The 8 National Park Reservations You Will Need This Year
Planning a national park trip this summer? You’ll want to pay attention to these USA national park reservation details and deadlines.
Want to hike Angel’s Landing? Drive the breathtaking Going-to-the-Sun Road? See Delicate Arch at sunset? You’ll need a reservation for that.
Over the past couple of years, several national parks in the U.S. have been experimenting with reservation systems to help with overcrowding. For some, you only need a reservation for certain popular hikes or roads, but for others, a timed ticket is required to even enter the park.
Since most reservations are released one to three months ahead and fill up quickly, I wanted to share some important information and deadlines so that you don’t miss your chance to visit these national parks. It’s always wise to double check whether you’ll need a reservation at any federal recreation site you’re visiting in advance of your trip, since more and more parks are starting to adopt this practice.
Save this list so that you have the national park reservation dates and booking links handy!
Rocky Mountain National Park Reservations
Colorado’s Rocky Mountain was the 5th most visited national park in 2021, and it’s no surprise why. Alpine lakes, gushing waterfalls, and more than 100 mountain peaks over 10,000 feet high make for some of the most breathtaking vistas in the country.
With everything from easy walks around reflective lakes to exhilarating climbs (including the fourteener Longs Peak), there is something to draw in every type of traveler. And the packed parking lots in popular zones like the Bear Lake Corridor show it.
To help curb the crowds, Rocky Mountain National Park will require a timed reservation from May 26 to October 22, 2023. There are two types available — the first is for the Bear Lake Road corridor and the whole park between 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. and the second is for the rest of the park excluding the Bear Lake section between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. Passes are good for a two hour window, and you must enter during that time. You are required to have a pass for all areas of the park.
Reservations are released in month blocks at the beginning of the preceding month beginning May 1 for a small processing fee. Reservations will not be available at the park entrance gates, visitor centers, or offices. A chunk of permits are kept aside and released on recreation.gov the day before at 5 p.m. MDT, but they fill up quickly.
In addition to your reservation, you will need an entry ticket or national parks pass, which can be purchased ahead of time online or at the entrance stations.
2023 Reservations for Rocky Mountain National Park
May 1 at 8 a.m. MDT reservations open for May 26 to June 30
June 1 at 8 a.m. MDT reservations open for July 1-31
July 1 at 8 a.m. MDT reservations open for August 1-31
August 1 at 8 a.m. MDT reservations open for September 1-30
September 1 at 8 a.m. MDT reservations open for October 1-22
Additional reservations open the day prior to entrance at 5 p.m. MDT on a rolling schedule.
Book a Rocky Mountain reservation
Yosemite National Park Reservations
Known for its waterfalls and granite cliffs, California’s Yosemite is the most popular national park in California, with over 3.2 million visitors last year. For the past few years, Yosemite required a reservation to visit in summer, but this will not be the case in 2023.
The park is implementing a reservation this year for weekends in February during the popular Horsetail Fall sunset glow natural event. Even if you aren’t visiting Horsetail Fall, you will need a reservation to enter the park on the weekends of February 10-12, 17-19, and 24-26, 2023. Half of the reservations will be released January 13 and the rest will be released two days ahead on a rolling basis.
Click here for reservations at Yosemite. You will need to pay the park’s entrance fee or have a national park pass to visit.
2023 Reservations for Yosemite National Park
January 13 at 8 a.m. PT reservations open for February 10-12, 17-19, and 24-26. Additional reservations open 2 days prior to entry date at 8 a.m. PT on a rolling basis.
Arches National Park Reservations
Home to more than 2,000 sandstone arches in rusty shades, Arches National Park in Moab, Utah, is a popular destination for road trippers and hikers. Some spans like Delicate Arch and Double Arch are even Instagram famous.
With most of the attractions along a scenic 17-mile road, the park got so busy in past years that the entrance gates often closed around 8 a.m. and didn’t reopen until later in the afternoon. To help curb this issue, Arches began testing out a reservation system for the first time in 2022 and is continuing the system this year.
