US 2 is fully closed in both directions through Tumwater Canyon near Leavenworth while Washington crews replace temporary pavement and guardrail installed after historic flooding. The continuous closure is scheduled to remain in place through the evening of Thursday, July 16, before the route shifts back to controlled single lane travel.
The closure changes the most direct approach between Stevens Pass and Leavenworth, but it does not close the destination itself. Passenger vehicles can use Chumstick Highway, while heavier vehicles that exceed the detour’s weight limit need a different route, generally using Interstate 90.
Travelers arriving for lodging, hiking, rafting, dining or a weekend stay should decide on the route before reaching the closure points. The narrow detour, a longer heavy vehicle alternative and more daytime controls later in July can all add time beyond the normal drive.
- Full closure: US 2 is closed in both directions from milepost 95 to 99 through the evening of July 16, 2026.
- Eastbound detour: Traffic leaves US 2 at milepost 85 for State Route 207 and Chumstick Highway.
- Westbound detour: Traffic leaves near milepost 100 and uses Chumstick Highway.
- Vehicle limit: Chumstick Highway does not allow vehicles heavier than 26,000 pounds gross vehicle weight.
- After reopening: Single lane closures, flaggers and pilot cars return July 17 and continue on workdays through the end of the month.
- Weather risk: The repair schedule requires dry conditions and may change if rain returns.
The full closure sits west of Leavenworth
The Washington State Department of Transportation notice places the continuous closure between mileposts 95 and 99. Work extends more broadly from milepost 85 to 99, so drivers may encounter slowdowns and traffic control outside the four mile closed segment.
The agency scheduled the full closure from Monday, July 13, through Thursday, July 16, with the road expected to reopen Thursday evening. Leavenworth’s visitor emergency page gives a more specific working window of 6 in the morning July 13 to approximately 6 in the evening July 16, while advising travelers to check current road information before departure.
That distinction matters late Thursday. A planned evening reopening is not a promise that the road will be available at an exact minute, especially because WSDOT says dry weather is required and dates can move if conditions change.
Chumstick Highway is the passenger vehicle detour
Eastbound drivers are directed off US 2 at milepost 85, then onto State Route 207 and Chumstick Highway. Westbound drivers leave near milepost 100 and use Chumstick Highway to travel around the closed Tumwater Canyon segment.
The detour keeps ordinary passenger traffic moving to and from Leavenworth, but it is not equivalent to an open US 2. Drivers should allow more time, follow temporary signs and avoid relying on an older saved route that still assumes the canyon segment is available.
Travelers towing a large trailer or driving a heavy recreational vehicle should verify the actual gross vehicle weight before choosing Chumstick Highway. WSDOT says the detour does not allow traffic heavier than 26,000 pounds gross vehicle weight, and directs freight and other heavy vehicles toward an alternate route such as Interstate 90.
A vehicle below the limit still needs a conservative plan for a local detour carrying displaced highway traffic. Leave extra following distance, expect queues near junctions and do not stop on the route to reprogram navigation unless there is a safe place outside the travel lane.
Leavenworth remains open during the repair
The highway notice does not announce a closure of Leavenworth, its hotels or its visitor businesses. It changes access from the west and affects how travelers reach reservations, trailheads and activities that depend on the US 2 corridor.
Travelers who continue with a trip can rebuild the destination portion separately from the drive. Deep Arrival’s Things to Do in Leavenworth guide can help compare activities once the arrival route is settled, while each business and land manager remains the authority for current hours and access.
Contact a lodging property or tour operator if a delayed arrival could affect check in, a rafting departure, a shuttle or another timed reservation. The most useful question is whether the operator can hold the booking or move the start time if traffic on the detour runs longer than expected.
Independent reporting from KIRO 7 Seattle also described the four day closure as part of permanent repairs to storm damage. That confirmation is useful because it separates the current construction schedule from older emergency closures that appeared during the winter flood response.
