Which US National Parks Require Reservations in 2022?
This article was originally published with E3 Camping Magazine - feel free to browse the magazine for free HERE it is filled with amazing content on planning RV and camping vacations!
Our beloved US national parks are a treasure for millions of people across the world. These preserved places of historical and natural wonder are just waiting to be discovered. The only problem - it can often feel like millions of people have arrived on the same day you have and are crowding the same parking lots and trails.
In fact, national park visitation has seen a huge uptick in visitors since 2016 and a 30% increase in just the past three years. With staggering growth such as this, the National Park Service (NPS) needed to make some changes. Their solution for crowd control became a reservation and permit system. Whether you love national park timed entry reservations or hate them, the fact is they’re here to stay, at least for a few more years.
The good news is that most national parks and monuments do not need any type of reservation or permit for entry. With over 400 parks and monuments, like Grand Canyon, New River Gorge, and Yellowstone, without reservation systems, there are plenty of places for exploration and adventure. But if you are headed to some of the most popular parks such as Rocky Mountain, Yosemite, Acadia, or Glacier, then you will absolutely need to plan ahead for your visit.
With each national park having its own set of rules and regulations the reservation systems vary quite extremely from place to place. With changes happening almost daily, it’s important to visit each park’s official NPS website for the most updated information before you plan to visit in 2022. If you’re not a computer wiz, many parks are happy to answer any questions you have over the phone.
Here are a few of the park reservation systems and updates you’ll need to know for 2022:
Glacier
GNP saw great success last year with their timed entry system and have decided to continue it. From May 27th through September 11th a permit will be required for travel along the Going to the Sun Road. This permit is valid for three days (this is down from seven days in 2021). New for 2022, you will also need a separate permit to visit the North Fork/ Polebridge area of GNP. This permit is valid for one day. Both permits are $2 on top of the daily $35 entry fee or annual park pass. Permits will be rolling out on March 2nd at 8:00 am MST and will be available for purchase on recreation.gov. For up-to-date information visit https://www.nps.gov/glac/planyourvisit/gtsrticketedentry.htm
Rocky Mountain
Will be very similar to 2021 including two different reservation options. When headed to RMNP you will need to know which areas you want to see AND what time you will be arriving. If you’re interested in visiting the Bear Lake area (extremely popular) then you will need a reservation that includes that area as well as the rest of the park. If you don’t wish to visit Bear Lake then you will only need a rest of the park pass, these passes will be much easier to obtain just due to the popularity of Bear Lake. Both permits are $2 on top of the daily $35 entry fee or annual park pass. Reservations open May 2nd at 10:00 am MDT on Recreation.gov for May and June and then the 1st of every month for the next month’s dates. For up-to-date information visit https://www.nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/timed-entry-permit-system.htm
Yosemite
YNP has just announced they have decided to keep their timed entry system for 2022. Reservations will be necessary for entry into the park from May 20th through September 30th, but only for peak hours of 6:00 am through 4:00 pm each day. On March 23rd at 8:00 am PDT, YNP will be releasing 70% of their early reservations on recreation.gov for the entirety of the summer season. Meaning, if you plan to visit Yosemite at all between 5/20/22-9/30/22 you should be logged on to recreation.gov early in order to get a reservation for your visit. If you are unable to get ahold of an early reservation the remaining 30% will be released seven days before your arrival date on recreation.gov. Each permit gives you three days of access to the park starting on your arrival date and is only $2 on top of your daily entrance fee of $35. For more information please visit https://www.nps.gov/yose/ planyourvisit/reservations.htm
Acadia
Reservations will be required again in 2022 for access to Cadillac Summit Road only. And only if you will be arriving by car (the bus system doesn't go through this area), so if you will be biking or hiking there, reservations will not be necessary. The reservations are $6 in addition to your daily park fee of $30 and will be required May 25th through October 22nd and are necessary between sunrise and sunset. Reservations roll out about 90 days ahead of your visit on Recreation.gov. For more information on Acadia please visit https://www.nps.gov/acad/planyourvisit/index.htm
Arches
Also new for 2022 is a timed-entry reservation system for all Arches entries between April 3rd and October 3rd for the entirety of the park. These reservations are available two months in advance and are required for entry between 6:00 am - 5:00 pm. Reservations are $2 in addition to your $30 entry fee or annual park pass. You can make reservations now at https://www.recreation.gov/timed-entry/10088426 or by calling.
Zion
New for 2022 is a permit requirement for the Angel’s Landing hiking trail only in Zion. This is a lottery-style permit system and will be awarded “seasonally” - about 60 days before it is valid. The process is very detailed and includes requesting various dates and times that will work for your visit. You can request permits for a party of up to 6 people at once and you will need the confirmation email to hike. Everything you need to know can be found on recreation.gov or https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/angels-landing-hiking- permits.htm Please be aware, if you will be driving a large vehicle through ZNP you may need a tunnel pass/permit. You can find additional information at https://www.nps.gov/zion/ planyourvisit/the-zion-mount-carmel-tunnel.htm
Muir Woods
This national monument has been using a reservation system for quite a few years now and it’s a great success to reduce an overabundance of visitors and preserve the area. You will need to make a reservation for your car or a shuttle reservation to gain entry to the park. Both types of reservations can be made 90 days in advance through https://gomuirwoods.com/ and vary in cost in addition to your $15 per person park entrance fee. Please note: the shuttle is currently only operating on the weekends, but that can change at any time.
Haleakalā
This is another long-standing reservation system that is working out perfectly. So if you want to watch the sunrise from the best spot on Maui you will need a park reservation for HNP. These reservations are required between 3:00 am - 7:00 am (tip: be sure to double-check sunrise the day you plan to go and arrive at the main gate at least 45 minutes before that time). You may only hold one sunrise reservation for every three days. Reservations can be made 60 days in advance for $1 at https://www.recreation.gov/ticket/facility/253731
TIPS:
The good news is most of these parks do not require an entry reservation if you have camping reservations within the park. However, it is recommended you verify directly with the park in advance of your trip
Purchase a National Park System annual pass for faster reservations and entry to the park. Creating a recreation.gov online account well before you make reservations is also highly encouraged.
Photo ID is required with these reservations - your name must match and no reservations are ever transferrable
Print or digital copy of your reservation is accepted at any of the parks, but do be aware most parks do not have reliable cell phone service - screenshots are highly recommended
Many of the parks release a limited number of entry tickets the night before - see park websites for more information
There are still going to be lines and crowds - please do not assume a reservation gets you a guaranteed spot
Have everything you need before you go into the park - many of these timed entries will not allow you enough time to leave and return
Permits and reservations are not available at any park office - they must be purchased online or by calling ahead of time
Book your reservation as soon as absolutely possible - waiting until the last minute could really ruin a vacation
Every car needs permits - please think ahead if you’re traveling with a large party
It’s not just national parks that are requiring reservations - for example, places like Maroon Bells and Mt. Evans in Colorado required timed entry reservations in 2021 and it sounds like that will continue in 2022
If you prefer to make reservations over the phone or have any questions please call
recreation.gov at (877) 444-6777. For international callers, you can reach recreation.gov (606) 515-6777.