National parks in Washington state, and the other NPS sites

Washington has three national parks: Mount Rainier, Olympic and North Cascades. The National Park Service (NPS) lists 17 places for the state in all, a count that includes historical parks, a historical reserve, historic sites, three trails, a recreation area and one museum it calls an affiliated area. The counter on the same NPS state page reads 15 (its figures are for the fiscal year that ended September 30, 2020), because it is "based on the number of official National Park Service units in the state," and the page does not say which two of the 17 it leaves out. All fees, hours and closures below are as of November 2026, read on the NPS pages on October 28 and rechecked on November 4.

Here is the part that belongs to Enumclaw. The NPS list gives Mount Rainier's location as "Ashford, Enumclaw, Packwood, Wilkeson, WA," which puts the town in the Park Service's own address line for the mountain. It is also one of only four places on the list that charge the Park Service's entrance fee. The other 13 charge nothing at that level, though a museum ticket, a state parking pass or a camping fee can still apply.

1. Mount Rainier National Park

The park is "open all year, 24 hours a day," by its hours page, but by car in winter only the Nisqually Entrance in the southwest corner is open to reach Longmire and Paradise. From Enumclaw that is about 62 road miles and a little under two hours without snow, by a public routing engine, because the state closes the passes on the Enumclaw side for the season. The NPS expects Chinook and Cayuse passes to close in mid to late November, weather permitting; the winter guide on this site has the route, the gate and the chain rule, and the which-pass guide covers the passes.

The NPS sets the fee: as of October 2026, $30 for a private vehicle, $25 for a motorcycle and $15 per person on foot or bicycle, each good for seven days, and the park takes cards only. Timed entry is not required; the park says it "will not implement a timed entry reservation for any portion of the park in 2026." The Longmire gate to Paradise has a typical schedule, but the park says it "may open late, close early, or remain closed for the day." Regular nightly closures of the gate began October 29 for the winter, and on November 4 an alert said it was closed for the night and projected to open at 9 a.m. the next day, conditions permitting. Wildfire closures on the north side were posted on October 19, with the Wonderland Trail closed from the Carbon River Suspension Bridge to Frozen Lake in that alert and to White River Campground in the notice block the page dated November 3, and White River and Sunrise roads are shut for the winter. The viewpoints guide lists places to see the mountain without entering the park.

2. Olympic National Park

The NPS list describes nearly a million acres and over 70 miles of coastline, in the Port Angeles area. The park says it is open 24 hours a day all year, though from October through May some roads, campgrounds and facilities close or run shorter hours, and visitor centers and Hurricane Ridge Road close on Thanksgiving and Christmas. The park's winter page, last updated in 2022, says Hurricane Ridge Road opens Friday through Sunday in winter, weather permitting; an alert posted October 27, updated with a November 4 heading, said the road was closed for icy conditions and would reopen when conditions permit.

As of October 2026 the entrance fees match Mount Rainier's: $30 per vehicle, $25 per motorcycle, $15 per person, seven days, no cash. A separate alert cautions that fall brings higher high tides on Rialto Beach, Ruby Beach and other coast areas. The Hoh Rain Forest winter guide covers the park's wettest corner.

3. North Cascades National Park

There is no entrance fee, as of October 2026; the NPS says the whole North Cascades National Park Service Complex is fee-free, though camping costs money. The complex holds the park and two recreation areas, Ross Lake and Lake Chelan, and the NPS list counts it once. It is open year-round with limited services outside the late May to late September season. The North Cascades Visitor Center at Newhalem was scheduled to be open through September 27, 2026, and the Skagit Information Center was scheduled to close for the season after November 1, 2026.

State Route 20, the North Cascades Highway, usually closes to snow and avalanche hazard in late November or early December, the NPS says, and reopens in April or early May; the state decides each year, and the closure dates guide has the history. Cascade River Road is closed to vehicles at milepost 21, and some services at Stehekin Landing are limited after December 2025 flood damage.

4. Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve

At Coupeville, it charges nothing. Three state parks inside it need a Discover Pass, which the NPS page gives as $10 a day or $30 a year, though the state's own Discover Pass site lists the annual pass at $45 as of November 2026. The Pratt Cottage visitor center is listed year-round, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; the Ebey House contact station is seasonal, Memorial Day to Labor Day.

