Mount Rainier National Park is shaking up its wilderness fee permit structure, going from a flat rate by group to a nightly per-person fee.
Overnight wilderness permits will cost $10 per person per night, Mount Rainier officials announced in a news release. That replaces the previous system, in which overnight permits cost $20 regardless of the length of stay or size of group.
Park officials say the change makes the pricing more equitable, since the old system charged small and large groups the same rate.
They also say the change will allow the agency to “recover costs associated with each person’s impact on the resource.” Permit fees go toward maintenance work such as marking trail hazards, cleaning toilets and monitoring food storage.
“These fees directly support the experience of wilderness permit holders,” superintendent Greg Dudgeon said in a statement.
The park typically sells about 7,000 backcountry and climbing permits each year. Wilderness permits allow people to camp in designated areas. Climbing permits allow permit holders to travel above 10,000 feet or on glaciers.
It’s the first time in 26 years that wilderness permit fees have changed at Mount Rainier.
Permits must be picked up in person at a wilderness information or visitor center. Advance reservations are available on Recreation.gov for peak season — from June to September. Online reservations come with a $6 fee.
