The Grand Park 2 Fire burning northeast of Mount Rainier National Park in Washington closed Sunrise Road and the stretch connecting White River Road to State Route 410. The park said that, as of August 23, all trails beginning from those roads and trails in the Grand Park area remained closed.
Areas Affected
A new fire west of the Grand Park 2 Fire extended the North Loop Trail closure from Lake James to the Carbon Suspension Bridge. Lake James and the Yellowstone Cliffs backcountry camps also closed. In the southern part of the park, a separate wildfire closed the Pinnacle Peak Trail and surrounding backcountry, including the ridge from Rain Peak to Foss Peak and the area extending to the park’s southern boundary along Stevens Canyon Road. Stevens Canyon Road itself remained open. Just outside the park’s southeast boundary, north of Packwood in Gifford Pinchot National Forest, the Backbone Fire was also spreading, prompting a separate Forest Service closure order; smoke could be visible from State Route 123 and U.S. Highway 12. The Nisqually and Stevens Canyon entrances remained open, preserving access to Longmire and Paradise. State Route 410 Scenic Byway and U.S. Highway 12, the White Pass Scenic Byway, also remained open.
What RV Travelers Need to Know
Visitors planning a trip to Mount Rainier should check the National Park Service alert page for the latest closures before departing. Trails and backcountry camps near Grand Park, North Loop, and Pinnacle Peak should be avoided for the time being; trips to Longmire or Paradise can use the Nisqually and Stevens Canyon entrances. Wildfire danger in Gifford Pinchot National Forest was listed as “very high,” so fire restrictions were likely in effect. Anyone planning a campfire should first check the forest’s fire-restriction notice. Roads and trails near the Backbone Fire were subject to the Forest Service closure order, making it advisable to identify detours in advance. Current progress on the Grand Park 2 Fire was available through InciWeb, while road, area, and trail closures within the park continued to be updated on the park alert page; both should be checked again shortly before departure.
Photo: NPS / Original photo. Public domain. Photo date: September 27, 2020. Resized and compressed for display.