National Parks
The Ultimate Guide to US National Park Reservations in 2026
March 25, 2026
If you’re wondering which US national parks require reservations in 2026, you’re in the right place. I’m the first to admit that national park reservations can be confusing. Not only have some parks had complicated systems in the past, but the rules have been changing every year. This is actually a good thing in most cases, because the national park service is constantly studying the impact and reevaluating, but it can be hard to keep up with.
I’m an avid national park traveler who has almost finished visiting all 63 US national parks (I’m planning to visit my final few parks by the end of 2026!). So, I wanted to create an easy source to keep track of all of the different reservations that may or may not be needed for the 63 US national parks. I will continue to update this post as things change. However, in case I’m delayed on updating something, always check the national park websites for the most up-to-date information.
Timed Entry Reservations for National Parks in 2026
There were a lot of changes made to national park reservation in 2026. To cut to the chase, there is really only one national park that requires timed entry this year, and that is Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado.
Reservations in Rocky Mountain National Park
Rocky Mountain has required timed reservations for several years now, but the exact details have varied each year. In 2026, reservations will be needed between May 22nd to October 12th. There are two different options: one reservation includes access to Bear Lake Road, and the other is for the rest of the park with no Bear Lake access.
Reservations are needed for Bear Lake Road between 5 AM and 6 PM, while they’re only needed in the rest of the park from 9 AM to 2 PM.
Reservations are generally released on the first of the month, for the following month. On May 1st at 8 AM MDT, reservations are released for May 22 - June 30. On June 1st at 8 AM MDT, reservations are released for July 1 - July 31, and so on.
If you don’t snag them a month ahead of time, additional reservations are released the night before at 7 PM MDT. The reservations that are released the night before sell out quickly, but personally, I’ve never had trouble getting one. Make sure you are logged on and ready as soon as they go on sale.
Tip: The Bear Lake Corridor is home to some of the most popular trails in the park, such as Dream Lake and Emerald Lake.
Learn additional details from the Rocky Mountain National Park website.
Read my itinerary for Rocky Mountain National Park
Other Types of Reservations Needed in National Parks in 2026
While most timed entry reservations went away in most parks for 2026, there were some important changes to one of the most popular areas of Glacier National Park.
Below, I cover the changes in Glacier, and then I list other types of reservations you need to consider for national parks. While this is not the same as needing a timed entry, in some parks, you need to make an advanced reservation to do one of the most popular activities. Plus, in the case of isolated island parks, you may need to make an advanced reservation to reach the park at all.
Changes in Glacier National Park in 2026
Previously, Glacier National Park required different reservations for different areas of the park. However, that went away in 2026. Instead, they are making changes to help with the parking situation at one of the most popular areas of the park: Logan Pass. Now there will be a 3 hour parking limit for this parking lot.
If you want to hike a longer trail from Logan Pass, you’ll need to make a reservation on a Going-to-the-Sun Road shuttle. Shuttle tickets will become available 60 days ahead of time on a rolling basis, starting on May 2nd at 8 AM MDT. Another set of shuttle tickets will be made available at 7 PM MDT the night before, starting on June 30th. Read more about the changes on the Glacier National Park website.
Read my itinerary for Glacier National Park
National Park Ferry Reservations
There are 3 national parks within the lower 48 that require a ferry to reach them. A seaplane is also an option in 2 of these parks, but it’s more expensive. These parks are Isle Royale in Michigan, Dry Tortugas in Florida and Channel Islands in California.
In my experience, Dry Tortugas is the hardest island park to get tickets for. The ferry reservations often sell out at least 2 months in advance. You can also take a seaplane, but the seaplanes typically sell out at least a month in advance, so you’ll still need to plan ahead.
Read my guide to Dry Tortugas National Park
Isle Royale is an island on Lake Superior, and you’ll need to reserve a ferry or seaplane to reach it. The island has a relatively short season, and ferries typically only run from the end of May to mid-September. The ferries do sell out, but you have multiple options, and this park receives relatively few visitors, so it’s usually not overly difficult to get a spot. However, I still recommend reserving your spot at least a month or 2 in advance.
Read my guide to Isle Royale National Park
Finally, Channel Islands also requires a ferry to visit. Similar to Isle Royale, you’ll have multiple options to consider, and they don’t all sell out right away. However, most options sell out at least a couple weeks in advance, so make sure to plan ahead.
