The National Park Service will require timed reservations for visitors of certain national parks in 2024. Among the national parks implementing a timed-reservation system in 2024 are California’s Yosemite National Park, Colorado’s Rocky Mountain National Park, and Utah’s Arches National Park and Zion National Park.
Timed reservations help manage crowds during peak seasons, which benefits visitors and parks alike. The timed-reservation system gives park visitors a guaranteed arrival time and ensures an enjoyable experience. In addition, controlling congestion through timed reservations helps protect park landscapes.
Reservation policies and prices vary from park to park. Zion National Park uses a lottery-based reservations system to visit and hike Angels Landing, which began Jan. 1. Permits are $3 per person. Beginning April 1, reservations for Arches National Park will be released in monthly blocks, three months in advance. Visitors will have a one-hour window to enter the park, but can stay as long as they want for the day. Reservations are free, apart from a $2 processing fee, per reservation. Yosemite National Park’s “Peak Hours Plus” reservation system also will begin in April. Reservations will be required for vehicles entering during its peak hours of 5 a.m.-4 p.m., on weekends and holidays, April 13-June 30; every day, July 1-Aug. 16; and on weekends, Aug. 17-Oct. 27. Two types of reservations will be available: full day; or for entry after 12 p.m.
Reservations will cost $2 each. Beginning May 24, Rocky Mountain National Park will require visitors to obtain two separate timed permits to access Bear Lake Road Corridor and to access all other areas of the park. Visitors will be allowed to enter the park during a two-hour period, without a set departure time. Reservations will be free, apart from a $2 processing fee, per reservation.
