The National Park Service has announced a virtual queue reservation system for the five most-visited national parks: Great Smoky Mountains, Grand Canyon, Zion, Yellowstone, and Rocky Mountain. The system, launching May 15, requires visitors to reserve timed entry slots during peak season from June through September.
The move aims to reduce overcrowding, decrease vehicle congestion, and improve the visitor experience at parks that have seen record attendance in recent years. Free reservations can be made up to 30 days in advance through the Recreation.gov platform, with a limited number of same-day slots released at 6 AM daily.
Park officials emphasize that the reservation system applies only to peak-season daytime entry. Visitors with camping reservations, lodge bookings, or backcountry permits will receive automatic entry authorization for their reserved dates.
