Conditions change by the hour at elevation — always check the agency's own status page before you drive.
PassOpenings
Cayuse Pass
Elev 4,675 ft

Cayuse Pass

SR 123 Mount Rainier National Park, Washington

Cayuse Pass is the quieter half of a pair. SR 123 climbs the east side of Mount Rainier National Park to the junction with SR 410 below Chinook Pass, and WSDOT gates and reopens the two together in most years. The dates WSDOT keeps start in 1973, and the openings run from March 18 to the end of June — and once, after a winter that wrecked the road, not until September.

This year

Live plow-season reports load here. For today's conditions, go straight to WSDOT's status page.

Conditions change by the hour at 4,675 feet — check WSDOT's status page before you drive.

Usually open by
May 7
median of 52 years
Earliest ever
March 18
1981
Latest ever
September 29
2007
Usually closes
November 24
median of 52 years
The opening record, 1974–2026 One gate per year at the date the road fully opened — taller gates are dates that repeated. The orange gate is the median: May 7.
Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Opened March 18 — 1981 Opened March 30 — 1992 Opened April 2 — 2015 Opened April 3 — 1978, 1987 Opened April 6 — 1984 Opened April 7 — 1983 Opened April 10 — 1986 Opened April 15 — 1988 Opened April 18 — 2003 Opened April 19 — 1985 Opened April 20 — 2000, 2001 Opened April 21 — 1980, 2005 Opened April 23 — 1979 Opened April 25 — 1998 Opened April 29 — 1975, 2016 Opened April 30 — 1982, 2004, 2010 Opened May 1 — 1989 Opened May 3 — 1991, 2013 Opened May 6 — 2002 Opened May 8 — 2012 Opened May 14 — 1976 Opened May 15 — 2009 Opened May 16 — 2014 Opened May 17 — 1990 Opened May 19 — 2017 Opened May 22 — 2026 Opened May 23 — 5 years (1994–2025) Opened May 24 — 1995, 2024 Opened May 26 — 2011, 2023 Opened May 27 — 2022 Opened May 28 — 1993, 2021 Opened May 29 — 1974 Opened June 3 — 1999 Opened June 4 — 2020 Opened June 11 — 2018 Opened June 21 — 1996 Opened June 30 — 2006 Opened September 29 — 2007 Median opening: May 7 across 52 years Median · May 7 Earliest · March 18, 1981 Latest · September 29, 2007

Usually reopens in May, on the same morning as Chinook Pass; the older years in the record open as early as March. Closes with the first heavy snow, most often in the second half of November. The winter closure covers SR 123 from the Cayuse Pass junction with SR 410 south to Stevens Canyon Road.

Will it be open for your trip?

If your dates start…The road was already open inThat's
July 151 of 52 years 98%
July 1551 of 52 years 98%
August 151 of 52 years 98%
August 1551 of 52 years 98%
September 151 of 52 years 98%
September 1551 of 52 years 98%

Odds come from the full record below — past springs, not a promise about this one.

Every year on record

Year Opened Closed Notes
2026 May 22 — WSDOT reopened both passes by 8 a.m. that Friday, ahead of Memorial Day weekend.
2025 May 23 October 24
2024 May 24 October 31 Opened a week ahead of Chinook Pass that spring.
2023 May 26 November 10
2022 May 27 October 25
2021 May 28 November 9
2020 June 4 November 12
2019 May 23 November 21 Closed temporarily on Oct. 19 and reopened the next day before the season's final closure.
2018 June 11 November 20
2017 May 19 November 7
2016 April 29 November 29
2015 April 2 November 16
2014 May 16 November 24
2013 May 3 November 20
2012 May 8 November 12
2011 May 26 November 11
2010 April 30 November 16
2009 May 15 November 8
2008 May 23 December 15
2007 September 29 November 29 Winter storm damage kept the road shut all summer; it reopened Sept. 29 for two months.
2006 June 30 November 12 Latest spring opening in WSDOT's record.
2005 April 21 November 4
2004 April 30 December 6
2003 April 18 November 18
2002 May 6 December 12
2001 April 20 November 26
2000 April 20 November 28
1999 June 3 November 30
1998 April 25 November 23
1997 May 23 November 20
1996 June 21 October 7 Winter storm damage delayed the opening, and the road shut early in October so crews could repair it.
1995 May 24 December 4
1994 May 23 October 31 WSDOT marks the opening date as construction-related.
1993 May 28 November 18 WSDOT marks the opening date as construction-related.
1992 March 30 November 30
1991 May 3 December 7
1990 May 17 November 24
1989 May 1 January 4, 1990 Stayed open into the new year before closing Jan. 4, 1990.
1988 April 15 November 17
1987 April 3 November 30
1986 April 10 November 28
1985 April 19 November 17
1984 April 6 November 16
1983 April 7 November 24
1982 April 30 December 2
1981 March 18 November 30 Earliest opening in WSDOT's record.
1980 April 21 December 4
1979 April 23 January 8, 1980 Stayed open into the new year before closing Jan. 8, 1980.
1978 April 3 December 10
1977 — December 2 WSDOT lists no opening date for that spring.
1976 May 14 — WSDOT lists no closing date for that winter.
1975 April 29 November 30
1974 May 29 December 30
1973 — December 12 The first year in WSDOT's record; no opening date is listed for it.

Record drawn from WSDOT: Mountain pass closure and opening dates · WSDOT news release: Chinook and Cayuse passes reopen May 22, 2026 · WSDOT news release: Chinook and Cayuse passes close Oct. 24, 2025 . Last checked August 14, 2026.