closed until further notice. 

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