You could soon need a reservation for Mount Rainier

• Feedback the park received from the public a few years ago was focused on complaints related to traffic congestion, parking shortages and crowding.
• Park superintendent Greg Dudgeon said in a written statement those concerns are, "exactly what we are hoping to address with a timed-entry reservation system."

By the numbers: Visits to Mount Rainier have been going up every year, according to the park, climbing from 1.1 million visits per year to above 1.7 million visits from 2008 to 2021.

• Seventy percent of those visits occur between July and September and many of them are concentrated at a small number of destinations, including the Paradise and Sunrise areas.
• Wait times of more than an hour to enter the park through the Nisqually and White River entrances are common, causing congestion both inside and outside of the park.

Details: In addition to timed-entry reservations, the park is also considering using parking permit systems, alternative transportation options and improved signage.

What's next: A final decision on the draft plan will be made later this year, with potential implementation of the plan proposed in summer 2024, NPS said.

• Public feedback can be submitted online here through June 11, 2023.
• The park service will also host a public virtual meeting May 3 from 4-5:30pm to learn about the proposed plan. Register to participate here.