Do I need a permit or reservation to visit Mount Rainier?
To visit Mount Rainier National Park, you may need a permit or reservation, in addition to paying the park entrance fee, depending on your activity. To determine what you need ask yourself the questions below:
Are you an individual or travelling with friends & family and visiting for the day only?
Do you want to stay in the park overnight?
- If you want to camp in one of the three vehicle campgrounds, you may need a camping reservation through Recreation.gov. Some campsites may be available first-come, first-served, but reservations are recommended. Campgrounds are open during the summer season only.
- If you want to stay in the National Park Inn or Paradise Inn (summer only), make a reservation with Rainier Guest Services.
- If you want to backcountry camp in the wilderness, you will need a wilderness permit. It is strongly recommended to request a wilderness permit reservation during the summer.
Do you want to climb the mountain above 10,000 feet or go on a glacier?
Are you operating a vehicle or bus tour?
Are you participating in a commercial activity, such as a guided day hike or climb, photography course, bicycle tour, or other guided activity?
- Only official concessions or companies with Commercial Use Authorizations (CUA) are permitted to operate within the park (with the exception of vehicle tours, which pay a commercial tour fee). Check to make sure your activity provider is a current CUA holder.
- What about Non-Profits? Organized groups in which participants exchange money for a service within Mount Rainier National Park are required to get a Special Use Permit in lieu of a CUA (SUPilCUA). This includes organizations that are non-profit; city, state, and collegiate recreational programs; military morale, welfare, and recreation (MWR) programs; or those that offer fundraising climbs.
- A CUA is required if you provide any goods, activities, services, agreements, or other function for members, clients, or the public that:
- take place at least in part on lands managed by the National Park Service,
- use park resources, and
- result in compensation, monetary gain, benefit, or profit.
- The CUA holder is required to pay entrance fees on a per-person basis.
Do you want to commercially film or take photos, get married, scatter ashes, organize group recreation or a special event in the park?
Are you leading a school group on a field trip or educational program?
Do you want to conduct scientific research in the park, including social science studies?
Special Use Permits
Mount Rainier National Park, a recognizable national landmark with inspiring vistas and natural settings, is an ideal spot for a variety of special activities. Most special events and activities held within Mount Rainier National Park require a Special Use Permit. These permits are issued and approved only after National Park Service staff determine that the activity will not impair park values, resources, and visitor enjoyment.
A Special Use Permit is required for activities that provide a benefit to an individual, group, or organization, rather than the public at large and for activities that require some degree of management by the National Park Service in order to protect park resources and the public interest.
Please allow four weeks for the processing of permit applications.
Please read this legal notice regarding payment of fees by check.
For information on Special Use Permits or to email in your application, please contact the Special Use Permit Coordinator at mora_special_use@nps.gov or via phone at 253-307-6361. For Fee Waiver inquiries contact mora_fee_waiver@nps.gov. Applications accepted by email ONLY; no fax or mail-in applications.
Activities and events that require Special Use Permits include:
- For most recreational activities, a permit is required if group size is greater than 24.
- Location of activities may be restricted, depending on group size.
- On trails or in Wilderness, groups must break into parties of 12 or less and maintain separation by staggering start times by at least 20 minutes, paying close attention to route selection and pace. Groups must not merge along the route or gather at any time.
- Competitive events are not allowed in park Wilderness.
- The permittee must obtain all necessary wilderness and/or climbing permits prior to the activity. Entrance fees will not be waived.
- Mountaineering training (maximum 60 people) is permitted only at Paradise location and Nisqually Glacier. Only one group per day is allowed to conduct training at these locations.
- Activity monitoring and cost-recovery charges may be required. Permit Coordinators can help determine potential costs, if any, for the activity.
- Complete an application form and email it to mora_special_use@nps.gov.
- Applications must be submitted at least four weeks before the requested date. Please contact the Permit Coordinator via email if expediting of your application is requested (less than four weeks advance submission).
- Once your application is received by the Permit Coordinator, you will be given instructions on paying the non-refundable $200 application fee online.
- Application fees must be paid before the permit will be processed/approved.
