511now / Answers / Is Chinook Pass open?

Is Chinook Pass open right now?

Q: Is Chinook Pass open right now?

Only WSDOT can say. Chinook Pass (SR-410) closes every winter, and WSDOT sets the closing and reopening dates each year based on snow and avalanche danger. The official WSDOT Chinook Pass page has today's status.

Q: When does Chinook Pass open and close for the season?

There is no fixed date. WSDOT usually closes Chinook in late fall and reopens it in late spring, and neighboring Cayuse Pass (SR-123) follows a similar seasonal pattern. The WSDOT pages announce the dates each year.

Q: Is there a camera at the Chinook Pass summit?

No. The published WSDOT camera inventory has no still at the Chinook or Cayuse summits. The nearest published still is at the US-12 / SR-410 junction near Naches, on the east approach — do not treat it as the summit.

Updated August 19, 2026 · Pictures refresh every few minutes

Only WSDOT can say — and Chinook Pass closes every winter. The official WSDOT Chinook Pass page has today's status, and the Cayuse Pass page covers the SR-123 side. Those pages are the rule.

When does it open and close for the season?

There is no fixed date. WSDOT usually closes Chinook (SR-410) in late fall and reopens it in late spring, and neighboring Cayuse Pass (SR-123) follows a similar seasonal pattern. The dates move every year with the snowpack and avalanche danger — the WSDOT pages announce both. Do not plan a summer loop over the mountain off last year's dates.

Is there a camera at the summit?

Honest answer: no. The published WSDOT inventory has no still at the Chinook or Cayuse summits. The nearest published still is at the US-12 / SR-410 junction near Naches, on the east approach.

US-12 at the SR-410 junction near Naches, the east approach to Chinook Pass — The east approach, where SR-410 leaves US-12. Open the US-12 cameras.

Official WSDOT still. Check the time printed on the picture. Clear at Naches does not tell you what the summit looks like — the road climbs about 3,500 feet from here.

Why the pass can be closed on a sunny day

The seasonal closure is about avalanche danger on the slopes above the road, not the weather when you look. WSDOT also closes SR-410 mid-season for slides and rock fall. A blue-sky picture in the valley does not open a gated highway. The posted status always wins.

Chinook or White Pass?

White Pass (US-12) is the year-round route between the Yakima side and Packwood. Chinook is the scenic seasonal road over the shoulder of Mount Rainier, and the way into the park's Sunrise side when it is open. In winter, White Pass is usually the only real option of the two.

Check again before you leave

The US-12 traffic desk keeps the rule links and the nearby cameras in one place. Going into the park? See Is the mountain out?

Sources

WSDOT Chinook Pass report — the posted status and seasonal dates.
WSDOT Cayuse Pass report — the SR-123 side.
WSDOT mountain passes — every Washington pass.