WASHINGTON — If you want to visit Mount Rainier National Park this spring and summer, yes, there is still a reservation system, but it’s not what you were used to last year.
Last year, the park tried out a pilot timed reservation system for the Paradise and Sunrise corridors. Guests needed to pay $2 for each reservation, which gave them certain times of entry to the park. You could stay as long as you wanted, but needed to arrive in the two hour time frame you reserved. The intent was to cut down on road and trail congestion by dispersing visitors throughout the day instead of all at once.
This year, you will still need a reservation, but only to the Sunrise Corridor.
The Sunrise road, at the White River Entrance, usually opens in late June or early July and closes in late September to early October.
The Paradise Corridor (accessed by the Nisqually and Stevens Canyon entrances) is open year-round--whether permitting-- and will NOT require a reservation for 2025. This is due to numerous construction projects
Sunrise Corridor timed entry reservations are required daily starting July 11 through Sept. 1, and then on weekends and holidays until the end of the season from 7 a.m. until 5 p.m.
Timed entry reservations do not replace the standard park entrance fee, which is $30 per vehicle. You can also get an America the Beautiful Pass, an annual $80 pass that is good at all national parks across the country.
A portion of timed entry reservations are released 60 days or approximately two months in advance in blocks, with all advanced reservations released by June 6, 2025. Advance reservations are available here.
- Advance reservation schedule:
- Friday, May 16 release at 8 a.m. for July 11 - July 31, 2025
- Friday, June 6 release at 8 a.m. for August 1 - September 1, 2025
- For weekends and holidays from Sept. 2 to the end of the season (typically mid-October), reservations will be available starting 7 p.m. the day before ONLY.
- No reservations required weekdays, Sept. 2-5, Sept. 8-12, Sept. 15-19, Sept. 22-26, Sept. 29-Oct. 3, Oct. 6-10.
- Reservations will be required for the Columbus Day holiday, Monday, Oct. 13. No reservations required Oct. 14-17, and other weekdays in October until the end of the season.
- Next-day timed entry reservations for the Sunrise Corridor will be available at 7:00 p.m. starting on July 10, 2025, through the end of the season on a daily rolling basis.
- Timed entry reservations can only be booked on Recreation.gov.
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