511now / Answers / Is Sherman Pass open?
Is Sherman Pass open right now?
Updated August 19, 2026 · Pictures refresh every few minutes
Only WSDOT can say. Open the official WSDOT Sherman Pass page for today’s rule — open, closed, or traction requirements. That page is the rule.
Then look at the two summit stills below to see the road for yourself.
Check both summit cameras
Sherman Pass · view 1WSDOT
Sherman Pass · view 2WSDOT
Official WSDOT stills at the summit. Check the time printed on the picture — if there is no time, do not trust it.
Why Sherman Pass matters
At 5,575 feet, Sherman is the highest pass kept open year-round in Washington — higher than Snoqualmie, Stevens, or White. It crosses SR-20 between Republic and Kettle Falls, and there is no quick alternative up there: the detours add hours. That makes the posted rule worth reading before you commit.
Why the pass can be closed when the picture looks fine
A clear picture does not cancel a posted rule. WSDOT closes and restricts highways for crashes, spun-out vehicles, and winter maintenance — things a still photo may not show. Night glare can look like ice, and an old picture can lie. The posted rule always wins.
What about Wauconda Pass?
Crossing the Okanogan Highlands on SR-20 means taking Wauconda Pass too, between Tonasket and Republic. It has its own WSDOT report and its own camera — check both before you go.
Check again before you leave
The SR-20 traffic desk keeps the rule link and the cameras in one place.
Sources
- WSDOT Sherman Pass report — the posted rule.
- WSDOT mountain passes — every Washington pass.