Timed tickets will be required to enter from April 1 to October 31, 2023, between the hours of 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. You must enter during your one-hour reservation window, but you can stay in the park as long as you’d like or enter and exit as long as your timed ticket was validated during your window.
Reservations are released three months in advance for a month at a time, with a few kept aside and available one day before entry at 6 p.m. MDT. There is a $2 processing fee and reservations are not available at the park entrance.
Like all the parks, you will also need to purchase an entrance ticket or national park pass online ahead of time or at the gate.
2023 Reservations for Arches National Park
January 10 at 8 a.m. MST reservations open for April 1-30
February 1 at 8 a.m. MST reservations open for May 1-31
March 1 at 8 a.m. MST reservations open for June 1-30
April 1 at 8 a.m. MDT reservations open for July 1-31
May 1 at 8 a.m. MDT reservations open for August 1-31
June 1 at 8 a.m. MDT reservations open for September 1-30
July 1 at 8 a.m. MDT reservations open for October 1-31
Additional reservations open the day before entrance at 6 p.m. MDT on a rolling basis.
Book an Arches National Park reservation
Glacier National Park Reservations
Northern Montana’s Glacier National Park is one of the ten most visited in the country, with over 1,500 square miles of Rocky Mountain peaks and alpine lakes and 700-plus miles of hiking trails.
To help control the crowds and preserve the park, several sections of Glacier will require vehicle reservations this summer. The system is complicated, with various entrance points starting reservations from either May 26 to September 10 or July 1 to September 10, 2023. I recommend carefully reading the reservation page for the most up-to-date information.
The Going-to-the-Sun Road Corridor, the most popular section of the park along a 50-mile scenic drive, will require a reservation between 6 a.m. and 3 p.m. from May 26 to September 10 at the West entrance and from July 1 to September 10 at the St. Mary entrance. Reservations will be valid for three days.
The North Fork section on the northwest side of the park will offer one day tickets that are required between 6 a.m. and 3 p.m. from May 26 to September 10. New this year, the Many Glacier Valley and Two Medicine Valley will also implement a one-day reservation from July 1 to September 10 between 6 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Reservations for all sections will be released in blocks 120 days ahead of each month at 8 a.m. MT. A few are kept aside and released the morning before at 8 a.m. on a rolling basis. A processing fee of $2 applies when you purchase your spot.
2023 Reservations for Glacier National Park
February 1 at 8 a.m. MST reservations open for May 26 to June 30
March 1 at 8 a.m. MST reservations open for July 1-31
April 1 at 8 a.m. MDT reservations open for August 1-31
May 1 at 8 a.m. MDT reservations open for September 1-10
Additional tickets open one day prior to the entry date at 8 a.m. MT.
Zion National Park Reservations
The second most popular park in the country, Zion is full of beautiful pink and orange cliffs along a canyon of the Virgin River in southern Utah. While you don’t need a reservation to enter the park, one of the hikes here has become so crowded that Zion is using a reservation system to make it safer and more enjoyable.
The famous Angel’s Landing trail leads up a narrow ridge to a breathtaking view over Zion Canyon. Because the rock formation is steep and thin, chain assists are in place for the ascent and descent, but the path is typically crowded with hikers trying to scoot around each other.
You now need a permit to hike Angel’s Landing year-round, with tickets issued through a lottery system that opens for three-month windows at a time. There is a second day-before lottery that opens 12:01 a.m. to 3 p.m. on a rolling basis. Each person in your party needs a ticket. There is a nonrefundable $6 application fee to enter that covers up to 6 people, and if you are selected you will have to pay an additional $3 per person in your party.
2023 Reservations for Angel’s Landing
January 1-20 lottery open for April 1 to May 31, permits issues January 25
April 1-20 lottery open for June 1 to August 31, permits issued April 25
July 1-20 lottery open for September 1 to November 30, permits issued July 25
October 1-20 lottery open for December 1 to February 29, 2024, permits issued October 25
A second day-before lottery opens on a rolling basis and closes at 3 p.m. MT each day. Those permits are issued at 4 p.m. for the next day.
