The Summit at Snoqualmie Reverses Course on Daily Parking Fees

The Summit at Snoqualmie, a vital hub for winter recreation near Seattle, is rolling back some of its most controversial parking measures as it gears up for the 2025-26 season. After a 2024-25 season that saw high daily paid parking rates and considerable community feedback, the resort has refined its approach. This new plan is a clear response to what the resort says it "learned a lot" from the previous winter's pilot program, aiming to strike a better balance between managing crowds and maintaining access for all users.

The most significant change is the removal of the daily paid parking requirement. Instead, parking permits will now only be required on weekends and key holidays. This change goes into effect starting Saturday, November 29, 2025, and continues through the end of the season.

In addition to limiting paid days, the fee structure is simpler and significantly less expensive for most users. The previous high daily rate has been replaced by two flat fees for non-passholders:

Summit West, Central, & East Lots: $15 per vehicle on required days.

Alpental Lots: $25 per vehicle on required days.

The resort has acknowledged the critical need to manage traffic and lot capacity, especially on peak days, while still accommodating the growing number of visitors.

To help with congestion and reward those who travel together, Snoqualmie is introducing a carpool incentive. Vehicles with three or more occupants can park for free in designated carpool lots. However, there is a catch: this is available on a first-come, first-served basis and is subject to filling up, with a cutoff time of 10 a.m. Therefore, plan to arrive early with your crew if you're chasing that free spot.

For core users, the updates offer a mixed bag:

Summit Passholders (Alpine and Nordic): Still retain their free parking benefit all season long. Vehicle registration is required.

Ikon Pass Holders and Day Ticket Buyers: Will now pay the new flat fee ($15 or $25) on weekends and holidays, which is a reduction from some of last season's rates.

Uphill Travelers: The uphill travel pass no longer includes free parking and has new blackout dates that coincide with the paid parking days. This means that while you won't need to pay for parking when your uphill pass is valid, you will need to pay the $15 or $25 fee if you plan to park in a Summit lot on weekends/holidays.

Overall, The Summit's revised parking strategy for the 2025-26 season shows their interest in finding a more functional solution to parking. By focusing the fees on peak days and incentivizing carpooling, the resort is attempting to manage high demand while addressing the concerns of local riders and the broader winter recreation community.