Traffic Impacts and Road Advisories

North Cascades Highway Update

12-2-25 --

SR 20 North Cascades Highway will close for the season Thursday, Dec. 4 at 6 p.m.

WINTHROP – State Route 20 North Cascades Highway will close for the winter season at 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 4.

Rainy Pass (elevation 4862 feet) and Washington Pass (elevation 5475 feet) will close between Ross Dam trailhead (milepost 134) and Silver Star gate (milepost 171). Depending on conditions, the closure points are typically moved to lower elevation closure points later in the season, moving to the Newhalem gate (milepost 120) on the west side and Early Winters gate (milepost 178) on the east side.

The Washington State Department of Transportation will close SR 20 North Cascades Highway for the winter due to conditions and avalanche risk. With current snow loads in avalanche pathways and snow showers forecast in the North Cascades beginning Friday, crews determined it is time to close for the safety of the traveling public and crews.

The earliest closing date for the North Cascades Highway was Oct. 17, 2007. The latest seasonal closure date was Jan. 3, 1990.

Get real-time travel information via the WSDOT mobile app, the real-time travel map, or by signing up for email updates and alerts. Current weather and highway conditions are posted on the WSDOT mountain passes webpage.

Don’t guess and check for updates.

We are often asked why we don’t set a specific date for the closure. The reason is that every season is different and we want to remain open as long as possible each year. Closing dates have been as early as Oct. 17 and as late as Jan 3. Our crews work hard to keep the North Cross open because this route provides more direct access for freight and the communities on each side of the mountains.

As soon as the team determines the route must close, we share that information through this listserv, Facebook, and the mountain pass page.

If you are planning on making the trip over the “North Cross”, remember that you are traveling through mountain passes with no cell service and with snow forecast for this weekend. You must be prepared for winter driving. Have appropriate tires and drive for conditions. Understand that you can be prepared and still get stuck waiting because of a collision or spin out somewhere else on the mountain pass, so have a full tank of gas and something warm to bundle up in if you have to wait. Our crews are plowing and treating the roads, but as we often see at the beginning of winter, some people aren’t prepared and make the situation even more challenging.

Keep travel lanes and driveways open

Last weekend, plow drivers reported that people were parked on the side of the road, into the driving lanes and in some places, blocking access for crews to get around. This not only hinders plow drivers’ ability to clear the road, but it is also a safety hazard for traffic and first responders. Please be responsible and park only where allowed.

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) does an amazing job of keeping our roadways safe and well-maintained. They also are an essential partner in keeping us and our travelers informed about any accidents, closures, or other issues that can impact the normal flow of traffic. Be sure to check out your itinerary using the following resources before you head out!

Washington State Department of Transportation

Travel Alerts-REAL TIME MAP

WSDOT Resources

Traffic Alerts	Stevens Pass (SR 2)	North Cascades Highway (SR 20)	Winter Driving Tips
Anacortes Ferry Terminal	Clinton Ferry Terminal	Coupeville Ferry Terminal	Mukilteo Ferry Terminal

Wildfire and Smoke Safety

Summer season often brings news of wildland and forest fires in the high country near the Cascade Loop. Very rarely travel is impacted by these fires, but occasionally a highway closure or flagger controlled traffic revisions are put in place to assure safe travel.

If fires near the roadway threaten travel, we will post alerts on social media and on this page (find it easily as a 'Travel Alert' bar at the top of every page)

To follow fire activity, these public links are updated by the appropriate agencies regularly:

INCIWEB
https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/

Northwest Large Fire Interactive Web Map
https://gacc.nifc.gov/nwcc/firemap.php

Washington Smoke Blog
https://wasmoke.blogspot.com/p/national-interagency-fire-information.html

Chelan County Emergency Management
https://www.facebook.com/CCSOEM/

Okanogan County Emergency Management
https://www.facebook.com/Okanogan.County.Emergency.Management/

Air Quality Reports
https://enviwa.ecology.wa.gov/mobile/

Be Prepared for Smoke Season

No one can see the future, but you can plan the best vacation possible with travel alert resources on this page

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Special thanks to Voortex Productions (Follow them on Facebook and Instagram)

and

Jamie Petitto (Follow Jamie on Facebook and Instagram)

Video made possible in part with assistance from Okanogan County Tourism and Chelan County Tourism Hotel-Motel Tax funds

Travel Alerts

Stevens Pass Road Alerts

Be sure to check the road conditions when traveling over Stevens Pass from the west side to the east side of the Cascade Loop:

https://wsdot.com/travel/real-time/mountainpasses/Stevens