Chinook, Cayuse passes open as scheduled
Published 9:50 am Friday, May 22, 2026
Chinook and Cayuse Pass are open for the Memorial Day weekend,
The May 22 opening puts the 2026 opening of the passes as the earliest in nine years.
Both passes close each winter due to snow levels and avalanche danger and reopen in the spring after snow is cleared.
The Washington State Department of Transportation maintenance crews finished clearing both highways on May 14, and the National Park Service officially opened the Stevens Canyon Road and Sunrise Park Road on May 21.
When the gates open, park visitors can travel SR 410/Chinook Pass between Crystal Mountain Boulevard, about 12 miles northwest of the summit, and Morse Creek, five miles east of the summit.
SR 123/Cayuse Pass will open within the park boundaries between the southern park entrance near Packwood, WA and the SR 410 junction.
As a reminder, all commercial vehicles are prohibited from traveling through Mount Rainier National Park, which includes sections of SR 123 and SR 410.
