The National Park Service has implemented a timed-entry reservation system at 12 of its most visited parks for the 2026 peak season. Parks now requiring reservations include Zion, Arches, Rocky Mountain, Glacier, Acadia, and Grand Canyon's South Rim, joining existing systems at Yosemite and others.
Reservations cost $2 per vehicle on top of regular entrance fees and can be booked up to 60 days in advance through recreation.gov. A limited number of same-day reservations are released at 6 AM local time for spontaneous travelers.
The NPS says the system is necessary to protect park resources and improve visitor experience at parks that have seen visitation increase by 30-50% since 2019. Rangers report that overcrowding was causing trail erosion, wildlife disturbance, and dangerously full parking areas.
