ODOT: Permits for Multnomah Falls (I-84 Exit 31) start Memorial Day weekend

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May 24, 2023

Contacts:

Karen Davis, 503-522, 8377, U.S. Forest Service

Don Hamilton, 503-704-7452, Oregon Department of Transportation

Sarah Hurwitz, 971-500-3311, Multnomah County

Stefanie Knowlton, 971-803-0154, Clay Courtright, 503-969-8260, Oregon Parks and Recreation Department

Plan ahead for your visit to Multnomah Falls this summer

From Friday, May 26 through Monday, Sept. 4, 2023, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., a timed use permit will be required for each personal vehicle accessing Multnomah Falls from Interstate 84 Exit 31.

The most reliable way to see Multnomah Falls continues to be transit, by bicycle or by tour/shuttle. View Travel Oregon’s Car-Free trip guide to learn more.

Permits are only needed if you arrive by personal vehicle at I-84 Exit 31 for Multnomah Falls.

If you want to visit Multnomah Falls by personal vehicle, the best way is to get a permit and take I-84 to Exit 31.

Reserving a permit

· Multnomah Falls (I-84) timed use permits will be available online at recreation.gov for a $2 transaction fee per permit up to two weeks in advance of your visit.

· A limited number of permits will also be available for same-day pickup without a fee at the Gateway to the Gorge Visitor Center in Troutdale and the Cascade Locks Historical Museum.

Using your permit

· Permits are only valid at the Multnomah Falls parking lot at I-84 Exit 31.

· A Timed Use permit reservation does not guarantee parking.

· One permit needed per vehicle or motorcycle.

· Keep your permit with you after you park. Print your permit or show the digital copy.

· Please arrive as close to your one-hour time slot as possible, starting at the time indicated on the permit. Permits are only required from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

· You may stay longer than an hour, however if you leave after your time slot you will not be allowed to enter the site without a valid Multnomah Falls Timed Use Permit for a subsequent time slot.

More about the permit system

Timed use permits will not be required on the Historic Columbia River Highway/U.S. 30 in 2023. However, parking is extremely limited at the small lot along the Historic Highway/U.S. 30 at Multnomah Falls (shown at right).

Last year’s 2022 Waterfall Corridor timed use permit pilot was successful in providing a safer, more reliable, enjoyable experience for visitors within the corridor. However, without a dedicated funding source, partners cannot staff and operate the full system and will instead focus our limited resources on the main sources of congestion and safety concerns at the most visited site in the corridor: Multnomah Falls.

Project partners will target congestion at Multnomah Falls in 2023. The effort will help reduce congestion by:

· Reducing safety concerns and backups on I-84 with required timed use permits at Exit 31, the Multnomah Falls parking lot on Interstate 84.

· Using a flagger to direct traffic at the Historic Columbia River Highway/U.S. 30 crosswalk at Multnomah Falls.

· Using a private concessionaire to manage the small parking lot along the Historic Highway/U.S. 30 at Multnomah Falls. The concessionaire will operate this lot on a first come, first-served basis. There are six ADA parking spots at this lot for those with valid ADA placards. When the parking lot is full, vehicles will not be allowed to stop or wait for an open space.

George Custer

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George Custer lives in Oakridge with his wife Sayre. George is a former smokejumper from his hometown of Cave Junction, a former captain in the U.S. Marine Corps. and ran a construction company in Southern California. George assumed the volunteer duties as the Editor of the Highway 58 Herald in 2022. He loves riding his Harley-Davidson motorcycle, building all things wood, and playing drums on the weekends in his office.

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