In order to manage expected high volumes of visitors this summer, there are several US national parks that will require reservations. Here are all of the US national parks that have reservations requirements or entry permits this summer. Plus, some insider tips for how to get national park reservations.
No time right now to discover which national parks require reservations or entry permits this summer? Pin It and save it for later:
Glacier National Park (updated for 2026)
Yosemite National Park (updated for 2026) * Not Required*
Rocky Mountain National Park (updated for 2026)
Zion National Park (updated for 2026)
Acadia National Park (updated for 2026)
Mount Rainier National Park (updated for 2026) * Not Required*
Haleakala National Park (updated for 2026)
Muir Woods National Monument (updated for 2026)
Arches National Park (updated for 2026)
Shenandoah National Park (updated for 2026)
Table of Contents
Glacier National Park
Glacier National Park is a breathtaking mix of mirror-like lakes, towering mountains and stunning glacier-carved valleys.
It has one of the most famous scenic drives in US national parks, the Going to The Sun Road. This road is an absolute must-do in the park. In recent years, timed entry reservations were needed for this and other areas of the park (exactly where and when changed each year).
In 2026, there are no timed entry reservation needed to enter any section of Glacier National Park.
However, in 2026, you will need to reserve a shuttle ticket. AND there is a 3-hour time limit on parking at Logan Pass, so if you want to do some of the longer hikes that start there, you’ll need to take the shuttle.
Here is a summary of the reservation system for the Glacier National Park shuttle, but for full details, read my detailed Guide to the Glacier National Park Reservations, Parking and Shuttle.
Reservations are needed for
The shuttle on the Going to the Sun Road from the west or the east side of the park.
How to get entry tickets/ make reservations
You can make reservations for on Recreation.gov or through the Recreation.gov Call Center (Reservation Line: 877-444-6777). All shuttle tickets will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Shuttle tickets are not available for purchase inside the park!
Shuttle tickets will be sold in two booking windows:
1) A portion of shuttle tickets will be availableโฏ60 days in advance,โฏstarting onโฏMay 2, 2026,โฏat 8:00 a.m. MDT,โฏon a rolling basis.
2) The remaining shuttle tickets will be available atโฏ7:00โฏp.m.โฏMDT for next-day entryโฏstarting June 30.
Cost of tickets/ reservations
$1 per ticket
Yosemite National Park
Reservations were required in the busy summer months in Yosemite for several years but no reservations will be required for Yosemite National Park in 2026.
Expect long lines, delays and full parking lots. Try to visit midweek in summer, if you can.
Rocky Mountain National Park
Here is a summary of the timed entry reservation system for Rocky Mountain National Park, but for full details, read my detailed Guide to the Rocky Mountain National Park Timed Entry System.
Type of entry tickets/ reservations
Timed entry to the national park as a day visitor.
1) Access to the whole of the park, including the main Bear Lake Road corridor between 5:00am and 6:00pm.
2) Access to most of the park but excluding the main Bear Lake Road corridor between 9:00am and 2:00pm.
Period reservations are needed for
Access between May 22 and October 18, 2026 for the Bear Lake Road Corridor and between May 24 and October 12, 2026 for the rest of the park.
How to get timed entry tickets/ make reservations
1) 60% of the tickets are sold at 8:00 am Mountain Time approximately one month in advance as follows:
- Tickets released May 1, 2026 for May 22 through June 30
- Tickets released June 1, 2026 for July (and any days in June not fully booked)
- Tickets released July 1, 2026 for August (and any days in July not fully booked)
- Tickets released August 1, 2026 for September (and any days in August not fully booked)
- Tickets released September 1, 2026 for October (October 1-18 for the Bear Lake Road Corridor and October 1-12 for the rest of the Park) (and any days in September not fully booked)
2) 40% of the tickets are sold at 7:00 pm Mountain Time the day before arrival
Entry tickets are only available online at the NPS reservation system. They will not be available at park entrance stations, visitor centers or park offices.
Cost of tickets/ reservations
$2 per vehicle (and all occupants)
Zion National Park
Angel’s Landing is one of the most iconic hikes in the United States and an incredibly popular hike in Zion National Park. The hike includes a very narrow section with steep drop offs n both sides and chains to hold on so you don’t fall. Because the hike is so popular, there has frequently been a long wait time on the trail.
In order to manage numbers and increase safety, the park introduced a permit system that operates through a lottery.
Here is a summary of the lottery system for the Angels Landing trail, but for full details, read my detailed Guide to the Angels Landing Lottery System.
Type of permits
Permits are issued for a time period, with three different time periods throughout the day. This time period is when you need to start the hike. You can take as long as you like to complete the hike once you’ve started it.
Note that permits are only required for the final 0.5 miles of the hike from Scouts Lookout to Angels landing. If you are only hiking to Scouts Lookout, you do NOT need a permit.