5. Fort Vancouver National Historic Site

In Vancouver, Washington, the reconstructed fort costs $10 for ages 16 and up, valid seven days, while the visitor center and Pearson Air Museum are free. The NPS lists Tuesday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with closures on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day; the hours page dates from December 2024, so confirm them.

6. Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, Seattle Unit

It sits in the Cadillac Hotel in Pioneer Square, with no entrance fee. The NPS lists the visitor center open Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed on Christmas Day, and closed on Veterans Day, Wednesday, November 11, 2026, and on Thanksgiving. It has a sister park in Skagway, Alaska.

7. Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area

Lake Roosevelt, behind Grand Coulee Dam, has no entrance fee, but camping and boat launches do. The area is open around the clock, and the lake level can close launches in fall and winter. An alert posted October 19 says the Hawk Creek campground and boat launch area are closed to all public access from April 16 through November 14 for the Hawk Creek Road Improvements and Stabilization Project, the closure may be extended to spring 2027, and part of Fort Spokane campground stays closed after fire damage.

8. Lewis and Clark National Historical Park

The NPS puts it in Oregon and Washington, from Long Beach to Cannon Beach. The $10 adult fee, valid seven days, is collected at the Fort Clatsop Visitor Center in Oregon, and children 15 and under are free. Middle Village and Station Camp are listed open daylight hours year-round.

9. Manhattan Project National Historical Park

Hanford, near Richland, is one of three sites, with Los Alamos, New Mexico, and Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The Hanford Visitor Center is free and listed Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., closed Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to noon. An undated note on the NPS page says B Reactor access was suspended for construction; the Department of Energy runs those tours, so check with it.

10. Minidoka National Historic Site

The headquarters is in Jerome, Idaho. In Washington it is the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial, a short ferry ride from Seattle, which the NPS calls a non-fee park open daily from dawn to dusk.

11. Nez Perce National Historical Park

It is 38 sites across Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington, of which the NPS administers nine. There are no fees at any of them. The NPS text read does not say which are in Washington.

12. San Juan Island National Historical Park

This is the site of the 1859 crisis "ignited by the death of a pig." It charges no fee. The American Camp Visitor Center is open Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and closes for the season on November 12, 2026, reopening in March 2027; grounds at American Camp and English Camp stay open around the clock.

13. Whitman Mission National Historic Site

Near Walla Walla, it requires no entrance pass. Grounds and trails are open daily from sunrise to sunset. The visitor center is listed Tuesday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., closed Sunday, Monday and Thanksgiving, on a page last updated in 2023, so check the park before driving.

14. Wing Luke Museum

An affiliated area in Seattle's Chinatown-International District, it collects no NPS fee, but museum tickets are required: the NPS page lists adults at $24.95, while the museum's own site lists $25.95 as of November 2026 and names Veterans Day among its closed days. Hours are listed Wednesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; check wingluke.org.

15. Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail

This is a route, not a place: it crosses Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana, with hours and fees set by each site. The NPS says unstaffed sites are usually open dawn to dusk and suggests calling ahead. Its office is in Coulee Dam.

16. Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail

About 4,900 miles through 16 states, with more than 100 sites run by various agencies that set their own fees and hours. Washington is one of the states.

17. Oregon National Historic Trail

Also a route, with hours varying by site, and no NPS fee. The NPS lists Washington among its states.

Do you need a pass for national parks in Washington state?

Only at the four fee sites, and the NPS decides each one's price. The America the Beautiful pass covers entrance fees and standard day-use fees at NPS, Forest Service and other federal sites. As of October 2026 the page lists it at $80 a year for U.S. residents, $20 for seniors and free for current military, 4th graders and people with permanent disabilities. A Discover Pass is a state pass and does not cover Mount Rainier.

November 11, 2026, Veterans Day, is a fee-free day at NPS sites that charge, for U.S. citizens and residents. Mount St. Helens and Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge are not on the NPS list; the Mount St. Helens winter guide covers a Forest Service monument.

Before you go

Fees, closures and gate schedules change faster than a guide can. On the day, read the alerts on the park's NPS page, the Longmire gate status for Rainier, and WSDOT for SR 410, SR 123 and SR 20. Check the Fort Vancouver, Klondike Gold Rush and Whitman Mission hours pages on the day, since the Whitman page was last updated in 2023.