Mount Rainier closes part of Wonderland Trail

Mount Rainier National Park closed part of its signature Wonderland Trail on May 22, saying the move was necessary because of “unusual bear activity.” The closure applies to the stretch between Narada Falls Trail and Stevens Canyon Road, according to an alert posted by the National Park Service. The park has not publicly described the bear behavior beyond that phrase. The restriction was still listed on the park’s website as of Saturday. ### Which part of the trail is closed? The National Park Service said the closure covers the Wonderland Trail between Narada Falls Trail and Stevens Canyon Road. That section sits on the south side of Mount Rainier National Park, in an area used by both day hikers and longer-distance Wonderland Trail travelers. Narada Falls is a well-known access point near Paradise and about 17 miles east of the Nisqually Entrance, according to the park service. (nps.gov) The Narada Falls trail area connects to the around-the-mountain Wonderland Trail, the agency says. ### What exactly did the park say about the bears? The park’s posted alert used limited language, saying only that the Wonderland Trail was “temporarily closed” because of “unusual bear activity.” The same wording appeared on the park’s Alerts and Conditions page and its road-status page, both updated around May 22. (nps.gov) Mount Rainier did not, in the public alert reviewed Saturday, say whether the activity involved one bear or multiple bears, whether the sightings were recent, or how long the closure might last. (nps.gov) That means hikers checking conditions will need to rely on park updates rather than a fixed reopening date. ### How significant is this for Wonderland Trail hikers? (nps.gov) The Wonderland Trail is about 93 miles long and circles Mount Rainier, the National Park Service says. It is one of the park’s best-known long-distance routes and is used by backpackers attempting the full circuit as well as hikers doing shorter segments. The park describes the Wonderland as a strenuous route with roughly 27,000 feet of elevation gain and an equal amount of loss. (nps.gov) A closure on any segment can force through-hikers to alter itineraries, delay starts or exits, or wait for updated conditions from rangers. That last point is an inference based on the trail’s continuous loop layout and the park’s warning to check current conditions. (nps.gov) ### Is the trail usually fully open this time of year? The National Park Service says the Wonderland Trail is typically mostly snow-free from mid-July to October. On its trail-planning page, the park says earlier-season travel can require winter skills and that hikers should check current conditions before starting a trip. May 22 also marked the seasonal reopening of State Route 410 and State Route 123 through the park, according to a separate park release. (nps.gov) That reopening restores vehicle access through more of Mount Rainier ahead of Memorial Day weekend, even as the bear-related trail closure remains in place on the Wonderland segment near Narada Falls and Stevens Canyon Road. ### Where should hikers look next? Mount Rainier National Park directs visitors to its Alerts and Conditions page and its road-status page for current closures and changes. The park’s wilderness and trail-conditions pages also remain the main public sources for backcountry hikers tracking conditions on the Wonderland Trail. As of Saturday, May 23, the park’s public alert still showed the closure between Narada Falls Trail and Stevens Canyon Road. (nps.gov) Any reopening, reroute guidance or additional detail about the bear activity would be expected to appear first in those park updates. (nps.gov)