National Park Service photo of Mount Rainier from Longmire, taken Monday morning.
After being closed for more than two weeks Mount Rainier National Park is once again accepting visitors through its Nisqually entrance near Ashford.
“Flooding, mudslides, and damage to several roads in and around Mount Rainier National Park forced closure of all winter vehicle entrances in early February,” according to a news release from the park.
As of Monday, the entrance on state Route 706 east of Ashford opened again, allowing visitors access to Longmire and Paradise.
Services currently available in Longmire include access to snow-covered trails, the Longmire Museum and Visitor Center, and limited food, beverage, and retail items at the Longmire Gift Shop. More information on National Park Inn services can be found at mtrainierguestservices.com.
During the closure of the park’s entrance on SR 706, National Park Service employees have worked with the United States Forest Service, the Washington State Department of Transportation and Pierce County crews to open emergency access routes.
“In addition, NPS and Rainier Guest Services staff repaired damaged park infrastructure and utilities and maintained systems inside the park that are critical to public access. The park road crew also repaired the primary entrance road, which had been undermined by excessive runoff,” according to the news release.
Elsewhere in the park, access to the Carbon River area remains blocked due to a significant washout on Pierce County’s Fairfax Forest Reserve Road and the loss of most of the NPS road adjacent to the Carbon River trailhead parking area.
