After heavy floods in 2006 washed out part of the Carbon River Road in Mt. Rainier National Park, the road has been closed to vehicle traffic. This was also the only road that provided access to the Ipsut Creek Campground. Since the floods the campground has only been accessible on foot or by bike. Last week, National Park Service officials were given the approval to turn the road into a trail for hikers and bikers. The Ipsut Creek Campground will also be converted for backcountry camping use.
Rather than continuously fight floods and frequent wash-outs, park officials will maintain the road as a trail. Since the road was built in the 1920s, debris have raised the bed of the Carbon River over 30 feet. At points, the river is higher than the level of the road. Parts of the road that are intact will remain, according to officials, since it is a historic part of the park. Where debris block the road, trails wide enough to accommodate both hikers and bikers will be created to provide access to the backcountry campground.
Of course, this also means that the park has lost an auto-accessible campground. NPS officials have plans to develop an additional auto-accessible campground in part of the recently expanded park land, far from the possibility of flooding. This new land was acquired with the help of the Trust for Public Land.
Improvements to the Carbon River Trail will be ongoing for the next few years, as funding becomes available.
I’ve been up that trail several times in the last two years. This decision is nothing new. It’s just a continuation of what has been unofficial policy for the last five years. I do think it’s a good idea. Fighting the flooding is too costly and it never hurts to have more trails.
This was a great move by the Park Service. The planning for the original road was flawed. If they were to restore that road again it would just be a matter of time before the river took it out again. It is a wonderful trail for hikers and bikes. Thanks for highlighting it.