In Mount Rainier National Park, the road to Sunrise was closed to private vehicles due to fires
The U.S. National Park Service has updated access regulations for the northeastern sector of Mount Rainier National Park in Washington state. Sunrise Road will remain closed to private vehicles through the end of the 2026 season, but walking and biking will remain permitted, provided safety guidelines are followed.
The restrictions are due to active wildfires in the Grand Park Fire 2 and Wonderland complex, which includes the West Fork, Garda Falls, and Pigeon fires. Park officials say the fires will continue to burn until they are extinguished naturally. As a result, all hiking trails in the Grand Park area, the Northern Loop Trail, and the Wonderland Trail section between the Carbon River Suspension Bridge and the White River Campground have been completely closed.
Vehicular access on White River Road will remain until the traditional winter closure on October 26, 2026, weather permitting, but the Sunrise Road exit will remain blocked to private vehicles.
Sources: Mount Rainier National Park keeps Sunrise roads closed for 2026 - ad-hoc-news.deCorroborating source 1Corroborating source 2
Context
The park encompasses the high mountain range of the active volcano Rainier in Washington State with glaciers, subalpine meadows, and the headwaters of five major rivers, which results in a complex scheme of autonomous accesses to its various zones.