Is the North Cascades Highway open right now?

Only WSDOT can say. SR-20 closes every winter between the avalanche gates, and WSDOT sets the closing and reopening dates each year based on snow and avalanche danger. The official WSDOT North Cascades Highway page has today's current status: open, closed, or chains required.

Is there a camera at Washington Pass or Rainy Pass?

No. The published WSDOT camera inventory has no still at Washington Pass or Rainy Pass. The nearest stills are on the east side, at Winthrop and Loup Loup — do not treat them as the summit.

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Is the North Cascades Highway open?

Q: When does the North Cascades Highway open and close for the season?

There is no fixed date. WSDOT usually closes SR-20 in late fall and reopens it in spring, but the exact dates change every year with the snowpack and avalanche danger. The WSDOT page announces both.

Q: What is the detour when SR-20 is closed?

Cross the Cascades on US-2 over Stevens Pass or I-90 over Snoqualmie Pass instead, then come north on the east side. Check both camera sets and the posted WSDOT rules before you pick.

Updated August 19, 2026 · Pictures refresh every few minutes

Only WSDOT can say — and SR-20 closes every winter. The official WSDOT North Cascades Highway page has today's status and the seasonal gate dates. That page remains the final authority.

Then look at the east-side cameras below — knowing they are not the summit.

When does it open and close for the season?

There is no fixed date. WSDOT usually closes SR-20 between the avalanche gates in late fall and reopens it in spring, but the exact dates change every year with the snowpack and avalanche danger. The WSDOT page announces both the closure and the reopening — do not plan a Washington Pass drive off last year's dates.

Which cameras can I actually check?

Honest answer: there is no camera at Washington Pass or Rainy Pass — WSDOT publishes none anywhere on the high stretch. The National Park Service runs one at Newhalem, on the west approach, and the nearest road stills are on the east side at Winthrop and Loup Loup. None of them shows the summit.

The National Park Service camera at Newhalem on SR-20, looking northwest at the Picket Range — Newhalem, on the west approach. An air-quality camera looking northwest at the Picket Range — useful for smoke and cloud, not for the road.

SR-20 at Winthrop in the Methow Valley — not Washington Pass — Winthrop, east of the pass. Open all SR-20 cameras.

SR-20 at Loup Loup, east of the Methow Valley — not Washington Pass — Loup Loup, farther east — also not the summit.

Official National Park Service and WSDOT stills. Check the time printed on the picture. Snow in Winthrop does not tell you what Washington Pass looks like — and clear skies in Winthrop do not either.

Why can the highway be closed on a sunny day?

The winter closure is about avalanche danger on the slopes above the road, not the weather at the moment you look. WSDOT also closes SR-20 mid-season for slides, rock fall, and fires. A blue-sky picture in the valley does not reopen a gated highway. The posted status always wins.

What is the detour when SR-20 is closed?

Cross on US-2 over Stevens Pass or I-90 over Snoqualmie Pass, then come north on the east side. Compare Stevens and SR-20 before you pick.

Check again before you leave

The SR-20 traffic desk keeps the WSDOT status link and the east-side cameras in one place.

Sources

WSDOT North Cascades Highway report — the posted status and seasonal dates.
WSDOT mountain passes — every Washington pass.