State | Area | Miles Closed | Description | Detour | More Info |
Washington | Section 7, Stage 31, North Cascades National Park | 41 miles | Due to the Sourdough Mountain Fire, the PNT has been closed west of the East Bank Trailhead for visitor safety. Ross Lake is closed to recreation and Ross Lake Resort is closed until further notice.
Continuous travel between Ross Lake and Mt Baker will not be possible during the 2023 season. The new closure of the PNT begins at the East Bank Trailhead and extends west for 41 miles toward the U.S. Cabin backcountry camp. |
PNT hikers may resume travel along the Sourdough Fire Detour as of 9-22-23. | Fire Closures – North Cascades |
Washington | Section 9, Stage 44, Olympic Ntl. Park | 32 miles | Due to multiple wildfires in the park, the congressional route of the PNT is currently closed between Hayden Pass and the Whiskey Bend Trailhead near the Elwha Ranger Station.
Alternate routes in the park are also impacted by wildfire closures. Please visit the park’s alerts and notices webpage for current information.
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Alerts and Notices Olympic Ntl Park |
Last Updated: September 23rd, 2023
Pacific Northwest Trail Alerts
Major issues, such as trail and road closures affecting access to the Pacific Northwest Trail are logged as Trail Alerts. The information shown on this webpage is reported by agency partners, staff, and visitors like you.
The PNT is wild and rugged. It passes through remote areas where current conditions may be unknown. Be prepared for a variety of conditions on the PNT. Mountains are dynamic places and the conditions you experience may be different than those reported here.
Are you planning to hike the Pacific Northwest Trail? Sign up to get important email updates from PNTA about wildfires, trail closures and other events that could affect your trip.
Seasonal Statement — Between late September and June seasonal closures of suspension bridges and mountain roads may affect your visit. Always check road, weather, and avalanche conditions before you go. Check current trail conditions here.
From mid-June to mid-July, mountainous areas along the PNT are in their shoulder season. Visitors should be prepared for snow travel and snow hazards above 3,000 feet, and for cold wet conditions. In low elevation areas, many creeks along the PNT are running high with spring snowmelt, and some may be hazardous to ford.
Always check road, weather and trail conditions before your visit. Visitors should always be prepared for rugged conditions, route-finding challenges, and inclement weather.
Trail Conditions — PNTA and our partners’ trail crews have begun working in low elevation areas, but remote high elevation trails have not been serviced in 2023. Early season visitors may encounter a large number of downed trees along some trails. Every year, strong winter storms knock down thousands of trees along the PNT that must be removed. PNTA crews typically finish logging out the PNT in remote areas, like the Pasayten Wilderness, in late summer.
Contact Us
To speak with a PNTA representative, contact us at 360-854-9415 and we will return your call as soon as possible. You may also email us at info@pnt.org.
If you see smoke or flames along the Pacific Northwest Trail, please dial 911 or report the incident to a ranger as soon as possible.
Helpful Links
Looking to access a portion of the PNT or get to your favorite hike? Check with local authorities for any alerts, reports or closures.
Montana Department of Transportation – Website, Facebook and Twitter
Idaho Transportation Department – Website, Facebook and Twitter
Washington Department of Transportation – Website, Facebook and Twitter
US Forest Service Interactive Road Map – Website
Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest Road Conditions – Website
Colville National Forest Road Conditions – Website
Idaho Panhandle National Forest Road Conditions – Website
Okanogan Wenatchee National Forest Road Conditions – Website
Olympic National Forest Road Conditions – Website
For the most up to date information on fires, weather patterns and snow conditions in your area.
InciWeb – Website, Facebook and Twitter. Search by state or fire name to get the latest updates and fire reports.
Northwest Interagency Coordination Center – Website. Washington and Oregon fire updates and news, evacuation information and interactive maps.
Northern Rockies Coordination Center – Website. Idaho, Montana and North Dakota fire updates and news, evacuation information and interactive maps.
National Interagency Coordination Center – Website. National intelligence and predictive fire services.
Northwest Fires – Website and Twitter. Regional briefings, outlooks and fire updates.
AirNow – Website, Facebook and Twitter. Air Quality Index (AQI) measurements, smoke maps and fire conditions.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration – Website, Facebook and Twitter. For up to date weather and forecasts for your area.
Northwest Avalanche Center – Website, Facebook and Twitter. Mountain weather, snow conditions and avalanche warnings.
Montana and Idaho land management agency contacts.
Montana State Parks – Website, Facebook and Twitter
Glacier National Park – Website, Facebook and Twitter
Kootenai National Forest – Website and Twitter
Flathead National Forest – Website, Facebook and Twitter
Bureau of Land Management, Montana – Website, Facebook, Twitter and fire Twitter.
Idaho State Parks & Recreation – Website, Facebook and Twitter
Idaho Pan Handle National Forest – Website, Facebook and Twitter
Bureau of Land Management, Idaho – Website, Facebook, Twitter and fire Twitter
Western Washington land management agency contacts.
Washington Department of Natural Resources – Website, Facebook, Twitter and fire Twitter. Links to daily updates and preparedness information.
Washington State Parks – Website, Facebook and Twitter.
North Cascades National Park – Website, Facebook and Twitter
Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest – Website, Facebook and Twitter
Contact information for local sheriff and emergency offices. In the event of an emergency, call 911.
Montana
Montana State Official – Website and Twitter
Glacier – Website and Facebook
Flathead – Website and Facebook
Lincoln – Website and Facebook
Idaho
Idaho State Official – Website and Twitter
Boundary – Website and Facebook
Washington
Washington State Official – Website, Facebook and Twitter
Pend Orielle – Website
Stevens – Website
Okanogan – Website and Facebook
Whatcom – Website, Facebook and Twitter
Jefferson – Website