Mount Rainier National Park Seeks Input on Nisqually Corridor Amid Exploding Visitor Numbers

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An increasing year-by-year crush of visitors to Mount Rainier National Park has prompted park officials to seek public comment to help develop a plan to address the issue. The transportation and visitor-use plan will specifically address the Nisqually (Ashford entrance) to Paradise travel route.

“This plan is important to help us prepare for a future in which we continue to provide high-quality visitor experiences” said Park Superintendent Chip Jenkins. “Mount Rainier has experienced increasing visitation over the past decade. This summer, public lands across Washington state are also experiencing increasing numbers of visitors. We cannot afford to delay our efforts to address sustainable recreation.”

According to National Park Service officials, Mount Rainier visitation has increased 30 percent from 2008 to 2018, with 70 percent of the more than one million visitors enjoying the park on sunny weekend days between July and September. 

The crowding situation is exacerbated, moreover, officials said, because most visitor use is concentrated in a relatively small number of popular destinations such as the Paradise area,  and in overlooks and trails including Carter, Comet, Christine and Narada Falls.

The National Park Service hopes to implement a plan that will improve access to public lands while protecting significant natural and cultural resources and stresses that public engagement is crucial to the success of the effort.  



Public comments will be accepted between Aug. 10 and Oct. 5. Individuals may share their thoughts at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/nisquallycorridor. Participants will be prompted to describe the experiences they would like to see future generations enjoy at Mount Rainier, what issues most interfere with their preferred experiences, and what strategies the planning team should consider. 

The park will hold a virtual public meeting from 6-7 p.m., Sept. 1,  for people interested in learning more about the project.

For additional information about the planning effort, virtual public meeting, and next steps, please visit http://parkplanning.nps.gov/NisquallyCorridor.