Period reservations are needed for
Access all year round
| Hike Dates | Lottery Opens | Lottery Closes | Permits Issued |
| March 1 to May 31, 2024 | January 1 | January 20 | January 25 |
| June 1 to August 31, 2024 | April 1 | April 20 | April 25 |
| September 1 to November 30, 2024 | July 1 | July 20 | July 25 |
| December 1, 2024 to February 28, 2025 | October 1 | October 20 | October 25 |
How to get permits
Permits are issued through a lottery system. There are two options:
- The seasonal lottery is held four times/ year.
- The Day Before lottery is held daily between midnight and 3:00PM MST for permits to hike the following day.
Permits are available online at the NPS reservation system.
Cost of tickets/ reservations
$6 to enter the lottery (for up to six people) plus $3 per person to get the permit if you win the lottery.
Acadia National Park
Acadia National Park is one of the most popular national parks on the east coast. The park has miles of rocky shoreline, bays dotted with islands and plenty of wooded peaks to hike.
The highest peak in the park is Cadillac Mountain. The views from the top of the mountain over the surrounding seas, islands and forests are stunning. For several months a year, this is the point at which you can see the earliest sunrise in the country. Throughout the year, it is a popular place to see the sunrise and enjoy the views throughout the day.
It’s possible to hike to the summit, but there is also a paved road open mid-April to October. A very popular road. In order to prevent overcrowding, there is now a timed entry system to access the road for most – but not all – of the time of year that the road is open.
The rest of the park is reservation-free; however a park entrance fee applies.
Here is a summary of the reservation system for Acadia National Park, but for full details, read my detailed Guide to the Acadia Cadillac Mountain Reservation System.
Type of entry tickets/ reservations
Vehicle access to Cadillac Summit Road, which goes to the top of Cadillac Mountain.
1) Sunrise reservations are required for entry in a 90-minute window starting between 4:00 am and 7:30 AM depending on the month.
2) Daytime reservations are required for entry in a 30-minute window between 6:00 AM and 8:00 PM, varying depending on the month.
Period reservations are needed for
Access between May 20 and October 25, 2026.
How to get entry tickets/ make reservations
1) 30% of the tickets are released at 10:00 AM Eastern Time 90 days in advance of each date.
2) 70% of the tickets are sold at 10:00 AM Eastern Time two days in advance of each date.
Entry tickets are only available online at the NPS reservation system. Only one sunrise reservation is allowed per vehicle every seven days and one daytime reservation is allowed per vehicle each day.
Cost of reservations
$6 per vehicle
Mount Rainier National Park
Reservations were required in the busy summer months for Paradise (and Sunrise, depending on the year) but no reservations will be required for Mount Rainier National Park in 2026.
Expect long lines, delays and full parking lots. Try to visit midweek in summer, if you can.
Haleakala National Park
Haleakala National Park has the highest peak in Maui. After watching the sunrise here, Mark Twain wrote “It was the sublimest spectacle I ever witnessed, and I think the memory of it will remain with me always.” Sunrises have been popular ever since, and to control crowding, the national park has had a reservation system for the sunrise at the summit in place for several years now.
Type of entry tickets/ reservations
Access to the summit entering between 3:00 am and 7:00 am.
Check for sunrise times in Haleakala National Park.
Note that the summit is about 30 minutes from the park entrance.
This is an entry ticket and not a parking ticket per se. However, the number of tickets issued for each morning matches the number of parking spaces available, so you will get a parking space. There are four parking lots and you will need to park in whichever one you are directed to by a ranger.
Period reservations are needed for
Access all year round
How to get entry tickets/ make reservations
1) Most tickets tickets are released at 7:00 am Standard Hawaiian Time each morning 60 days in advance
2) The remainder of the tickets are released at 7:00 am Standard Hawaiian Time two days in advance
Entry tickets are only available online at the NPS reservation system. They will not be available at park entrance stations, visitor centers or park offices.
Cost of tickets/ reservations
$1 per vehicle. There is a limit of one reservation per vehicle every three days.
Muir Woods National Monument
Muir Woods is home to towering redwoods. It’s close to San Francisco, and therefore very convenient to visit for many people, but if you plan to drive or take the shuttle, you should be aware of the reservation requirements.
Type of entry tickets/ reservations
Reservations are required for all car parking and shuttles.
Period reservations are needed for
Access all year round
How to get entry tickets/ make reservations
You can reserve a parking space or shuttle online here.
Cost of tickets/ reservations
Parking costs are:
- $10.00 standard vehicle
- $30.00 medium vehicle
- $45.00 large vehicle
Shuttle costs are $4:00 per adult round trip. Kids 15 and under ride free.
Note that this does not include the $15.00 per person park entrance fee, which is extra.
Arches National Park
Arches National Park will not have timed entry in 2026.
There was timed entry for the past few years. In the years before timed entry was implemented, the National Park Service (NPS) frequently closed the park, turning people away, when it got full. There is just one road through the park and limited parking.
Expect:
- to be turned away at peak times. During ‘temporary delays’ (which may last three to five hours), vehicles aren’t allowed to park near the entrance sign or anywhere along the road to wait.
- long lines to get in when the park reopens after the ‘temporary delays’
- for many trailhead parking lots to be full by 7:30 am.
