MileCheckAre chains required to drive to Mt Hood today?
Only when the sign or TripCheck says so. Oregon posts chain requirements by sign in snow zones and has no fixed dates.
Chains and traction right now
No current restriction reading. The ODOT feed has no restriction line for US 26 at Mt Hood within 19 mi right now.
Read from the ODOT feed on Nov 1, 1:41 PM PT. The line changes through the day. Read it again on the ODOT page, and go by the sign on the road: ODOT page.
How Oregon posts it
Oregon posts chain requirements by sign in snow zones. There are no fixed dates. TripCheck lists the current requirement by highway, for passenger vehicles and for trucks. The sign on the road is the rule that applies. The route to the mountain runs on US 26 through Government Camp, and OR 35 over Bennett Pass reaches Mt Hood Meadows.
The levels
- Chains required on vehicles towing or over 10,000 GVW. Vehicles over 10,000 lb GVW and vehicles towing must use chains. Trailers must also be chained when required.
- Chains required on vehicles towing or single drive axles over 10,000 GVW. Vehicles over 10,000 lb GVW with a single drive axle must use chains. Tandem-drive-axle vehicles are not covered by this specific restriction. Other posted requirements may apply.
What passenger vehicles need
Under ordinary Oregon chain restrictions, vehicles rated 10,000 pounds or less that are not towing can generally use approved traction tires instead of chains. Some four-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive vehicles qualify for an exemption if they meet Oregon’s conditions. A conditional closure can require chains on more vehicles. Follow the current posted restriction.
Carrying chains and the fines
Vehicles over 10,000 lb GVW must carry chains whenever road conditions might require their use, or when Snow Zone signs are posted. Not using required chains or traction tires is a Class C traffic violation with a presumptive fine of $165. For vehicles registered under ORS chapter 826, mostly commercial trucks, it is a specific-fine violation with an $880 presumptive fine. Not carrying required chains is a separate Class C violation.
Sources: ODOT winter commercial vehicles, TripCheck chain requirements, ORS 815.140 and 153.019. Official pages read October 15, 2026.
Fines and rules change, and the official page is the record.
Questions
Are chains required to drive to Mt Hood right now?
Read the sign on US 26 or OR 35 and the TripCheck requirement for your highway. The live line at the top of this page shows what the ODOT feed has, when it has anything.
What is the fine for ignoring a chain rule in Oregon?
Not using required chains or traction tires is a Class C traffic violation with a presumptive fine of $165. Commercial trucks registered under ORS chapter 826 face a presumptive fine of $880.