Paradise gate
9 a.m. up · 4 p.m. last uphill entry. Leave Paradise by 4:30 p.m.; the downhill gate closes at 5 p.m. Snow, ice or avalanche danger can shorten or cancel access.
Your winter route to Paradise
Drive through Ashford to the Nisqually Entrance on SR 706. Longmire is the lower base; the road above it depends on the gate and weather.
- Nisqually to Longmire: normal winter approach
- Longmire to Paradise: gate and weather dependent
- Seasonal roads closed to winter driving
- 1 · Nisqually Entrance
- 2 · Longmire and winter gate
- 3 · Paradise
- 4 · Mowich Lake and 5 · Sunrise: summer roads
- Park boundary
Driving to Mount Rainier in winter
Check the gate before leaving home and again on the day. The timetable below is the normal pattern, conditions permitting.
Chains in every vehicle
November 1 to May 1, including AWD and 4WD. Carry chains or state-approved alternatives. Practice fitting them before the trip; road signs determine when to install them.
Fuel before the park
No gas inside the park. Bring extra food for delays. Follow the Nisqually approach rather than trusting GPS to choose an entrance; summer routes may be closed.
What the traction signs mean
- Traction tires advised: expect patches of snow or ice.
- Chains required except 4WD: chains go on drive wheels. AWD/4WD may proceed without installing them only with snow tires on all four wheels, four-wheel drive engaged and chains carried.
- Chains required all vehicles: install chains on drive wheels, including AWD/4WD.
- Over 10,000 pounds: carry a second set and use it when traction tires or chains are required.
Things to do at Mount Rainier in winter
Paradise is the main base for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing once snow is deep enough. Ranger programs and snow play depend on snow, staffing and access.
Snowshoe or ski
Start from Paradise when snow is deep enough. Ranger snowshoe walks normally run on weekends from late December through March, as staffing allows. Confirm the program before planning around it.
Sled only where permitted
Use the designated Paradise Sledding Area, only when open. Other slopes have avalanche zones and hidden drop-offs. Soft sleds and tubes are permitted; metal runners and wooden toboggans are not.
Plan for avalanche terrain
Check the weather and avalanche forecast before leaving the parking lot. NPS recommends a transceiver, probe and shovel, plus the Ten Essentials, for winter travel in avalanche terrain.
Bringing a dog? Keep pets on plowed roads and parking lots, away from trails and snow.
Where to stay near Mount Rainier in winter
Choose Longmire or the Ashford approach for a room below the Paradise gate. A room booking does not change the gate schedule.
National Park Inn at Longmire
The year-round inn inside the park. Paradise Inn is seasonal, normally mid-May through early October.
Ashford, outside the park
Compare lodging on SR 706 before the Nisqually Entrance, and confirm winter access with your host.
Winter camping: No vehicle camping in the park during winter. Snow camping depends on a permit, snow depth and access, so check NPS requirements first.
Mount Rainier winter crowds
February is the quietest month at Mount Rainier, averaging about 16,000 recreation visits against 421,000 in July. Paradise parking can still fill on sunny days.
Winter months highlightedWinter window · November–March
LowestLowModerateHighPeakAverage month: 137,035
Mount Rainier winter temperatures
Longmire is a preview station, still awaiting our full station review. These NOAA 1991–2020 averages describe the lower elevation; Paradise is higher and colder.
Winter months highlightedWinter window · November–March
Cooler Hotter
Jan
High37°F
Low26°F
Feb
High40°F
Low26°F
Mar
High45°F
Low28°F
Apr
High51°F
Low31°F
May
High60°F
Low37°F
Jun
High66°F
Low42°F
Jul
High75°F
Low46°F
Aug
High76°F
Low46°F
Sep
High69°F
Low42°F
Oct
High55°F
Low35°F
Nov
High43°F
Low29°F
Dec
High36°F
Low25°F
Mount Rainier winter daylight
Sunrise and sunset at Paradise, in local Pacific time. Plan your return around the Longmire gate as well as sunset.
| Date | Sunrise and sunset, local clock time | Daylight |
|---|---|---|
| November 21 | SunriseSunset | |
| December 21Shortest day shown | SunriseSunset | |
| January 21 | SunriseSunset | |
| February 21 | SunriseSunset | |
| March 21Daylight saving time | SunriseSunset |
Questions about Mount Rainier winter
Quick answers to the practical questions below.
Is Mount Rainier worth visiting in winter?
Yes, for snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and a quieter season at Paradise. February averages 4% of July's park visits. Plan around the Longmire gate and weather, carry chains, and choose another season for a road trip to Sunrise.
Does Mount Rainier close in winter?
The park stays open year-round, but most roads are seasonal. Use the Nisqually Entrance for Longmire and Paradise. The Longmire-to-Paradise road normally closes nightly and can stay closed because of weather or avalanche danger.
Do I need chains with AWD or 4WD?
Yes. Every vehicle must carry chains or state-approved alternative traction devices November 1 to May 1, including AWD and 4WD. Follow the posted traction signs for when to install them.
Can I go sledding at Paradise?
Only in the designated Paradise Sledding Area when NPS opens it. Snow depth alone does not guarantee opening; staffing also matters. Check the official winter recreation page before making sledding the purpose of your trip.
Can I stay inside Mount Rainier in winter?
The National Park Inn at Longmire is open year-round. Paradise Inn and drive-in campgrounds are seasonal. Winter camping is a separate, permitted snow-camping trip, not a winter drive-in campsite reservation.
How we built this page.
An independent guide using official data. Not affiliated with or endorsed by the National Park Service.
- Official guidance
- NPS and the relevant operators. The linked official pages support the access, facilities and rules described here. Confirm details before traveling.
- Crowd context
- 2021–2025 monthly averages. NPS recreation visits describe normal seasonal demand, not trail congestion, parking availability or unique visitors.
- Schedules and conditions
- Planning patterns, not live status. Seasonal information describes the normal pattern or explicitly dated source schedule. Current conditions are handled separately. The official source is the place to confirm today’s access.
Topic sources and data details
Normal winter access, the typical gate timetable, road signs, fuel and chain preparation follow NPS Winter Travel and the NPS tire chain FAQ. Most roads are seasonal; Nisqually-only refers to the winter drive to Longmire and Paradise. Confirm today's access on NPS current conditions.
Snowshoeing, skiing, ranger programs, pets, avalanche precautions and the designated sledding area follow NPS winter at Paradise and NPS winter recreation. Program and sledding openings are not guaranteed. The concessioner's winter page is linked for snowshoe rental planning; no rental price or store-hours claim is published here.
Year-round National Park Inn and seasonal Paradise Inn lodging follow NPS lodging. Winter camping guidance follows NPS winter recreation; campground seasons follow NPS campgrounds.
Climate averages use NOAA 1991-2020 normals at Longmire Rainier NPS, WA, USC00454764, 2,762 feet. This Longmire station is still a preview pending full station review; it does not describe Paradise. Sunrise and sunset on the 21st of each displayed month in 2026 come from the U.S. Naval Observatory at Henry M Jackson Memorial Visitor Center, WA (46.79N, 121.74W), in local Pacific clock time. Road geometry is OpenStreetMap, routed by OSRM.
Operational source check: September 10, 2026. Design and emphasized source review: 2026-10-21. A design review does not refresh every underlying record.