Timed use permits will focus on the Multnomah Falls parking lot and not the Waterfall Corridor for summer 2023 in the Columbia River Gorge.  From May 26 through September 4, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day, a timed use permit will be required for each personal vehicle accessing Multnomah Falls from Interstate 84 Exit 31.  The permits target congestion at Multnomah Falls 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, along with using a flagger to direct traffic at the Historic Columbia River Highway crosswalk at Multnomah Falls, and using a private concessionaire to manage the small parking lot along the Historic Highway on a first come, first-served basis.  When the parking lot is full, vehicles will not be allowed to stop or wait for an open space.  Multnomah Falls timed use permits will be available online at recreation.gov for a $2 transaction fee per vehicle up to two weeks in advance.  A limited number of permits will also be available for pickup without a fee at the Gateway to the Gorge Visitor Center in Troutdale and the Cascade Locks Historical Museum.  Unlike last year, permits will not be required on the Historic Columbia River Highway Waterfall Corridor in 2023.