- Parking lots to be full for much of the day.
Shenandoah National Park
Reservations are now required to hike Old Rag Mountain.
Type of entry tickets/ reservations
A reservation ticket is required to hike Old Rag Mountain. This is accessed from its own entrance, not the Skyline Drive.
Period reservations are needed for
Access between March 1 and November 30, 2026
How to get timed entry tickets/ make reservations
Buy tickets online only. 400 tickets go on sale at 10:00AM EST 30 days in advance of the day of your visit and another 400 are released five days in advance. They are valid for one day only, and it does not guarantee a parking spot. Each person can buy up to four tickets at a time.
Day-use tickets for Old Rag Mountain for the 2026 season will become available the first week of February.
You are required to bring evidence (print or digital) of your ticket purchase for entry to Old Rag Mountain. The person who purchased the ticket(s) online must also present the ranger with a photo I.D. (any form of I.D. with your name and picture).
Cost of tickets/ reservations
$2 non-refundable fee (in addition to the park entrance fee).
Tips For Making Reservations at National Parks
All of these reservations will be extremely popular and will most likely book out in minutes, if not seconds. Here are some tips to help you get the reservations you want.
1. You need to have an account set up on the NPS reservation system in advance. I strongly recommend creating your account well in advance. You can do this right now! You only need to do it once, so if you have previously made a reservation at a national park for a campground or guided hike, for example, you will already have an account. If you have an account, make sure you remember your login details.
2. Be logged in to your account before the time the tickets go on sale and proceed through as much of the reservation system as possible, so you are just a click away when the tickets go on sale. Have your credit card handy. You will have 15 minutes after clicking Book Now to enter all your information and finalize the booking.
3. If you want multiple days/ reservations, be logged in under different browsers on and/or different computers.
4. If you are traveling with other people, have them be logged into their own accounts and try to reserve at the same time. Be aware, though, that all of the special entry reservations are non-refundable. If that is OK with you, you can all try and then if you manage to get more than one, cancel the extra times (you wonโt get your money back, but by cancelling, you will make that space available for someone else, so if you do this, it is very important to cancel any unused reservations).
5. Have a reliable digital clock that shows the exact correct time and at EXACTLY the time the reservations become available, choose the dates and any other information required and click Add to Cart/ Request Tickets. Don’t hesitate or stop to check anything. Those few seconds may make the difference.
6. Scroll down and click on “Yes I have read and agree to the need to Know Information”. You can then either proceed to checkout or click on Continue Shopping to get an additional reservation for a different date or a reservation for a different part of the park.
6. You now have 15 minutes to make an additional reservation and/ or enter your payment information and complete your order.
7. If you miss out, try again 15 minutes after the release time. The system times out for uncompleted bookings then and additional spaces can become available.
8. If you miss out on advance reservations, check if there is another release a day or two beforehand. This is the case for some of the parks, and this gives you another chance. Note, however, that the majority of tickets are sold further in advance, so donโt rely on the last-minute releases.
9. Have a Plan B in case you miss out. There are usually plenty of awesome things to do in the areas surrounding the national parks that are usually less crowded.
10. If you get tickets/ permits, make sure you take them with you (plus ID). Do not rely on having cell service, as it is spotty in many of the parks. Print it out (the reservations page; not the receipt) or take a screen shot that you can show on your phone without needing cell service or WiFi.
Here is a simple summary of the steps to take to maximize your chances of getting a reservation for the national parks. Youโre welcome to share this image on your site using this code and attribution:
NOTE: If you are entering a lottery, there is no advantage to entering earlier. As long as you enter within the lottery period, you will have an equal chance of winning, so that takes the stress out of needing to log in as soon as it opens.
Good luck and enjoy the national parks this summer!โฏ
Do you have any other tips for getting tickets for US national parks?โฏ Iโd love to hear them.โฏ Join my private Facebook group National Parks Collectors and comment and let me know.โฏ
If you found this guide helpful,โฏโฏPin It to your US National Parks board!โฏ
Are you just starting to think about taking a national parks trip? Get Inspiration
Are you starting to plan a trip to a national park? Read my National Parks Guides
Do you want an itinerary to help plan your trip? Check out my Detailed Itineraries
Are you ready to book your trip? Use these Planning and Booking Resources
About the Author
James Ian is a national park, camping and hiking expert.
He has dedicated his life to travel, visiting more than 80 countries, all 7 continents and most of the national parks in the United States. With over 35 years experience in the travel industry, James has worked on cruise ships, at resorts and hotels, and as a travel planner whoโs helped hundreds of people plan successful trips to US national parks.
Based on his experience visiting our national parks multiple times, in-depth research and expertise as a travel planner, James has published detailed itineraries for many of the major national parks in the US. These itineraries, as well as in-depth park guides, and other resources will help you have your own incredible trip to US national parks without stress and hassle.
As a national park expert, James has contributed to manyย publications, including USA Today, Newsweek, Time Business News, Savoteur, Best Trip, and Wired.
I’m a member of the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.