Flooding closes Mount Rainier National Park

Mount Rainier National Park has closed because of flooding. Heavy rain caused a creek to flow over Nisqually Road, the main road in the southwest corner of the park.

Park Superintendent Dave Uberuaga announced the closure this morning after Kautz Creek overflowed, covering the road with more than six inches of water and making travel unsafe.

The park is closed at the Nisqually entrance (roads on the east and northwest sides of the park already are closed for the winter season), meaning there is no access to the popular Paradise visitor area on the mountain's south side or the National Park Inn at Longmire. The park is anticipating continued heavy rain today with a snow level of 9,000 feet.

Mount Rainier National Park suffered extensive flooding in November 2006, including at Kautz Creek. "We hope this current flooding will not damage the road and we will be able to reopen as soon as the rain tapers off and the water level drops," said Uberuaga.

For Mount Rainier information, see www.nps.gov/mora or phone 360-569-2211.