Three of probably the most visited U.S. nationwide parks have determined to roll again their entry necessities in 2026.
Lately, timed entry methods have change into more and more widespread at well-liked nationwide parks — an try to curb overtourism, protect park infrastructure and make the customer expertise extra gratifying. Reservations are sometimes required through the summer time months and at different peak instances. Nevertheless, three well-liked parks have determined to nix reservations in summer time 2026: Yosemite Nationwide Park in California, Glacier Nationwide Park in Montana and Arches Nationwide Park in Utah.
Yosemite was the sixth-most-visited U.S. nationwide park in 2024. Though automobile reservations have been required on and off since 2020, sometimes throughout peak visitation, the park has introduced it won’t require them for the remainder of 2026. In accordance with a press launch, “The choice follows a complete analysis of site visitors patterns, parking availability and customer use through the 2025 season.”
As an alternative, guests are inspired to plan forward, go to on weekdays to keep away from congestion and test the park web site for real-time circumstances.
Equally, Montana’s Glacier Nationwide Park, the Tenth-most-visited park in 2024, has eliminated its park-wide automobile reservation requirement in 2026. Nevertheless, within the park’s busiest corridors, together with Going-to-the-Solar Highway and Logan Cross, the National Park Service says it is going to create “momentary automobile diversions if security thresholds are reached.”
Arches Nationwide Park in Utah is comparatively small but in addition well-liked, resulting in traditionally dense crowds and lengthy strains to enter. Though it has combated this by implementing timed entry reservations throughout its summer time excessive season since 2022, it is going to now not achieve this in 2026.
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Timed entry methods can assist scale back wait instances to get right into a park and forestall disappointment throughout your journey, however additionally they require extra planning. These new necessities might give vacationers extra flexibility in visiting these well-liked parks. Nevertheless, be ready for longer waits and extra crowded trails, particularly on weekends in the summertime or fee-free days.
Though these three parks are loosening their entry necessities, you should still want a timed entry reservation at different parks.
Rocky Mountain Nationwide Park in Colorado introduced its timed entry system will return for the 2026 excessive season, from Memorial Day weekend to mid-October. And watching the solar rise over Maui’s highest peak is on so many bucket lists that Haleakala Nationwide Park requires a “Summit Sunrise Reservation” for each automobile getting into the park between 3 and seven a.m. year-round.
Some parks that don’t use a basic timed entry system do require making a reservation, and even getting into a lottery, to realize entry to pick out roads, climbing trails and tenting spots. These embrace Cadillac Summit Highway in Maine’s Acadia Nationwide Park, the favored Angels Touchdown path in Utah’s Zion Nationwide Park and most campgrounds in Virginia’s Shenandoah Nationwide Park.
Since entry necessities differ from park to park, it is all the time a good suggestion to do your analysis and plan forward. You would possibly think about visiting in winter or attempting considered one of these state park dupes to keep away from the crowds.
Listed here are some extra ideas that will help you plan your nationwide park journey:
