Hiker Headlines: Sno-Park Permits, Reopenings and Closures, More Snow

It’s October 27. Sno-Park permits are on sale November 1. Some trails affected by the Eagle Creek Fire in 2017 have reopened. Key recreation roads are closing for winter, and prescribed burns are happening in some areas in Washington. Here’s some news you may have missed while out on trail this week.

Artist Point, Cayuse Pass, Chinook Pass and the Cascade River Road are now all closed for the season. Photo courtesy of the Washington State Department of Transportation.

Sno-Park permits: Sno-Park permits, which are required to park in certain popular recreation areas (like Gold Creek Pond), go on sale on November 1. Permits may be purchased online or via authorized vendors. Please note that some Sno-Parks that offer groomed trails require an additional sticker as well. Check out our Passes and Permits page for more details on Sno-Park permits.

Closures: The road to Artist Point has closed for the season. You can still access Artist Point via a beautiful snowshoe hike from the Heather Meadows parking lot. Also in the North Cascades, Cascade River Road is closed for the season. Further south, Highway 410 (Chinook Pass) and Highway 123 (Cayuse Pass) in Mount Rainier National Park are closed for the season.

Access to Clayton Beach from the parking lot will be closed starting Nov. 1 through spring of 2023 for a bridge construction project, which will provide visitors with a safe way to access the beach across the railroad track. 

Stay up to date on closures by checking our Hiking Guide for alerts or reading trip reports.

Prescribed burns: The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest and Olympic National Park are both planning to begin prescribed burn projects soon to reduce fuel for future wildfires. Check for any prescribed fires if you’re recreating within forest or park boundaries, and be aware of possible fires and smoke. 

Trail reopenings: The Nesmith Point and Wyeth trails on the Oregon side of the Columbia River Gorge have reopened after the 2017 Eagle Creek Fire closed them. Big thanks to the Trailkeepers of Oregon, Forest Service, Northwest Youth Corps and American Conservation Experience for their hard work in getting these trails accessible and hikeable again.

Snowy mountain forecasts: Looks like we might be moving from summer directly into winter — snow is in the forecast in the Pacific Northwest at relatively low mountain elevations. NOAA is predicting a cold front that could bring the snow line down to 3,500 feet. Snoqualmie, Stevens and White passes also saw snow this week. If you’re hoping for a lower-elevation hike for the weekend, our Hiking Guide's highest-elevation filter or personalized hike recommender can help you out.

BE IN THE KNOW

• Keep up to date with Trail News, our monthly email newsletter.
• Search our Hiking Guide to find your next adventure.
• Check trip reports for the latest conditions on trails. And if you go for a hike, file your own trip report.
• Sign up for Families Go Hiking, our email newsletter for families with plenty of tips on keeping kids busy.
• Sign up for Trail Action Network to stay up to date on issues impacting trails and ways to get involved.