Hiker Headlines: Mountain Loop Highway Closed, WTA is Hiring, Pacific Northwest Trail Plan Released

It’s Dec. 14. WTA is currently hiring for a couple of seasonal positions and one permanent position. Be aware of some road closures that might affect your hiking plans. A portion of the Methow Valley Wildlife Area is closing temporarily to protect the mule deer population. And the Forest Service has released its Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail comprehensive plan. Here’s some news you may have missed while out on trail this week.

There's been plenty of snow along the Mountain Loop Highway these last few weeks, and the highway's seasonal closure is now officially in effect. Photo by trip reporter Haley KR.

Now hiring: WTA is currently hiring 2024 seasonal Lost Trails Found crew members and crew leaders for our adult volunteer vacations. We are also hiring a permanent trail crew leader, who will lead single-day and multi-day work parties in the Northwest Region; the position will be based in Maple Falls. Read more about these positions on our careers page and apply today! 

Road closures: Heading into the mountains? Make sure you’ve got these road closures on your radar:

• The Mountain Loop Highway is closed for the season between Deer Creek and Bedal Campgrounds.
• The Cascade River Road closure has moved up 2 miles to the National Park boundary. Hikers will need to make a 5-mile road walk to reach the Cascade Pass trailhead. 
• A portion of SR 18 (on the east side of Tiger Mountain) will be closed from 4 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 15 for emergency repairs. The segment between I-90 and Issaquah-Hobart Road SE will be closed in its entirety — please plan to take alternative routes. 

Wildlife area partial closure: To protect the largest migratory mule deer herd in Washington, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is temporarily closing five units of the Methow Valley Wildlife Area to public access from Dec. 15 through March 31, 2024.

Pacific Northwest Trail comprehensive plan released: We are pleased that the Forest Service has finished the comprehensive plan for the Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail, which runs more than 1,200 miles from the crest of the Continental Divide to the Pacific Ocean. WTA staff have supported the development of this plan. We celebrate this important step forward for the trail and appreciate the work of many partners, most notably the Forest Service and the Pacific Northwest Trail Association, in creating this management document.

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