Multnomah Falls to start timed reservation tickets to limit summer congestion

By AUDREY WEIL

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    MULTNOMAH FALLS, Oregon (KPTV) — This summer everyone wants to get out and have fun as things reopen from the pandemic.

“Definitely ready to enjoy some time outside of my house and in the summer with friends,” Natalie Mastick & Sara Faiad, visiting Multnomah Falls from Seattle, said.

Stan Hinatsu, the Recreation Staff Officer with the Forest Service in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area said it’s already been seeing more visitors in the Gorge this year, on top of growing recreation use over the last decade.

Now a big change is coming to Multnomah Falls to help limit congestion that can dangerously clog up both the Historic Columbia River Highway and I-84.

From July 20 through September 19, anyone visiting the falls, except for by the transit options, will need a timed ticket between 9 A.M. and 6 P.M.

It will allow for about 600 visitors an hour.

There are mixed opinions.

“It seems like a good idea to me, we definitely parked further away to avoid the traffic,” Mastick and Faiad said.

“That would be hard for people from out of town if we’re not aware,” DeAnn Anderton, visiting from Utah said.

Now that it is so busy here, and coming off a similar system they used to manage crowd sizes during the pandemic, Hinatsu said it’s a good time to try it.

“This will be a good pilot for us to see will this system really work, will it actually reduce congestion and minimize safety concerns as a result of the congestion,” he said.

It’s important to note there will be people checking those tickets at the entrance to the falls so it doesn’t guarantee a parking spot.

The tickets are free except for a one dollar processing fee online. They’re available now and you can get them up to two weeks in advance at recreation.gov/ticket/facility/10073376

Remember you don’t need one for any transit option like shuttle or trolley.

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