In most cases, still photography does not require a permit. A permit is required for still photography only when:
1. the activity takes place in an area closed to the public; or
2. the activity uses a model, set, or prop; or
3. the National Park Service would incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity.
A “model” means a person or object that serves as the subject for still photography for the purpose of promoting the sale or use of a product or service. Models include, but are not limited to, individuals, animals, or inanimate objects, such as vehicles, boats, articles of clothing, and food and beverage products. Portrait subjects, such as wedding parties and high school graduates, are not considered models, if the image will not be used to promote or sell a product or service.
- 97% of Mount Rainier National Park is designated Wilderness and restrictions on photography may be issued dependent upon requested actions.
- Visitor access may not be restricted from any location; short interruptions to normal visitor use patterns are only allowed if specified in the approved permit.
- The permit does not include authority to film or photograph individuals. Model releases are the responsibility of the permittee.
- On-camera appearances by employees must be approved by park management as a condition of the permit.
- Coverage of breaking news does not require a permit, but is subject to restrictions and conditions to protect park resources.
- The park cannot sign a location release supplied by the permittee
- All costs incurred by the National Park Service for issuing the permit, scouting locations, monitoring, or otherwise supporting the photography activities will be reimbursed by the permittee as a condition of the permit.
- Performance bond and liability insurance requirements must be met. The required amount of insurance will be determined by the potential risk to park resources and the complexity of activities.
- General commercial liability insurance must be issued by a United States company. “United States Government” must be named as “additional insured” on the insurance certificate. Certificates naming the United States Government as “certificate holder” only are not acceptable.
Still Photography and Audio Recording Fees
- 1-10 people - $50/day
- 11-30 people - $150/day
- Over 30 people - $250/day
- Complete an application form and email it to mora_special_use@nps.gov.
- A minimum of four weeks is required to process the application and issue a permit. Please contact the Permit Coordinator via email if expediting of your application is requested (less than 90 days advanced submission).
- Once your application is received by the Permit Coordinator, you will be given instructions on paying the non-refundable $125 application fee online.
- Application fees must be paid before the permit will be processed/approved.
Filming requires a permit if any of the following apply:
- If the film, electronic, magnetic, digital, or other recording of a moving image by a person, business, or other entity for a market audience with the intent of generating income. (feature film, videography, and documentaries).
- Advertisement of a product or service
- Use of actors, models, sets, or props.
- 97% of Mount Rainier National Park is designated Wilderness and restrictions on photography may be issued dependent upon requested actions.
- Visitor access may not be restricted from any location; short interruptions to normal visitor use patterns are only allowed if specified in the approved permit.
- The permit does not include authority to film or photograph individuals. Model releases are the responsibility of the permittee.
- On-camera appearances by employees must be approved by park management as a condition of the permit.
- Coverage of breaking news does not require a permit, but is subject to restrictions and conditions to protect park resources.
- The park cannot sign a location release supplied by the permittee.
- All costs incurred by the National Park Service for issuing the permit, scouting locations, monitoring, or otherwise supporting the filming activities will be reimbursed by the permittee as a condition of the permit.
- Performance bond and liability insurance requirements must be met. The required amount of insurance will be determined by the potential risk to park resources and the complexity of activities.
- General commercial liability insurance must be issued by a United States company. “United States Government, National Park Service” must be named as “additional insured” on the insurance certificate. Certificates naming the United States Government as “certificate holder” only are not acceptable.
- 1–2 people, camera & tripod only - $0/day
- 1–10 people - $150/day
- 11–30 people - $250/day
- 31–49 people - $500/day
- Over 50 people - $750/day
- Complete an application form and email it to mora_special_use@nps.gov.
- A minimum of 90 days is required to process the application and issue a permit. Please contact the Permit Coordinator via email if expediting of your application is requested (less than 90 days advanced submission).
- Once your application is received by the Permit Coordinator, you will be given instructions on paying the non-refundable $300 application fee online.
- Application fees must be paid before the permit will be processed/approved.
Party size determines which locations may be used for wedding ceremonies.
