National Parks Announce Major Change for Visitors Before Summer

Over the past several years, some of the busiest National Parks in the United States have moved to a reservation system to help handle the crowds, especially during peak season. However, it sounds like that's going to change this year.

This week, the National Park Service announced that it would be moving away from this system for several of the busiest national parks across the country.

National Parks Reservation System

During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, the wide open spaces of the country's national parks became alluring to many people who had been stuck inside amid social distancing. As a result, crowds surged in some of the more popular parks.

To deal with these crowds and the public health threat, the National Park Service turned to a formal entry reservation system for many parks across the country. Guests were required to book a prearranged time to enter the park. If they did not book a prearranged time, they would be turned away.

While the public health threat has obviously died down in recent years, thanks in large part to the readily-available COVID-19 vaccine, the reservation system has stayed in place to help deal with the crowds. However, this season, it sounds like that's changing.

No More Reservation System?

This week, the National Park Service announced that it is removing the reservation requirement for four of its busiest and most iconic parks this summer: Arches, Glacier, and Yosemite National Parks.

“Our national parks belong to the American people, and our priority is keeping them open and accessible,” said Kevin Lilly, Acting Assistant Secretary for Fish, Wildlife and Parks, in a statement. “We’re expanding access where conditions allow and using targeted tools only where necessary to protect visitor safety, maintain emergency access and preserve these extraordinary places for future generations.”

To accommodate the expected increase in visitors, the parks plan to boost seasonal staffing and operational readiness. The National Park Service also indicated that when parks do become too crowded, it "may implement short-term traffic management measures to maintain safe conditions and protect park resources."

It's worth noting that not all national parks will be removing the reservation system. Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado, for example, will continue to require reservations during peak periods in the summer as well as in February and March. Utah's Zion National Park will also still operate a lottery system for its Angels Landing hike.

Still, this is a rather significant change heading into the busy season for these parks.