Mount Rainier National Park has cancelled its timed-entry reservation system for 2026. The pilot timed-entry system was first introduced in 2024 at Sunrise and Paradise, two popular destinations within the park. Experts say that timed-entry systems are effective at reducing overcrowding while maintaining similar visitation numbers, but they also cause frustration for some visitors, who complain about not being able to secure a time slot.
In 2025, the system at Mount Rainier was changed to apply only to the Sunrise entrance, as the Paradise area was undergoing major construction projects. Rumors about the possible discontinuation of the system as a whole began to circulate late last year, but no official changes were announced.
Earlier this week, the park’s timed-entry details were quietly removed from the park's website, and the site now states that “Mount Rainier National Park will not be implementing a timed entry reservation system for any portion of the park in 2026.” It also specifies that the park will continue to monitor and document congestion and overcrowding on park roads and trails, within parking lots, and at the park's entrances.
“For the last two years, reservations were improving the experience for everyone while protecting Mount Rainier’s sensitive meadows, trails, and aging infrastructure,” said Graham Taylor, Northwest senior program manager at the National Parks Conservation Association. “Reservations ensured visitors could spend more time outside and less time circling for a parking spot. As more people are visiting our national parks, we should be using the time-tested tools we know work and not throwing them out.”
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