- 1-12 participants: may use certain pre-determined locations, which may include select trails, picnic areas, roadside locations, and campground amphitheaters.
- 13-24 participants: may use certain pre-determined locations, which may include picnic areas, roadside locations, and campground amphitheaters.
- 25-60 participants: may use certain pre-determined locations, which may include roadside locations and campground amphitheaters.
- 60 + participants: may use campground amphitheaters.
Ceremonies may not:
- Impede the activities of other park visitors.
- Areas may not be roped off or blocked in any way to the general public.
- Modest decorations may be allowed (additional permissions required).
- Additional permissions are required for professional photography/videography; please include photographer contact information in the application form.
- The setting up of chairs, tents, or awnings is not permitted.
- Throwing of rice, confetti, etc. is not allowed.
- Complete an application form and email it to mora_special_use@nps.gov.
- Applications must be submitted at least four weeks before the requested date. Please contact the Permit Coordinator via email if expediting of your application is requested (less than four weeks advance submission).
- Once your application is received by the Permit Coordinator, you will be given instructions on paying the non-refundable $175 application fee online.
- Application fees must be paid before the permit.
Party size determines which locations in the park may be used for the spreading of ashes:
- 1-12 participants may use wilderness and primitive areas as well as many roadside locations.
- 13-24 participants may not use wilderness or primitive locations, but may use certain pre-determined locations along trails at Paradise and Sunrise; may also use locations along roads such as pullouts.
- 25-60 participants are limited to roadside locations.
- If group size is over 12, this activity may not take place at Paradise or Sunrise between the hours of 12:00 pm and 4:00 pm on weekends due to congestion.
- Ceremonies may not impede the activities of other visitors. Outdoor areas will not be closed off during ceremonies and parking may not be reserved.
- Cremetated remains must be pulverized and fully dispersed. Ashes may not be dispersed within 100 yards of any body or water or in a developed area. No container, urn, flowers, or memorial markers may be left within park boundaries.
- Ashes may not be spread within half a mile of Tipsoo Lake or Reflection Lake. These areas are not available for Scattering of Ashes.
- Scattering of ashes at any location above 10,000 ft will be dispersed as airborne, and not into crevasses, vents, on to snow, glacial ice, or any ground surface.
The scattering of ashes from the air also requires a permit and is to be preformed at a minimum of 2,000 ft above the ground. Ashes may not be scattered over roads, developed areas, or bodies of water.
- Complete an application form and email it to mora_special_use@nps.gov.
- Applications must be submitted at least four weeks before the requested date. Please contact the Permit Coordinator via email if expediting of your application is requested (less than four weeks advanced submission).
- Once your application is received by the Permit Coordinator, you will be given instructions on paying the non-refundable $75 application fee online.
- Application fees must be paid before the permit will be processed/approved.
- Military exercises may be allowed only if they relate to usual and normal park activities such as search and rescue, outdoor survival, and events not simulating conditions encountered in combat situations.
- Military ceremonies are allowed in certain areas, depending on audience size and equipment needs.
- From June through September, military activities may be restricted to Monday through Thursday depending on visitation.
- The permittee must obtain all necessary wilderness and/or climbing permits prior to the activity. The per-person fee for a climbing pass will not be waived.
- Location of activities may be restricted, depending on group size.
- On trails or in Wilderness, groups must break into parties of 12 or less and maintain separation by staggering start times by at least 20 minutes, paying close attention to route selection and pace. Groups must not merge along the route or gather at any time.
- Weapons may be carried, but all use is prohibited. Weapons are not allowed in federal buildings.
- For most activities, civilian attire or military dress uniform is recommended.
- A liaison officer will be designated by the military organization to be available to the superintendent throughout the exercise.
- Complete an application form and email it to mora_special_use@nps.gov.
- Applications must be submitted at least four weeks before the requested date. Please contact the Permit Coordinator via email if expediting of your application is requested (less than four weeks advance submission).
- Application fees are not charged for military activities, but cost-recovery charges may be required.
Permit Coordinators can help determine potential costs, if any, for the actual activity.
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Camp in one of the park's three drive-in campgrounds.
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Stay in one of the park's historic inns.
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