Seattle—Mount Rainier National Park is seeking public feedback on a draft plan to implement a timed-entry reservation system during peak visitation hours in the summer.
Visitation rises each year at Mount Rainier National Park, according to the National Park Service. From 2008 to 2021, annual visitation rose from 1.1 million visits per year to above 1.7 million visits.
In the summer, the park experiences “extremely concentrated use,” with approximately 70 percent of visits occurring between July and September. Much of this use is concentrated in a relatively small number of popular destinations, including the Paradise and Sunrise areas, NPS said.
On busy days, visitors experience wait times of more than an hour to enter the park through the Nisqually and White River entrances, causing congestion both inside and outside of the park.
The draft Nisqually to Paradise corridor management plan will address visitor experience, congestion, and resource issues, NPS said. The plan includes three potential strategies to proactively manage and pace the entry of vehicles into key areas of the park, including Paradise and Sunrise.
The park’s preferred plan would implement a timed-entry reservation system during peak times at the park’s Nisqually, Stevens Canyon, and White River entrances.
The park is also considering using parking permit systems; alternative transportation options; development of trails; and improved wayfinding, signage, and roadside scenic vista management, NPS said.
Roadway congestion also occurs at popular trailheads within the park, which leads to parking in undesignated areas and pedestrian safety concerns due to limited roadway visibility.
The park received feedback from the public in 2020 and 2021, with the majority of comments related to traffic congestion, parking shortages and crowding—“and that is exactly what we are hoping to address with a timed-entry reservation system,” NPS superintendent Greg Dudgeon said in a news release.
A final decision on the draft plan will be made in 2023, with potential implementation of the plan proposed in summer 2024, NPS said.
Public feedback on the plan can be submitted online at st.news/parkplanning through June 11, 2023. All comments, including personal identifying information, may be made publicly available at any time, NPS said.
The park service will host a public virtual meeting on May 3 from 4-5:30 p.m. to learn about the proposed plan. NPS staff will answer questions and share information about how to provide comments. To register for this meeting, visit forms.office.com/g/8zkB138MNf
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