When the Covid pandemic hit, many travelers were limited to their home countries and for the United States, that meant that National Park visitation numbers skyrocketed to unsustainable levels. Although, it should be clear that visitor numbers were rising even before Covid hit.
As a response to this increase in visitors, several parks introduced a reservation system. These systems limit the amount of people who can enter the park and helps to spread out the visitors throughout the day. It also helps to prevent overcrowding in the parks which help to aid in the National Park Service’s mission to protect these natural areas.
Some parks like Arches, Glacier, and Rocky Mountain require timed entries for the entire park while other parks have gone a different direction. Parks like Shenandoah and Zion have restricted their reservations to specific hikes.
This article will focus on what is needed for each parks you can be prepared for visit.
An Important Note
This article will focus on reservations for specific parks and hikes. It does not include information about tours at various parks. While many national parks can be visited on your own, some parks, such as Mammoth Cave National Park, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, and Wind Cave National Park required you to book a tour to actually visit the caves. In my mind, those are completely different than the reservations needed to actually visit a park or take a specific hike.
Additionally, these reservation requirements are constantly changing. As soon as you decide to visit a national park, it’s always a good idea to look up what the current rules are. Some parks have modified their reservation systems, others have done away with it completely, and still others have implemented a system for the first time. I try to keep this blog post up to date, but with 63 national parks and different requirements for each park, it’s tough to keep on top of things.
The bottom line is that no matter which park you plan to visit, you should always review the NPS website for the most up to date information regarding tours, timed entries, and reservations.
How Do National Park Reservations Work
While each park has their own reservation system, there are a few things that hold true for all parks.
Your timed entry reservation is required, but it does not include your entry fee for the park. You can purchase your timed entry in advance and won’t be required to have your entry fee (whether you are paying in cash or using a park pass like the America the Beautiful Pass) until you enter the park.
The timed entries only guarantee you entry into the park. They do not guarantee you parking at any parking lot or trailhead.
It’s a good idea to make your reservations as early as you possibly can. If timed entry reservations are not available once you’ve decided to go, set a reminder in your phone so you can be ready as soon as the tickets go on sale.
If you have a reservation for one of the campgrounds or a backcountry permit, you may not need a timed entry. Review the conditions of your camping or backcountry permit before buying a timed entry reservation.
Making a National Park Reservation
All reservations are made on the recreation.gov website and it’s a good idea to make make your reservation as soon as you are able to. If the reservations are not on sale yet, set a reminder so you can be online and ready as soon as those reservations go on sale. While this may not be necessary for every single park and may seem like overkill, I speak from personal experience when I say that some of these reservations go fast.
When I made reservations for the Bear Lake Corridor at Rocky Mountain National Park, entries before 10:00am were gone in less than 15 minutes. When I made reservations for Many Glacier at Glacier National Park, the nearly 300 tickets sold out in under 5 minutes. Be prepared!
To make things extra confusing, each park has different rules about when tickets go on sale. Make sure you look at the specific reservation you need and don’t rely on information you’ve seen from other parks.
What Happens if You Don’t Get a National Park Reservation?
You likely still have options! For many of the reservations, only a portion of their tickets are released in advance. Typically the night before, the rest of the tickets are released on a first come, first serve basis. I’ve never had to purchase these, but it is my understanding that they go incredibly fast. As these reservations are still quite new, many people are just learning that they need to have a reservation before going to the park the next day.
If you don’t have a reservation, you still have options. The timed entry reservations protect the park during the busiest parts of the day. For example, Arches National Park only requires timed entries between 7:00am and 4:00pm. If you enter the park outside of that window (before 7:00 am or after 4:00 pm), you will not need a timed entry reservation. Note that if you enter outside of the reservation window, as soon as you leave the park, you are not permitted to reenter until after the reservation times have ended. Signs are posted to remind you.
Entering with Your National Park Reservation
You will need to have your reservation ready when you enter the park, either on your phone or printed out. If you have the reservation on your phone, make sure you can access it without data as cell phone coverage in most parks is very spotty if it even exists. I highly recommend downloading your reservation to your phone or printing out a paper copy. When you get to the park entrance, present your reservation along with your payment for entering the park.
For Rocky Mountain National Park, I entered very early. The main entrance to the park was not manned, but even at 6:00 am, before the sun had even risen, rangers were there checking timed entries. Have your reservation ready to go.
You Will Be Turned Away Without a Reservation
During my visit to Rocky Mountain National Park, I saw a few people try to get in without a reservation. As I drove toward Grand Lake to enter Rocky Mountain National Park, I followed a bright yellow sports car. I pulled off at Grand Lake to put in gas and apply sunscreen since I had a little time before my 11:00 am reservation. I pulled up to the entrance station right at 11:00 am and saw that same yellow sports car, parked on the other side of the road. It was obvious that they did not know that they needed a reservation and were now trying to come up with a plan B.
