The Carbon River section of Mount Rainier National Park has been closed by a washout/NPS

A washout of the Carbon River Road just west of Mount Rainier National Park led Monday to an emergency closure of that section of the national park.

Deputy Superintendent Kevin Skerl signed the order closing the Carbon River Trail and all attached trailheads to public entry. 

The closure was due to erosion by the Carbon River, which has washed out the start of the Carbon River Road at the park boundary, and due to continued heavy precipitation, high river levels, and unstable trail conditions, a park release said. At present, there is no safe way to access the Carbon River Trail, Rainforest Loop Trail, Green Lake Trail, or Chenuis Falls Trail, or the Ipsut Creek Campground. 

The Fairfax Forest Reserve Road has been partially washed out just west of the Carbon River Entrance since last winter, but enough of the road had remained in place to allow safe access. The remainder of the road eroded away on Friday, November 12.