Hiker Headlines: Mount Rainier timed entry reservations, Upper Hoh Road reopens, Hike the State

It’s May 8. Mount Rainier National Park will require timed entry reservations for the Sunrise area this summer season. Join WTA for Hike the State online on May 21! Recently, the Trump Administration revoked nearly $400 million in grants to AmeriCorps programs nationwide, threatening nonprofits and conservation corps programs. Chelan County Public Works now has no-parking measures on the pavement on Olalla Canyon and Nahahum Canyon roads. And Upper Hoh Road has been repaired and reopened! Here’s some news you may have missed while out on trail this week.

Join WTA for Hike the State and get a start on planning your summer adventures. Photo by Bill Edwards.

Mount Rainier: Timed entry reservations will be required at the Sunrise area of Mount Rainier National Park this summer. Permits will be required from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day between July 11 and Sept. 1, as well as weekends and holidays after Sept. 1 through the end of the season (typically mid-October). Some timed entry reservations are released online 60 days in advance in blocks — reservations for July 11–31 will be released at 8 a.m. on May 16, and reservations for Aug. 1–Sept. 1 will be released at 8 a.m. on June 6. Additional reservations will be released at 7 p.m. each evening for the following day, on a daily rolling basis. For days requiring reservations after Sept. 1, advance reservations will only be available starting 7 p.m. the day before. Visitors should also be prepared for summer road work in some areas of the park. 

Hike the State: On Wednesday, May 21 from 6–7 p.m. online, WTA staff will share their latest hike recommendations and tips for planning unforgettable adventures. We’ll have a trail for everyone at Hike the State, whether you’re completely new to hiking in Washington or are a seasoned hiker looking for new places to explore. Register for this free event online. 

AmeriCorps cuts: Washington is part of a multistate lawsuit challenging the Trump Administration’s unexpected decision to revoke nearly $400 million in grants to AmeriCorps programs across the country. The eliminated funding for AmeriCorps previously supported the efforts of more than 200,000 volunteers working on disaster relief, education, community health and environmental stewardship. These cuts threaten WTA’s local nonprofit partners, like the Glacier Peak Institute, and may severely impact conservation corps programs that help steward local, state and federal lands. Hundreds of AmeriCorps volunteers work on trail construction and maintenance projects around the state.

Olalla Canyon parking: The Chelan County Sheriff’s Office is asking folks to be responsible when parking on Olalla Canyon and Nahahum Canyon roads as they recreate in the area. Chelan County Public Works now has no-parking measures in place, with signs indicating that cars cannot park with wheels on the pavement — visitors may be ticketed or towed if they are parked on the road or blocking traffic. 

Upper Hoh Road re-opens: After Governor Ferguson allocated $623,000 of Strategic Reserve funds to repair Upper Hoh Road, it has been repaired and is reopening today! The road had been damaged from erosion and closed since December. 

Protect snowy plovers: Washington State Parks is asking the public to help protect the snowy plover, an endangered tiny shorebird quite vulnerable due to losing its nesting habitat from invasive species, recreational activities, rising sea levels, erosion and human and dog interactions. To help protect the birds, stay out of marked nesting areas, keep dogs on leash at the beach, watch where you are walking and recreating and continue to leave no trace whenever you’re hiking.

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