Visitors hoping to snag a free parking spot across from Multnomah Falls will now have to pay up to $20 during the peak season. The lot is privately owned and operated by Sasquatch Shuttle, a provider of parking and transportation services in the Columbia River Gorge region. Co-owner Alan Dayley told KGW that the meter machine was installed last Tuesday and was up and running by Thursday. He said parking fees will range between $5 to $20 — all depending on the time and day.
Starting in May, visitors can pay $5 to park at their Bridal Veil lot to take a free shuttle directly to Multnomah Falls. Dayley told KGW that this new parking fee will help fund their free shuttle that will run roughly every 30 minutes.
Dayley said they’ve been in talks about this new parking fee idea since the off-season of 2023. They shared that Multnomah Falls sees 2 to 3 million visitors yearly. And, of course, that means parking chaos during the peak season.
While some visitors were open to the idea of the parking fee, most were not thrilled. Some visitors felt that the $20 parking fee was too expensive, while others felt that it was a fair price to pay for the convenience of parking across the street from the falls.
As for the legality of the new parking fees, both the U.S. Forest Service and Multnomah County are reviewing it. But the owners don’t believe it’s against the law.