Book reservations for Zion National Park
Shenandoah National Park Reservations
Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park is known for its colorful forests, waterfalls, and Blue Ridge Mountain views along the 105 mile long Skyline Drive. The strenuous trek to the summit of Old Rag is one of the most popular in the park, and with visitation growing to over 1.5 million in 2021, the park implemented a reservation system for the hike in 2022. That pilot program is now in review, and information about 2023 reservations has not yet been released.
The program in 2022 required hikers using the Saddle, Ridge and Ridge Access trails between March 1 to November 30 to make a reservation. Tickets were available for a $1 fee 30 days in advance and 5 days in advance on a rolling schedule.
2023 Reservations for Old Rag Mountain Shenandoah
The pilot reservation program is in review and information for 2023 has not been released.
Acadia National Park Reservations
You need an Acadia National Park reservation for the 3-mile drive up Cadillac Mountain, the tallest peak in the park with views of islands and lighthouses. Located on Mount Desert Island, Maine, Acadia has seen a dramatic increase in visitation in the past few, drawing over 4 million people last year.
Watching the sunrise from the summit of Cadillac Mountain is a bucket-list Acadia moment, so the parking lots here are typically full and traffic congested. The reservation system is designed to alleviate some of that. Tickets are available for either sunrise or daytime hours between May 24 and October 22, 2023.
Unlike most of the other parks, Acadia releases a smaller portion of the reservations 90 days ahead of time on a rolling schedule with the rest available two days in advance at 10 a.m. ET. The cost is $6 for the reservation.
2023 Reservations for Cadillac Mountain in Acadia
Reservations open on a rolling 90 day schedule ahead of each date and two days ahead of time at 10 a.m. ET.
Book a reservation for Acadia National Park
Haleakala National Park Reservations
Watching the sunrise from the 10,023-high peak of Haleakala National Park is a bucket list experience on the island of Maui in Hawaii, but traffic at the small parking lots at the top fills up quickly. The park implemented a reservation system for the experience several years ago, but it’s only required for sunrise (3 a.m. to 7 a.m.).
Tickets are available on a rolling schedule 60 days in advance at 7 a.m. Hawaii time, with an additional set released two days ahead. A $1 fee applies for each vehicle.
2023 Reservations for Haleakala Summit
Tickets are released at 7 a.m. HST 60 days and two days in advance on a rolling basis.
Tips and Information for National Park Reservations
Which USA national parks require reservations? National park reservations for 2023 include Rocky Mountain, Arches, Yosemite, Glacier, Zion, Shenandoah, Acadia, and Haleakala. Other national parks require reservations or permits for things like backcountry hiking and camping, so check out the NPS page for the park you’re planning to visit a few months ahead of time to check what you may need. Some other sites managed by the National Park Service require entry reservations as well, including Muir Woods National Monument in California and Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area in Nevada.
Log on at the time reservations open. The best times for national park reservations usually go quickly as soon as they open up, so you want to be ready at the exact time they open if you’re set on certain dates. Pay special attention to the time zones of the reservations that may differ from where you live.
Register for an account on Recreation.gov ahead of time. You have to have an account to claim your national park reservation, so it’s best to create one ahead of time so it doesn’t slow down your booking process.
Print, download or screenshot reservations. Most national parks don’t have great cell service (or any at all), so you’ll need a hard copy or downloaded copy of your reservation to show at the gate and/or display in your car if required.
Pay attention to cancellation/refund policies. Each park does things differently, but typically reservations can be canceled up until a day or so ahead of time. But, the small processing fees you pay will not be refunded. In some of the systems, if you cancel your ticket within 24 hours, you’re not able to reserve another ticket for the same day under the same account. This can be a problem if you’re waiting for a better time to open up when the last-minute tickets are released. You can get around this by having another member of your travel party book the reservation on their account.
Can you enter without a reservation? For national parks with reservations, the only way to get around it is by entering outside of the hours that require a reservation, which is usually very early or late in the day. For most parks, you can also enter if you have a reservation for something else in the park, like camping, a backcountry trail, a horseback riding tour, etc. You’ll want to check the details for each park to see what applies.
