Park Entrance Fees to be Waived July 18-19

For Immediate Release
Donna Rahier, 360-569-2211, x2301

Mount Rainier Acting Superintendent Randy King announces the second of three fee-free weekends will occur July 18-19 to encourage Americans seeking affordable vacations to visit the national parks. At Mount Rainier and other national parks, all park entrance fees, including commercial tour entrance fees, will be waived. These fee free weekends are in addition to the usual fee free days: National Public Lands Day, which falls on September 26 this year, and Veterans Day, November 11.

In addition to supporting affordable vacations for families, the Park Service hopes to give a small shot in the arm to businesses in the area. Visitor spending in Pierce County last year totaled $968.1 million. Mount Rainier National Park tourism dollars contributed $50.7 million into the local economy.

This summer's high visitation combined with spectacular weather occurring on the weekends has led to significant parking problems in the Paradise and Longmire areas. This has caused frustration amongst drivers of private vehicles and safety hazards along the roadway as drivers attempt to park cars where insufficient space exists. Acting Superintendent King strongly encourages visitors to utilize the free shuttle bus that operates between Longmire and Paradise on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Visitors can board the bus at the historic Longmire Gas Station and makes stops at Cougar Rock and Narada Falls on the uphill run, and at Comet Falls and Cougar Rock on the downhill run. On Saturday and Sunday only, visitors can board the bus in Ashford at Whittaker Mountaineering (on State Route 706), connecting with the Paradise Shuttle in Longmire.

Since parking at Paradise is very limited again this summer due to construction work on the lower parking area adjacent to the old Jackson Visitor Center, an additional shuttle will transport visitors to and from the Paradise Valley Road, where overflow parking is being directed.

The shuttle service will run through September 6, 2009.

For shuttle schedules and other park information, check the park's web page at www.nps.gov/mora.

-NPS-