Trailhead Closures Announced on Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest

WENATCHEE, Wash., Aug. 12, 2025 — Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest announces temporary trailhead closures on the Methow Valley Ranger District near Washington and Rainy Passes along State Route 20 between mileposts 157 and 162.   Select trailhead parking areas and restroom facilities will be fully closed to facilitate parking lot and entry road repairs to potholes, pavement replacement and repainting of parking lot stripes. The infrastructure repairs have been planned and funded through the 2020 Great American Outdoors Act.

Hikers planning either day or overnight trips from the following trailheads should be aware of these upcoming trailhead closures, alternative parking in the vicinity of these trailheads is limited or nonexistent, and restrooms will also be closed during construction.

August 18, 2025- September 7, 2025:

• Washington Pass Overlook (intermittent closures expected after Sept. 7)

• Bridge Creek Trailhead (may remain closed until Oct. 8)

September 8, 2025- September 25, 2025:

• Rainy Pass Picnic Area (Heather & Maple Pass Trail) 

• Rainy Pass North– Pacific Crest Trail 

Update as of Sept 2 – due to subcontractor schedules and weather-related delays, the above trailheads may experience extended or intermittent additional closures to allow for chip sealing and striping work.  This page will be updated as work is completed and trailheads re-open.

All vehicles must be removed from these trailheads by the dates indicated or risk being towed.  “Due to the popularity of these trails and high visitation rates in the North Cascades Scenic Highway corridor, other trailheads will fill up quickly.”  said Methow Valley Ranger District Recreation Specialist Rosemary Seifried, “We recommend planning a hike in one of the lesser visited parts of the Forest during the paving project,” she added.

Parking along State Route 20 is explicitly discouraged and poses safety risks to both vehicles and pedestrians due to high rates of speed and limited suitable parking areas.  Improperly parked vehicles can pose a traffic hazard and block access for emergency services in case of an accident. Warnings and citations have been issued in the past for improper parking along the highway. 

Access to most trails served by these parking areas will be limited. However, through-hikers on the Pacific Crest Trail between Bridge Creek and Rainy Pass will be able to continue their trek via a short detour.

“The potholes at these sites are notorious.  Despite the short-term impacts of these closures, it’s an exciting project that will have great benefits to our visiting public once complete," said Seifried.

Additional details about affected trails and trailheads here:

Trails will *not* be closed but access will be significantly affected and, in some cases, not feasible.  Here are some specifics:

• Rainy Lake Trail No 310, Heather Maple Pass Trail No 740 and Lake Ann Trail No740.1 – no ADA or general access to these trails during paving!  The vegetation is dense along the edge of the trailhead and it’s marshy.  It is critical that day hikers choose other areas and hikes and not try to find their way to the trail.  Roadside parking will quickly max out and is not a suitable alternative.  
• PCT trail No 2000 -- through hikers will be able to hike through the Rainy Pass area.  We will have a small signed re-route that will allow hikers to avoid the paving areas while Rainy Pass North is closed.   Alternative access for overnight hikers who need to park a vehicle will be at Cutthroat Lake Trailhead, taking Cutthroat Lake Trail No. 483 until it rejoins the PCT at Cutthroat Pass.  *This parking area will quickly fill up.
• Bridge Creek Trail No 2000 (PCT South into North Cascades National Park) – this trail is on the opposite side of SR20 from the parking area so it will remain accessible, but the limited roadside parking will make access difficult.  There are small and larger pullouts as you head east from the Bridge Creek Trailhead, but those sites are not ideal, and this also would require folks to walk along SR20 to get back to the trail.  Ideally avoid this trail during this timeframe, but if folks must go, then at least be cautious of the speeding traffic along the highway and the increased distance you will need to hike to reach the start of the trail (about ½ mile).
• Washington Pass Overlook Trail No.  585 – This ADA trail will be inaccessible during the time the parking lot is closed.  There are no alternatives, but there are still good views of many of the peaks in the pass from ample pullouts all along SR20 to the east of the Overlook parking area.