Paradise Snowplay Sledding Area

The Paradise Snowplay Area is the only area in the entire national park where sledding is permitted. As such, every year the park puts a lot of energy into creating and maintaining one of the most fun and dynamic sledding spots anywhere. During the peak of winter the sledding hill draws quite a crowd, but with numerous bumpered chutes, nobody waits for too long.

The area is typically open late December to mid-March, as a minimum of 5 feet of snow are required in order to protect the fragile meadow below.

Note: For safety, hard (non-flexible) toboggans or runner sleds are not permitted.

Winter Access

The Paradise Snowplay Sledding Area is only open weekends and holidays.

Highway 706/Paradise Road up to Paradise is the only maintained and plowed road into Mount Rainier National Park with the exception of adventures that depart from Chinook Pass. Paradise Inn is closed in the winter, but the Jackson Visitor Center (Paradise) is open and staffed on weekends and holidays from mid-October through May. The National Park Inn in Longmire is open year-round.

The gate at Longmire, which allows vehicles up to Paradise, is only open from 9 A.M. to 5 P.M., and it is highly recommended that all vehicles start their return to Longview no later than 4:30 P.M. The gate is only open Thursday through Monday from November 12 through December 21, and the gate opens daily starting December 22.