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Mount Rainier Ditches the Reservation Requirement Starting Next Summer
The timed-entry system that controlled peak-season access to Mount Rainier National Park for the past two years is going away in 2026.
ENUMCLAW, WA—Visitors heading to Mount Rainier National Park next summer will be able to show up without booking a timed-entry reservation in advance, according to an announcement from park officials. For the past two years, the park required reservations to access certain areas during peak summer hours—a system designed to manage the crowds that regularly back up on the roads and trails closest to Enumclaw’s backdoor mountain.
According to @mattandkarensmith, who shared the news on Instagram, that requirement is being dropped for the 2026 season. @mattandkarensmith also notes they’ve heard Yosemite and Glacier may follow suit, though neither park has made an official announcement. gov directly if either of those is on your radar this summer. For Enumclaw residents, who can reach the Nisqually entrance in under an hour, the change means a little more spontaneity is back on the table—a clear day, a packed lunch, and no reservation scramble required.
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Featuring video from @mattandkarensmith on Instagram
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