SR165/FAIRFAX BRIDGE OVER CARBON RIVER IS NOW PERMANENTLY CLOSED.
Unfortunately WSDOT's worst fears were realized as the support columns for the bridge are actually starting to buckle, forcing a permanent closure of the bridge along SR165. Just announced today.
So no more road access to the NW side of Mount Rainier National Park until the bridge is physically replaced or the road re-routed, which could possibly take years.
More info:
https://wsdot.wa.gov/about/news/2025/103-year-old-sr-165-carbon-river-fairfax-bridge-permanently-closed
https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/community/puyallup-herald/ph-news/article304983576.html
https://komonews.com/news/local/fairfax-bridge-mount-rainier-national-park-permanently-closes-carbon-river-safety-concerns-inspections
https://www.king5.com/article/traffic/traffic-news/fairfax-bridge-mount-rainier-national-park-closed-safety/281-d67d2c1e-e563-4b08-93ef-bf08db16218a
Yearly traffic stats:
https://irma.nps.gov/Stats/SSRSReports/Park%20Specific%20Reports/Traffic%20Counts?Park=MORA
Comments
DRDana on Spray Park, Summit Lake, Tolmie Peak Lookout - Eunice Lake, Wonderland Trail - Mowich Lake to Sunrise via Spray Park
It won't just possibly take years...it will CERTAINLY take years, unless somebody miraculously finds a very large pot of money. As the DOT explains, they have known this was coming for a long time, but there has been no funding from the state to do anything about it, not even planning. (DOT also points out that many other old bridges in the state need work.)
Posted by:
DRDana on Apr 22, 2025 05:31 PM
DRDana on Spray Park, Summit Lake, Tolmie Peak Lookout - Eunice Lake, Wonderland Trail - Mowich Lake to Sunrise via Spray Park
Sorry, I forgot to start off by saying thanks for the report!
Posted by:
DRDana on Apr 22, 2025 05:37 PM
DK1998 on Spray Park, Summit Lake, Tolmie Peak Lookout - Eunice Lake, Wonderland Trail - Mowich Lake to Sunrise via Spray Park
I read somewhere that WSDOT estimated 16,000 vehicles used the SR165 bridge to visit the park each year. That means the Longmire and White River entrances are probably going to see those cars instead this year, making those areas even more crowded than before. I bet the animals in Tolmie/Spray Park are going to be really happy though.
Posted by:
DK1998 on Apr 24, 2025 02:19 PM
DRDana on Spray Park, Summit Lake, Tolmie Peak Lookout - Eunice Lake, Wonderland Trail - Mowich Lake to Sunrise via Spray Park
True, this could be an interesting experiment to see the effects of reduced human traffic in the NW corner of the park. And to see how quickly those dirt roads return to nature...
Posted by:
DRDana on Apr 24, 2025 03:18 PM
Muledeer on Spray Park, Summit Lake, Tolmie Peak Lookout - Eunice Lake, Wonderland Trail - Mowich Lake to Sunrise via Spray Park
Bummer, I was hoping this would be my year to finally get the Spray Park
Posted by:
Muledeer on Apr 22, 2025 07:50 PM
Don Gerald on Spray Park, Summit Lake, Tolmie Peak Lookout - Eunice Lake, Wonderland Trail - Mowich Lake to Sunrise via Spray Park
That's worse news than the last election! Hopefully the state can make it a priority - not holding my breath, though. The I-5 bridge over the Columbia River is almost as bad.
Posted by:
Don Gerald on Apr 22, 2025 07:58 PM
DK1998 on Spray Park, Summit Lake, Tolmie Peak Lookout - Eunice Lake, Wonderland Trail - Mowich Lake to Sunrise via Spray Park
Let's not forget that the roads going to Mowich and Summit Lake are already in terrible shape as it is, and by the time they finally do something about the bridge itself those roads will likely have been partially reclaimed by nature. And they're not the only ones in desperate need of repair.
Posted by:
DK1998 on Apr 22, 2025 09:06 PM
we2cools on Spray Park, Summit Lake, Tolmie Peak Lookout - Eunice Lake, Wonderland Trail - Mowich Lake to Sunrise via Spray Park
Having a bit of a pity party here...we had a Volunteering multi-day trip planned for Summit Lake this summer. I'll be expecting a cancellation (or more optimistically, a change in location!) in my inbox soon. I was really looking forward to working several days in this area.
Posted by:
we2cools on Apr 22, 2025 09:38 PM
I_like_2_hike_ on Spray Park, Summit Lake, Tolmie Peak Lookout - Eunice Lake, Wonderland Trail - Mowich Lake to Sunrise via Spray Park
If this is fixed within 10 years I'll be shocked. The index road washout which cut off residents and multiple trailheads/campgrounds took 15 years to fix. And the elwha road has been washed out for 8 years and nothing's been done. DOT said even if they got the funding now it would still take at least 3-5 years. In the meantime the first responders and residents only detour needs to be made public.
Posted by:
I_like_2_hike_ on Apr 27, 2025 11:37 AM