Also at Rocky Mountain National Park, I went to the Visitor Center on my last day and saw a group of three people walking out to their car. One person said “Well, we’ll just drive up and see what happens”. It was a clear they didn’t have a reservation either. I wanted to tell them to not even bother because rangers will be checking reservations before allowing you to enter the park.
Know the rules and make your reservation. A missing reservation can disrupt your entire trip.
Reservations Needed by Park
Now let’s get into the reservations needed by national park. Again, this is just the parks needing a reservation for entry. This does not include backcountry permits, tours, or campground reservations.
Additionally, unless otherwise noted, each reservation is per vehicle.
Acadia National Park
Most of Acadia National Park is open to visitors without a reservation. The exception is Cadillac Summit Road, a three mile scenic drive, which requires reservations. There are two options, one permit that covers day use and a second permit that covers sunrise. Reservations cost $6 per vehicle.
Reservations are required from May 22 to October 27. As with most reservations, the reservations just specify an entry time. You’ll need to enter during the time on your ticket, but you may stay as long as you’d like. 30% of the tickets are released ahead of time while 70% of reservations are held until closer to the date. These held tickets are released at 10:00 am EST two days before (so reservations for September 3 will be released on September 1 at 10:00 am).
Option 1 – Cadillac Summit Road – Day Use
This reservation requires planning as when you make your reservation, you’ll need to decide not only what day you want to make the reservation, but also which time. You’ll have to choose down a half hour period that you’ll want to visit.
Note that you may only make one reservation per day per vehicle.
Option 2 – Cadillac Summit Road – Sunrise
Unlike the day use reservations, there is only one option for the sunrise reservations. The exact time of your reservation will vary from month to month as the time of sunrise changes. In the summer months, expect an early wake up to make it in time for sunrise. While in October, the window doesn’t start until 6:00 am.
Note that you may only make one reservation per week per vehicle.
When to Book
Tickets are released on a rolling daily basis, 90 days before the date of the reservation. For some examples:
For May 22, book on February 22 at 10:00 am EST
For June 1, book on March 3 at 10:00 am EST
For July 1, book on April 2 at 10:00 am EST
For August 1, book on May 3 at 10:00 am EST
Learn more and book your Acadia National Park Reservation
Arches National Park
From April 1 through October 31, timed entries are required to enter Arches National Park between 7:00am and 4:00pm. Each reservation is good for one vehicle to enter during the times provided on the ticket. Tickets are for one hour increments, so you’ll need to have a plan for your day well in advance since you’ll need to know when you plan to enter the park.
Reservations cost $2 per vehicle.
When to Book
Tickets are released in monthly blocks, three months in advance. Here’s what that looks like
For April reservations – January 2 at 8:00 am MST
For May reservations – February 1 at 8:00 am MST
For June reservations – March 1 at 8:00 am MST
For July reservations – April 1 at 8:00 am MST
For August reservations – May 1 at 8:00 am MST
For September reservations – June 1 at 8:00 am MST
For October reservations – July 1 at 8:00 am MST
Learn more and book your Arches National Park Reservation
Glacier National Park
Glacier National Park has three different reservation options, each focusing on a distinct area of the park. There’s North Fork Road, Many Glacier, and Going to the Sun Road. Reservations cost $2 per vehicle.
Option 1 – North Fork Road
North Fork Road is one of the lesser visited areas of Glacier National Park, but it still requires a timed entry. In this area of the park, you’ll find hikes, lakes, and more opportunities for wildlife viewing. For those wanting to visit between late May and early September (May 24 and September 8 in 2024), you’ll need to pick up a permit. You will only need to purchase a reservation if you plan to visit between 6:00 am and 3:00 pm, so if you plan to arrive before 6:00 am or after 3:00 pm, you do not need a permit.
Option 2 – Many Glacier
Many Glacier is a very popular area of Glacier National Park and it sits on the eastern side of the park. It’s home to the Many Glacier hotel, Swiftcurrent Lake (which offers boat tours), and numerous hikes. If you plan to visit this area of the park for the day, you’ll need to get a reservation. However, there are a few exceptions.
If you have a reservation for the Many Glacier Hotel, you do not need a reservation.
If you have a ticket for a tour (such as a boat tour on Swiftcurrent Lake), you do not need a reservation.
You will only need to purchase a reservation if you plan to visit between 6:00 am and 3:00 pm and are just staying for the day.
