More winter recreation access is planned for Mount Rainier this year/Gary Vogt file

Winter recreation access to Mount Rainier National Park in Washington should be available five days a week beginning Wednesday, weather permitting, although sledding will not be allowed due to staffing shortages.

Under the plan, the road to Paradise will be open on a Thursday-Monday schedule, as long as crews can keep it open.

The park has increased and reorganized staff and resources to provide more public access to Paradise compared to last year, when it was only able to keep the road open two days each week, a park release said. However, ongoing staffing challenges mean the road will be closed to public access Tuesdays and Wednesdays.   

The Longmire area will remain open seven days a week barring any major storm events or emergency situations. Park staff will continue to revisit the Paradise access schedule should staffing levels change during the winter season.     

“Mount Rainier National Park offers terrific winter recreational opportunities, and making this access change will help visitors make plans knowing that, weather, staffing and equipment permitting, the road to Paradise will be open Thursdays through Mondays when the most visitation typically occurs,” said Superintendent Greg Dudgeon.  

Winter camping at Paradise will be available Thursday through Sunday nights only, conditions permitting. The sledding runs at Paradise will not be open for the 2023/2024 winter season, as available staff members will be focused on plowing roads and parking lots to maintain Paradise access. Sledding is not permitted elsewhere in the park. More information about Paradise winter access is available on the park website.   

Winter recreation access for snowshoeing, skiing, and snowboarding in the rest of the park remains unchanged. State Routes 410 and 123 will close to vehicles soon at the northeast, east, and southeast park boundaries. The east side of the park is open for visitor use throughout the winter, including overnight winter camping with a valid permit.

The annual shift to nightly closures of the gate to Paradise at Longmire has begun. Information on the status of the gate to Paradise can be found on the park’s Alerts section of the website. The National Park Inn and Longmire General Store remain open daily for equipment rentals, food, and beverages. The park website provides information on winter activities within the park and at nearby areas outside the park. Staff and visitor safety goals are outlined in the 2018 document “Longmire-to-Paradise Winter Road Opening Matrix” on the park’s website.