[Slow Hiker]

1

[Ski]

They did several surveys on the parking situation up there at Paradise years ago, and the bottom line is essentially: There's only a parking problem up there maybe 5 or 6 days out of an entire season. If you head up on a sunny summer weekend, expect to be part of a massive horde of "windshield tourists" who only visit the Park on sunny summer weekends. Any other time, odds are you'll find plenty of parking. Were it the case that there was a genuine problem up there every day, or even for many days in any given season, the previous proposal ( now apparently abandoned and forgotten ) to shuttle everyone in from a central parking lot at Ashford might have actually gathered a head of steam. When the user surveys were released and people got to look at the actual numbers ( again: 5 or 6 days out of a year ), the shuttle proposal was nipped in the bud. As an aside: Hikers are second-class citizens. They are the smallest user constituency in National Parks, and they contribute the least amount of revenue into the Parks and gateway communities. Those putative "fat cats" are the ones contributing the lion's share of revenue generated from NPS visitation.

[Slow Hiker]

[Hikingqueen]

Sorry slow hiker, I totally relate and that sucks! Did you hike today? I saw the same thing when I was there cars all the way down paradise road and that was weeks ago. There was no parking at Longmire either.. I think it's more than 5-6 days a year.

[the Zachster]

Along the same ranting lines from when I was down there 2 weeks ago...as I was leaving the Park I needed to make a phone call (no cell service til Eatonville) and use the bathroom. So I drove around and around Longmire until I was convinced that I would never find a parking place. Then I decided, OK, I'll use the toilet facility at Kautz Creek. SO I got down there only to find 500 freakin motorcyclists lined up at the bathroom. So, yes, parking is an issue! This is the first time in 23 years that I ever had so much trouble with parking issues. (And the only reason we got to park at Paradise was because we were volunteering at a work party). The thought of walking the road before and after a long day of hiking is a major I wonder if there is a way to provide feedback to the Park staff via email since I won't be back there for awhile...

[Ski]

Yes, on their one short visit a year. They're the ones who pay the full fare at the gate, buy the souvenirs and ice cream cones at the visitor centers, and stop for coffee and pie at Copper Creek Inn or buy burgers in Elbe. Hikers buy annual passes, pack their own lunches, and just use the restrooms. Broad stereotypical generalizations, but nonetheless essentially what is actually happening on the ground. The shuttle proposal was one of the options in the Park's Draft General Management Plan in 1997. The numbers I cited above ( 5-6 days a year ) were from long-term surveys done prior to that. Granted, with our unusually dry summer this season, MRNP is probably seeing an increase in visitation as of late, but the trend during the last several years has been an overall decrease in annual visitation numbers. I'll be the first to concede there is a shortage of available parking on nice summer weekend days. I'll also be the first to argue there is no problem if the weather is even a little bit crappy: I sat in the parking lot at Paradise an entire day with a clipboard and stopwatch and timed "length of stay" time for people entering and leaving the parking lot ( September, 1997 - midweek/overcast and cool ) and the average length of stay was less than 20 minutes. Just for the sake of discussion, what would you propose as a solution? Parking spaces by lottery? Parking outside the Park boundary ( down at Ashford ) and riding a shuttle in and out of the Park? Limiting parking time at Paradise? The options are limited, and adding additional parking lot space in a National Park isn't likely to happen. I'm sure the main switchboard can give you some email addresses to send comments to. 360-569-2211

[Hikingqueen]

[Gabigabs]

We arrived shortly after 9:00 a.m. and found a spot just little bit down on Paradise Valley road. The line got way longer later on but I think on a beautiful sunny day when the wildflowers are in full display, this is to be expected. The added half mile or so between our parking spot and trailhead did not really bother me. Many times road closures due to wash our, etc. add many more miles to a trip than that.

[bobbi]

i was at paradise last tuesday arriving about 9:30am. lots of parking...2 huge RMI buses at their load/unload area. there were other mini vans loaded with students, etc. there is shuttle service from cougar campground...i think there's a schedule posted at the load/unload area by the visitor area. the hassle with that is if you have a cooler for your picnic. i also spent $$ at the gift store... maybe the property the housed the old visitor center will be a new parking lot.

[Hikingqueen]

[Ski]

No, I wasn't working for the Park. I did it on my own because I was skeptical of the numbers the Park had provided regarding parking issues up there and wanted to see for myself. Sure, hikers do drop a little money here and there, but it's an insignificant amount in the big picture. The big money ( into both Parks and gateway businesses ) is from the overnight visitors ( primarily motel/hotel room rentals. ) ( source: Economic Impacts of Visitors to Mt. Rainier National Park ( Jan. 2002 ) ) Note bcfc53's comment above. Last Tuesday it was 97° f here in Tacoma, and there was "lots of parking" up there. Again, the problem generally only exists on sunny summer weekend days.

[lifted74]

I have to agree w/ the OP. The manner in which the parking situation is being handled is really ridiculous. I was there today as well and was greeted by the ranger at about 9:30 am. As she directed me down the already packed road past Paradise, (even though there definitely were some empty spaces) I can see people in the 2 hour lot unloading who are obviously climbing w/ full packs, ice axe, pickets etc. After I parked and walked back up toward the TH, I see that the ranger has left her post and cars are entering w/out any interrogation, circling the parking lot and parking wherever available. 15 minutes up the trail I looked back and see her back directing people back down the road. Where you end up seems based on pure luck. There doesn't appear to be any consistency or genuine attempt to enforce the rules. My opinion is that the parking should be first come, first serve, like basically everything else in life. I've paid the same entrance fee and it's absurd to make my parking arrangements dependent on what my plans are for the afternoon. I understand specific overnight parking, but otherwise it seems incredibly unfair and illogical. If you've made the commitment to be there before the masses, and paid your entrance fee, therefore you should be entitled to an available parking space.

[ejain]

[ejain]

[Sore Feet]

I took a friend of mine up to Rainier today because she'd never been there (despite working a summer internship for the NPS Regional Office), and I figured it'd be a good excuse to check out the new visitors center. Wrong. At about 3:30pm cars were lined 2/3 of the way around the Valley Road - I had figured that the parking area at the Paradise River bridge would at least have space that late in the day, but nope. So that was quickly bagged. They better hurry up and get that second parking lot finished.