Follow Major Changes Proposed for Visiting Mount Rainier
Mount Rainier National Park has released a draft plan proposing significant changes to how people visit popular areas of Mount Rainier National Park. Sign up with WTA to stay up to date and share your feedback.
Mount Rainier National Park has released a draft plan, the Nisqually to Paradise Draft Corridor Management Plan and Environmental Assessment, proposing significant changes to how people visit popular areas of Mount Rainier National Park. The new assessment outlines various management options.
The plan states that limiting the number of people who can visit certain areas each day is needed “to provide high-quality opportunities for visitors to safely use, experience, and enjoy the park and to develop strategies to concurrently protect natural and cultural resources”. Mount Rainier’s planning team has identified their preferred option: creating a reservation system for private vehicles entering the park.
The proposed system would limit the number of private vehicles that can pass through the Nisqually and Stevens Canyon entrances towards Paradise and the White River entrance towards Sunrise from approximately July 1 to Labor Day.
No changes would be implemented in 2023.
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WTA is working to provide detailed input to Mount Rainier National Park about impacts we see to hikers and equity in outdoor access. We have concerns that a timed-entry reservation system would disproportionately impact certain communities and would limit opportunities for spontaneous outdoor experiences. At other parks, we have seen quota-based systems reduce hiking opportunities and create new barriers to people getting outside.
- Sign up for alerts from WTA’s Trail Action Network, and we’ll update you on these proposed changes and how you can share your input to shape future access at Mount Rainier. You’ll be the first to know about this and other policy issues that affect hikers like you.
Comments
mcblaine on Follow Major Changes Proposed for Visiting Mount Rainier
I oppose the quota system for Rainier. As a practical matter, too many who would like to see it would lose the opportunity. People can get a ton out of the Paradise options even with crowds -- nonhikers can just drive up and walk a ways to view something magnificent. (I am a hiker, but Rainier should be for everyone.) Paradise is set up to handle crowds. Restricting access to Paradise would not only reduce joy and appreciation; it would add to the anger and cynicism many feel about governmental regulation, in a time when we are so divided. I support wise governmental regulation (e.g. permits for camping in the Enchantments)-- but permitting day access to Paradise would not be that.
Posted by:
mcblaine on May 16, 2023 06:19 PM