Conditions change by the hour at elevation — always check the agency's own status page before you drive.
PassOpenings
Chinook Pass
Elev 5,430 ft

Chinook Pass

SR 410 Mount Rainier National Park's east boundary, Washington

SR 410 crosses the Cascade crest at the eastern edge of Mount Rainier National Park, and WSDOT gates it every winter for avalanche danger and snow storage. The dates WSDOT keeps go back to 1935: openings anywhere from April 2 to July 12, closings from late October into the middle of December. Cayuse Pass on SR 123 almost always opens and closes on the same days.

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 5,430 feet — check WSDOT's status page before you drive.

Usually open by
May 25
median of 91 years
Earliest ever
April 2
2015
Latest ever
July 12
1974
Usually closes
November 16
median of 90 years
The opening record, 1935–2026 One gate per year at the date the road fully opened — taller gates are dates that repeated. The orange gate is the median: May 25.
Apr May Jun Jul Opened April 2 — 2015 Opened April 5 — 1973 Opened April 15 — 1941 Opened April 28 — 2005 Opened April 29 — 1981 Opened May 3 — 1942 Opened May 6 — 2004 Opened May 7 — 1939 Opened May 8 — 1992 Opened May 10 — 1957, 1968, 2001 Opened May 12 — 1988 Opened May 13 — 1987 Opened May 14 — 2003 Opened May 15 — 1940, 1947 Opened May 16 — 1952 Opened May 17 — 1990, 2013, 2016 Opened May 18 — 2000 Opened May 19 — 1951 Opened May 20 — 1944, 1962, 1998 Opened May 21 — 1935, 1980 Opened May 22 — 5 years (1959–2026) Opened May 23 — 5 years (1936–2025) Opened May 24 — 4 years (1958–2007) Opened May 25 — 6 years (1960–2012) Opened May 26 — 4 years (1966–2023) Opened May 27 — 1949, 1969, 1994 Opened May 28 — 6 years (1938–2021) Opened May 29 — 1970 Opened May 30 — 1953 Opened May 31 — 2002, 2024 Opened June 1 — 1937 Opened June 2 — 1945 Opened June 3 — 1967 Opened June 4 — 2020 Opened June 5 — 2008 Opened June 6 — 1955, 1961 Opened June 7 — 1950, 1995 Opened June 9 — 2017 Opened June 10 — 1982 Opened June 11 — 1976, 2018 Opened June 12 — 1948, 1997 Opened June 13 — 1956, 1975 Opened June 18 — 1943, 1971 Opened June 19 — 1954 Opened June 20 — 1964 Opened June 23 — 1972, 2011 Opened June 27 — 1946 Opened July 1 — 1999 Opened July 12 — 1974 Median opening: May 25 across 91 years Median · May 25 Earliest · April 2, 2015 Latest · July 12, 1974

Usually reopens in the second half of May, most years in time for Memorial Day weekend. Closes with the first heavy snow, most often in the middle of November. The winter closure covers SR 410 between Crystal Mountain Boulevard, about 12 miles northwest of the summit, and Morse Creek, five miles east of it.

Will it be open for your trip?

If your dates start…The road was already open inThat's
May 15 of 91 years 5%
May 1517 of 91 years 19%
June 166 of 91 years 73%
June 1582 of 91 years 90%
July 190 of 91 years 99%
July 1591 of 91 years 100%

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 31 October 31 Cayuse Pass on SR 123 opened a week earlier that spring.
2023 May 26 November 10
2022 May 26 October 27
2021 May 28 November 9
2020 June 4 November 12
2019 May 23 November 21 Closed temporarily on Oct. 19 and reopened Oct. 25 before the season's final closure.
2018 June 11 November 20
2017 June 9 November 7
2016 May 17 November 29
2015 April 2 November 16 Earliest opening in WSDOT's record.
2014 May 23 November 24
2013 May 17 December 2
2012 May 25 November 12
2011 June 23 November 11
2010 May 28 November 16
2009 May 22 November 8
2008 June 5 December 15
2007 May 24 November 29
2006 May 25 November 12
2005 April 28 October 25
2004 May 6 December 7
2003 May 14 November 17
2002 May 31 December 10
2001 May 10 November 26
2000 May 18 November 27
1999 July 1 November 30
1998 May 20 November 20
1997 June 12 November 19
1996 May 23 November 16
1995 June 7 November 7
1994 May 27 October 31 WSDOT marks the opening date as construction-related.
1993 May 28 November 18 Construction-related opening date; SR 410 north of the pass closed Nov. 1 for construction.
1992 May 8 November 21
1991 May 24 November 19
1990 May 17 November 21
1989 May 26 November 28
1988 May 12 November 10
1987 May 13 November 23
1986 May 22 November 18
1985 May 22 November 9
1984 May 24 November 5
1983 May 25 November 14
1982 June 10 November 16
1981 April 29 November 20
1980 May 21 November 17
1979 May 25 November 24
1978 May 25 November 18
1977 — November 15 WSDOT lists no opening date for that spring.
1976 June 11 — WSDOT lists no closing date for that winter.
1975 June 13 October 28
1974 July 12 December 18 Latest opening in WSDOT's record.
1973 April 5 November 9
1972 June 23 November 9
1971 June 18 November 1
1970 May 29 November 11
1969 May 27 December 10
1968 May 10 November 22
1967 June 3 November 28
1966 May 26 November 16
1965 May 28 November 24
1964 June 20 November 22
1963 May 28 November 7
1962 May 20 November 25
1961 June 6 November 11
1960 May 25 November 15
1959 May 22 November 19
1958 May 24 November 9
1957 May 10 November 27
1956 June 13 November 16
1955 June 6 November 17
1954 June 19 December 5
1953 May 30 November 21
1952 May 16 December 4
1951 May 19 November 11
1950 June 7 November 15
1949 May 27 December 9
1948 June 12 November 3
1947 May 15 November 5
1946 June 27 November 1
1945 June 2 November 9
1944 May 20 November 23
1943 June 18 November 4
1942 May 3 November 3
1941 April 15 December 15
1940 May 15 November 8
1939 May 7 December 15
1938 May 28 November 16
1937 June 1 November 12
1936 May 23 December 8
1935 May 21 November 15 The first year in WSDOT's record.

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.