The parking lot off the Historic Columbia Highway is privately owned. The owners have had this parking fee plan since last off-season.

CORBETT, Ore. — Visitors hoping to snag a free parking spot across from Multnomah Falls will now have to pay up to $20 during the peak season. And visitors aren’t so happy about the news.

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.

“We came here to this parking lot last season and were monitoring it and helping with the traffic flow,” said Dayley. “We saw an opportunity to be able to utilize this as a premier parking area and be able to provide a less expensive option and more accessible option at the Bridal Veil.”

Sasquatch Shuttle also owns and operates a parking lot in Bridal Veil. 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.

“The free shuttle service between Bridal Veil and Multnomah Falls parking lots is a pivotal component of our transportation strategy,” stated Kent Krumpschmidt, Sasquatch Shuttle co-owner in a press release Monday. “By offering this complimentary service, we aim to reduce traffic congestion along the scenic highway while providing visitors with seamless access to the breathtaking beauty of Multnomah Falls.”

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.

KGW’s Daisy Caballero asked Dayley how they came up with the price point. He shared that they looked at other rates across the nation for different parking areas.

“This is an opportunity that we find for folks to be able to come if they want across-the-street access,” said Dayley. “And we are really hoping that that price might be a deterrent for people to park here and to go find more affordable options because they are there.”

When asked if a $20 parking day use pass was too expensive, Dayley was blunt.

“That’s a good question — no. Otherwise we wouldn’t be charging that much,” he said. “Right now and in the off-season, it’s $10 to park and $20 in the peak-season.”

KGW spoke with several visitors who shared their thoughts on the parking fee charge. While some were open to the idea, most were not thrilled.

“If the shuttle service means that more people get to enjoy and experience, I think that that kind of is pretty fair. But the fact that it’s an all-day parking fee, it feels a little weird. It would be better if it were by hour,” said Johnny Le, a visitor from Seattle.

“Yeah, I just think it should be free,” said Bailey St. Aubin, a visitor from Utah. “There is so many things that we have to pay for in the world … you gotta pay for everything to go anywhere.”

“I see both sides of the coin, I guess, but it’s sad. I understand the reasons that it might curb congestion but I doubt it. I think this might be the norm,” said Karen Duncan.

“$20 is too much to just avoid a congestion,” said Atul Gutel, another visitor from Seattle. “I would disagree, $10 is reasonable. anything more than that is too much.”

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.

“We believe our payment machines don’t require a permit,” an attorney for Sasquatch Shuttle said.