Option 3 – Going to the Sun Road
Going to the Sun Road is one of the most popular things to do at Glacier National Park. This 55 mile scenic drive takes you through some incredible scenery as you work your way from one end of the park to the other. Going to the Sun Road can be driven in either direction, but it’s important to note that reservations are only required if you plan to drive east (ie, starting in Apgar). If you plan to start at St. Mary and drive west, you do NOT need a reservation.
If you plan to start your drive between 6:00 am and 3:00 pm from Apgar, you will need a timed entry reservation.
When to Book
Reservations for Glacier National Park are released on a rolling daily basis. Reservations are released 120 days before the date they are valid. Here’s some examples:
For June 1, book on February 2 at 8:00 am MST
For July 1, book on March 3 at 8:00 am MST
For August 1, book on April 3 at 8:00 am MST
Important Note
Because there are three unique reservations for Glacier National Park and availability is limited, you are only allowed to purchase one reservation per day. So, you cannot purchase both Going to the Sun Road and Many Glacier reservations for the same day. So, when you are planning out your Glacier National Park itinerary, make sure you plan carefully.
Learn more and book your Glacier National Park Reservation
Haleakala National Park
Haleakala National Park has the highest peak on the island of Maui and for many visitors, a bucket list item is to watch sunrise from the peak. But this has gotten so popular that reservations are now required to help keep crowds at a reasonable level and to ensure there is enough parking for all visitors.
Reservations are required for anyone who will be arriving for sunrise between 3:00 am and 7:00 am.
Reservations cost $1 per vehicle.
When to Book
Reservations for Haleakala Summit Sunrise are available on a 60 day rolling start date. Here are some examples.
For June 1, book on April 2 at 7:00 am HST
For July 1, book on May 2 at 7:00 am HST
For August 1, book on June 2 at 7:00 am HST
Learn more and book your Haleakala National Park Reservation
Important Note
To give as many people the opportunity to watch sunrise as possible, you are only allowed to purchase a reservation for Haleakala every three days.
Rocky Mountain National Park
There are two types of reservations for Rocky Mountain National Park. The first reservation (option 1) is required for Trail Ridge Road—the main highway through the park. The second reservation (option 2) focuses strictly on Bear Lake Road—an offshoot of Trail Ridge Road that features some very popular hikes.
Option 1 – Timed Entry
This option focuses on Trail Ridge Road. If you plan to enter Rocky Mountain National Park between 9:00 am and 2:00 pm, you’ll need to purchase this reservation in advance. It does not matter if you enter at Beaver Meadows, Fall River, or Grand Lake. If you arrive between 9:00 am and 2:00 pm, you’ll need a reservation.
If you enter Rocky Mountain National Park before 9:00 am, you will not need a reservation. However, if you leave Rocky Mountain National Park before 2:00 pm, you will not be allowed to re-enter until after 2:00 pm.
Reservations are sold in two hour periods, meaning you can enter the park within that two hour window. Those windows are:
9:00 – 11:00
11:00 – 1:00
12:00 – 2:00
Option 2 – Timed Entry + Bear Lake Road
This timed entry focuses on Bear Lake Road and is required for anyone wanting to visit Bear Lake Road between 5:00 and and 6:00 pm. This entry includes Trail Ridge Road, so if you plan to visit Bear Lake Road, you’ll only need to purchase this reservation (and can skip Option 1).
Bear Lake Road requires reservations for nearly the entire day so if you don’t have a reservation, you’ll need to get up extra early and arrive before 5:00 am. If you leave Bear Lake Road before 6:00 pm, you will not be permitted to re-enter until after 6:00 pm. In my experience though, the reservations for late afternoon are significantly easier to get since most hikers want to start early in the day.
Reservations are sold in two hour periods, meaning you can enter the park within that two hour window.
Those windows are:
5:00 – 7:00
6:00 – 8:00
8:00 – 10:00
10:00 – 12:00
12:00 – 2:00
2:00 – 4:00
4:00 – 6:00
When to Book
Rocky Mountain National Park timed entries go on sale approximately one month in advance. On the first of the month, timed entries will be released for the next month. Here’s when to set your reminder.
For entries from May 24 to June 30 – May 1 at 8:00 MDT
For entries from July 1 to July 31 – June 1 at 8:00 MDT
For entries from August 1 to August 31 – July 1 at 8:00 MDT
For entries from September 1 to September 30 – August 1 at 8:00 MDT
For entries from October 1 to October 20 – September 1 at 8:00 MDT
Learn more and book your Rocky Mountain National Park Reservation
Shenandoah National Park
Most of Shenandoah National Park is reservation free. If you want to drive Skyline Drive or do nearly any hike, you can come and go as you please. The exception is the hike to Old Rag between March 1 and November 30.
The hike to Old Rag is a 9.4 mile loop that takes you to a spectacular view of the surrounding mountains. The reason this hike gets its own reservation is because of the areas of rock scrambling where only so many people can be at a time.
