Big Changes Proposed for Mount Rainier National Park

Note: The comment period for the draft visitor use management plan is now closed. Learn more about The Mountaineers concerns with the plan in this blog. We'll continue to update our community as this process develops. Thank you for your interest and engagement in this important issue.

In response to increased visitation during the peak summer season, Mount Rainier National Park recently proposed significant changes to how people access the park. The Nisqually to Paradise Corridor Draft Management Plan proposes to implement a timed-entry reservation system for popular areas of the park. This proposal could dramatically change how Mountaineers programs and members access places like Paradise and Sunrise.

Mount Rainier National Park has been developing this plan for the last three years and have previously sought public feedback on how to address congestion and protect natural resources. The Mountaineers submitted comment letters in 2020 and 2021 and shared updates on this process with our community. Now that the park has shared specific proposals, it’s important to learn more about the draft plan and share your feedback.

Key Issues and Goals

Like many national parks and public lands, Mount Rainier grows in popularity each year. From 2008 to 2021, annual visitation rose from 1.1 million visits per year to more than 1.7 million visits. The management plan seeks to address a number of current issues, including roadway and parking lot congestion, facility overuse on busy summer days, protecting alpine meadows and other natural resources, and enhancing the quality of the visitor experience.

The stated goal of the plan is to provide high quality visitor experiences while protecting park resources and values. The Park believes that limiting the number of people who can visit popular areas each day will provide for a better visitor experience and increased protection for natural and cultural resources.

Map of the Nisqually to Paradise Corridor. Courtesy of the National Park Service.

Proposed Strategies

The draft plan includes three action alternatives (options) that would proactively manage and pace the entry of vehicles into key areas of the park like Paradise and Sunrise. All three alternatives include some variation of a timed-entry reservation season from approximately July 1 to Labor Day. These proposals intend to target the times of the year and locations that experience the most visitation.

The draft plan proposes four alternatives, including a no-action alternative:

Alternative 1: No-Action Alternative

• Current management would continue, with visitors continuing to spontaneously access destinations in the park.

Alternative 2: Corridor-Level Access Management (NPS Preferred Alternative)

• The Park would establish a reservation system for the Nisqually, Stevens Canyon, and White River entrances. Access to all destinations beyond those entrances would require a reservation.

Alternative 3: Site-Level Access Management with Cougar Rock to Paradise Shuttle

• The Park would establish a reservation system for visitors to access Paradise and provide a within-park shuttle system from Cougar Rock picnic area to Paradise. Visitors without a Paradise parking reservation could have the option of parking at Cougar Rock and taking the shuttle. The shuttle would be initially first come, first serve, but it could require a reservation if demand exceeds supply.
• A reservation system would be implemented at the White River entrance.

Alternative 4: Site-Level Access Management

• The Park would establish a reservation system for visitors to access Paradise parking lots and the White River entrance.

Common to Alternatives 2-4:

• During initial implementation, the timed-entry system would be active during the peak season (July 1-Labor Day) from 7am-5pm. A percentage of reservations would be available for long-term purchase as well as short term-purchase. Visitors with a reservation (e.g. wilderness or climbing permit, lodge, campground, or inn reservations) would not need a separate park entrance reservation.
• Winter day use access would be expanded at Cougar Rock by opening the road from Longmire to Cougar Rock during some days when it is not possible to open the road to Paradise.
• Various improvements to signage and wayfinding, scenic vistas, accessibility, trails, trailheads, picnic areas, parking areas.

Table showing the similarities between the proposed management alternatives.

We are working to learn more about the effects of this proposal on Mountaineers programs and to analyze its impacts on outdoor recreation and natural resources. We plan to submit a comment letter detailing our organization's perspectives on the draft plan and proposed alternatives. Please reach out to our conservation team to share your input.

We strongly encourage Mountaineers to review the draft plan and share your feedback. You can submit your comments directly to the park through June 26. Like all public lands, Mount Rainier National Park is your park, so please speak up!

The Park will review all submitted comments this summer and make a final decision later this year. Any changes would begin to be implemented in 2024.

Submit Comments

For more on The Mountaineers  concerns with the draft visitor use management plan, check out this blog .