Traffic controls continue after July 16
Reopening the highway does not end the project. WSDOT plans single lane closures, flagging and pilot cars from 7 in the morning to 7 in the evening on Friday, July 17, followed by similar Monday through Thursday work the next week and through the end of July.
A traveler leaving Friday morning may therefore face a different situation from someone arriving Thursday night. The full detour may be gone, but a pilot car operation can still create waits that affect a meal booking, tour start or mountain activity with a fixed check in.
Build a fresh route check into both the outbound and return plan. WSDOT’s real time map and WSDOT East notices should settle the current operating status, while the original news release remains the schedule baseline rather than a live traffic display.
The work follows the December flood emergency
Historic storms in December 2025 damaged the US 2 corridor near Leavenworth and eroded part of the roadway. Crews first made temporary repairs so the route could reopen to normal two way traffic on February 10, more than a month earlier than the initial emergency schedule.
The July project replaces that temporary work with permanent repairs during warmer and drier conditions. WSDOT says the broader work includes pavement and guardrail activity, which explains why the traffic plan continues after the continuous closure ends.
The repair history also explains why older search results can be misleading. Winter notices, February reopening coverage and the current July closure describe different phases of the same damaged corridor, so travelers should check the date and current status before acting on any result.
Choose the route by vehicle and timing
Most passenger vehicles traveling during the full closure can follow the signed Chumstick Highway detour. A heavy recreational vehicle, commercial coach or other vehicle above the posted weight threshold needs the longer alternative rather than attempting the local route.
Travelers with flexible dates can also compare the value of arriving after the full closure against the likelihood of daytime single lane delays. Waiting until July 17 removes the planned continuous closure, but it does not restore unrestricted travel for the rest of the month.
Anyone crossing the area close to Thursday’s planned reopening should check before committing to US 2. If the closure remains in place because work or weather changed, continuing toward the barricade can waste time that could have been avoided by choosing the detour earlier.
| Travel situation | Best planning move | Critical check |
|---|---|---|
| Passenger vehicle through July 16 | Follow the signed Chumstick Highway detour | Current closure status and junction traffic |
| Vehicle above 26,000 pounds | Use a suitable alternate route such as Interstate 90 | Actual gross vehicle weight and route restrictions |
| Timed Leavenworth reservation | Leave extra time and notify the operator of delay risk | Detour travel time and latest check in policy |
| Travel on July 17 | Expect pilot car and flagger delays after reopening | Daytime work window and real time map |
| Late July trip | Keep checking weekday traffic controls | Whether weather changed the repair schedule |
- For west side arrivals: The direct US 2 approach through Tumwater Canyon is unavailable until the planned Thursday evening reopening.
- For passenger vehicles: Chumstick Highway provides the signed detour, but additional time and local traffic are likely.
- For heavy vehicles: The 26,000 pound limit makes Interstate 90 or another suitable route the safer choice.
- For Friday travel: Reopening changes the problem from a full closure to daytime single lane controls.
- For later July trips: Flaggers and pilot cars remain part of the schedule, and dry weather still controls timing.
When will US 2 near Leavenworth reopen?
WSDOT expects the fully closed Tumwater Canyon segment to reopen on the evening of Thursday, July 16, 2026. Travelers should verify the live status because the schedule requires dry weather.
What is the detour around the US 2 closure?
Passenger traffic uses State Route 207 and Chumstick Highway, with eastbound traffic leaving US 2 at milepost 85 and westbound traffic leaving near milepost 100.
Can recreational vehicles use Chumstick Highway?
Only if the vehicle is within the route’s limit. WSDOT says vehicles heavier than 26,000 pounds gross vehicle weight cannot use Chumstick Highway and should choose a suitable alternate route.
Is Leavenworth closed during the highway work?
No destination closure is announced. The disruption affects access through Tumwater Canyon, so travelers should confirm their route and contact timed reservations if delays are likely.
Will US 2 be clear after July 16?
Not completely. Daytime single lane closures, flaggers and pilot cars are scheduled from July 17 and on workdays through the end of July.