Note that this reservation is per person, not per vehicle.
When to Book
Tickets to hike Old Rag are released 30 days in advance on a rolling daily window. So as an example:
For June 1, book on May 2 at 10:00 am EST
For July 1, book on June 1 at 10:00 am EST
For August 1, book on July 2 at 10:00 am EST
The remaining tickets will be released five 5 days in advance on a rolling daily window at 10:00 am EST.
Learn more and book your Shenandoah National Park Reservation for Old Rag
Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park is popular, but the reservations needed for Yosemite vary throughout the year. During the spring months, reservations are only needed for weekend days. In the summer, it’s needed every day. Then in fall, it’s back to weekends only. These reservations are required if you want to enter the park between 5:00 am and 4:00 pm.
Plus, to make things more confusing, there’s reservations required for weekends in February for those who want to see Horsetail Falls.
Reservations for Yosemite National Park are typically valid for multiple days. In 2024, the reservations were valid for three days. So, for example, a reservation purchased for July 1, would be valid for July 1, July 2, and July 3. Since the NPS hasn’t released information about their 2025 reservations, its unclear how it will work in the future.
Just as a note, when you purchase your reservation for Yosemite, it will show the dates that you reservation is valid for. So, it’s really just a nice sanity check.
When to Book
In the past, Yosemite National Park has released their tickets all at once on January 5th at 8:00 am PST. However, in 2025, that release date hasn’t been announced. NPS will be releasing information about reservations for Yosemite National Park after February 26.
Note: I had the least challenges with Yosemite Reservations. I made my reservation in March, two full months after the initial release, and there were hundreds of tickets available. As I write this (three weeks before my trip to Yosemite), tickets for are significantly more limited (although there are some tickets still available). I still recommend purchasing as soon as you are able (especially if you’re visiting during the peak summer months), but if you miss the window by a day or two, you may still be ok.
Learn more about Yosemite National Park Reservations
Zion National Park
Despite Zion National Park being one of the most visited national parks in the United States, you don’t need a reservation to visit the park. The only reservation required is for those wanting to hike the popular trail to Angel’s Landing. It does not matter which season you plan to hike Angel’s Landing. You must get a permit for the hike.
This hike is beautiful and takes you out to some spectacular scenery. However, there is a section of the hike that is very narrow, with steep drop offs on either side. There is a chain to help support you, but this area is not a place that can handle a lot of visitors at once. So now, you are required to get a permit.
Note that this reservation is per person, not per vehicle.
Lottery System
Despite needing a reservation no matter which day you plan to hike, the reservation you need is based on season. Moreover, there is now a lottery system in place, rather than just a ticket (like all of the other reservations I’ve covered so far). So here’s what that looks like.
Step 1 – Apply for the seasonal lottery by selecting 7 days that you wish to hike. Applications can hold up to six hikers.
Step 2 – Cross your fingers and hope that you are selected.
Step 3 – If you are not selected, you’ll need to apply for the day before lotteries to try to get a permit.
There is a lot more information on the NPS website and I highly recommend that you read everything if you are interested in hiking Angel’s Landing. In general, the lottery system opens about three months before the first hike of the season and you’ll be notified of results shortly after the lottery closes (approximately two months before the start of the hikes).
Learn more about Zion National Park Reservations for each season
Final Thoughts
I’ll be the first to admit that it can be annoying to plan out your trip so far in advance. It doesn’t leave any chance of flexibility, particularly in the event of bad weather. However, these parks can only handle so many visitors and this is the current solution. Is it annoying? Absolutely, but the alternative is crawling your way through a park and finding every parking lot completely full. As long as you are prepared, you can get an entry and have a successful trip.
Continue Your Adventure
US National Parks: Start planning your national park vacation with my US National Park Travel Guide. You’ll find information about each park, photos, itineraries, and everything you need to start planning your trip.
Arches National Park: One of five national parks in Utah, Arches National Park has some of the most iconic rock formations that you have to see for yourself.
Glacier National Park: At Glacier National Park, you have to drive Going to the Sun Road. But don’t overlook the eastern side of the park. And if you don’t like hiking, check out this guide to Glacier without hiking.
Rocky Mountain National Park: Whether you tackle a long hike like Sky Pond or you want to visit the park without hiking, you’re sure to have a great visit to Rocky Mountain National Park.
Shenandoah National Park: Shenandoah National Park is long and skinny, but that doesn’t mean you can’t do a lot with just one day.
Yosemite National Park: Yosemite National Park has great views, great hikes, and great scenery. Learn about my top things to do and plan your hike to Columbia Rock.
Zion National Park: Zion National Park is full of great hikes. Whether you have one day or an entire week, you won’t run out of things to do.