Do I need chains for Snoqualmie Pass?

Only the official WSDOT Snoqualmie page can say, and the wording changes day to day. Washington sometimes lets AWD and 4WD skip putting chains on while still requiring them to be carried. Read the official wording for that day.

Does AWD or 4WD mean I can skip chains?

Not automatically. Washington often lets AWD and 4WD drive without mounting chains but still requires carrying them. Oregon can require chains on all vehicles, including AWD. The official page for that pass, that day, is the answer.

Do I need chains on a trailer?

Towing and trailer requirements are part of the chain requirement, and they differ by state and vehicle weight. Read the WSDOT, TripCheck, or Idaho 511 wording for that pass, that day.

The camera looks clear — do I still need chains?

Yes, if it is posted. A clear, wet-looking photo does not cancel a chain requirement. The valley can look wet when the summit is ice.

511now / Answers / Do I need chains?

Do I need chains?

Updated August 19, 2026 · Pictures refresh every few minutes

Your state's official pass page is the definitive source. Washington posts it on WSDOT mountain passes, Oregon on TripCheck / Oregon 511, Idaho on Idaho 511.

We show the cameras so you can see the road. We never guess chain levels from a picture — and a clear picture does not cancel a chain requirement.

Washington: Snoqualmie, Stevens, White, Blewett

WSDOT posts the requirement per pass, and the wording changes day to day. Washington sometimes lets AWD and 4WD (all-wheel drive and four-wheel drive) skip putting chains on while still requiring them to be carried. Read the exact wording for that day, then walk the Snoqualmie cameras west to east.

Oregon: Government Camp, Siskiyou, Santiam

Oregon can require chains on all vehicles, including AWD, and can hold traffic until you chain up. The common asks are US-26 at Government Camp for Timberline and Mt. Hood Meadows, I-5 over Siskiyou, and OR-22 / US-20 over Santiam. Check TripCheck, then the Hood cameras.

See the passes right now

I-90 at Summit West on Snoqualmie Pass — Snoqualmie summit right now. All Snoqualmie cameras.

US-26 at Government Camp below Mount Hood — US-26 at Government Camp. All Hood cameras.

Official stills. The picture shows the road; the state page says if it is open.

Idaho: Lookout Pass on I-90

Lookout Pass is the common ask for people crossing from Spokane toward Montana. Idaho 511 is the definitive source; we show the Lookout Pass cameras.

AWD, 4WD, and trailers

AWD / 4WD: not an automatic pass. Washington often lets you drive unchained but still requires carrying chains. Oregon can require chains on everyone.
Trailers and towing: the trailer is part of the requirement, and it differs by state and by weight. Read the official wording for that pass, that day.
Fines: ignoring a chain requirement can mean a ticket and being turned around — and a blocked pass for everyone behind you.

Why the picture is not the answer

The valley can look wet when the summit is ice. Night glare can look like snow. A picture from two hours ago can be wrong. The pictures help you plan; the official page is the law that day.

Sources

WSDOT mountain passes — Washington rules.
Oregon 511 / TripCheck — Oregon rules.
Idaho 511 — Idaho rules.