Read my guide to Channel Islands National Park
National Park Cave Tour Reservations
There are a handful of caves that you can tour within US national parks, and they usually require advanced reservations. There are 3 national parks that are primarily dedicated to caves: Mammoth Cave, Wind Cave and Carlsbad Caverns. For all 3 of these, you’ll want to make a reservation in advance. In Wind Cave and Mammoth Cave, you’ll only be able to enter on a ranger-led tour. In Carlsbad, you can explore the cave self-guided, but you’ll need a timed entry ticket to do so.
In my experience, most of the tickets sell out for all 3 of these caves. How quickly they sell out depends on time of year. But typically, you’ll want to make your reservations at least a few days in advance, if not a few weeks.
If you arrive at the park without a tour reservation, you may have to wait a long time, or miss out.
There are also some amazing cave tours within other national parks, such as Lehman Caverns in Great Basin, and Crystal Cave in Sequoia. If you’d like to tour these caves, you’ll also want to purchase a reservation in advance.
National Park Reservations for Certain Popular Activities and Hikes
Finally, here is a list of other types of reservations you might want to consider when you visit national parks. These are all optional, as you can still do a lot of other things inside the parks! This list does not include every backcountry permit that you might need for specific hikes or camping in the parks. It includes the most popular hikes or scenic drives that are often considered “must-dos” for these parks.
Sunrise at Haleakala, Hawaii
A reservation is needed to watch the sunrise from the summit Haleakala. It’s needed between 3 AM and 7 AM. Reservations go on sale 60 days in advance and often sell out quickly.
Read my guide to Haleakala National Park
Cadillac Mountain in Acadia, Maine
Reservations are required for vehicles to drive to the summit of Cadillac Road between May 20th and October 25th in 2026. They go on sale 90 days in advance, and more are released 2 days in advance. I highly recommend making your reservation for sunrise, but be prepared for them to sell out in seconds.
Read my guide to Acadia National Park
Angel’s Landing in Zion, Utah
Angel’s Landing is a very popular (and infamous) hike. Due to its narrow sections and big crowds, they have implemented a lottery system to control the number of people hiking this trail.
You can either enter the lottery ahead of time for each season, or there is another day-before lottery.
Read my guide to Zion National Park
Half Dome in Yosemite, California
Permits are required to hike to the top of Half Dome while the chains are up, which is typically from the end of May to mid-October. The permits are given out via a lottery system. There is a preseason lottery, and a daily lottery that occurs two days ahead of time.
Old Rag in Shenandoah, Virginia
A day-use ticket is required to hike up Old Rag between March 1st and November 30th. You can purchase your reservation on recreation.gov.
Fiery Furnace in Arches, Utah
Fiery Furnace is an adventurous area of Arches National Park that required route finding and scrambling. Reservations can be made online 7 days in advance, and then you’ll need to pick up your permit and do an orientation the day before, or the day of the hike. You can also reserve a ranger-led tour of Fiery Furnace.
Fern Canyon and Tall Trees Grove in Redwood, California
You’ll need a permit to hike two popular trails in Redwood: Fern Canyon and the Tall Trees Grove. The permits for Tall Trees Grove are issued a day ahead of time, and are free.
To hike the short, one-mile version of Fern Canyon, you’ll need a parking reservation for Gold Bluffs Beach Area. Reservations are issued available to be reserved 6 months ahead of time, or on the day before at 9 AM.
Read my guide to Redwood National Park
Cliff Dwellings tours in Mesa Verde, Colorado
Ranger-led cliff dwelling tours are an amazing way to learn about the people who lived in Mesa Verde. Tours are offered between May and October, and go on sale 2 weeks in advance. The more limited tours sell out very quickly.
Read my guide to Mesa Verde National Park
Here is a quick list of other activities that you might want to reserve ahead of time in national parks! (these are not necessary as difficult to get tickets for)
- A tour of Biscayne National Park with Biscayne National Park Institute.
- A train ride in Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
- A ranger-led wet walk in the Everglades.
- A boat tour on one of the lakes inside of Glacier National Park.
- A boat ride in Kenai Fjords National Park.
- A ranger-led boat tour in Glacier Bay National Park.
- A ranger-led boat tour in Voyageurs National Park.
- Small plane reservations for Katmai, Lake Clark, Kobuk Valley and Gates of the Arctic in Alaska.
- A boat tour in Crater Lake (not available in 2026 or 2027).
The Difference Between a National Park Entry Fee and a Reservation
I’ve seen some confusion online, so I wanted to quickly mention the difference between a timed entry reservation and a national park entry fee. Most national parks require a fee to enter, and you have the option to purchase your entry fee ahead of time online. Purchasing your entry fee ahead of time might save you a little bit of time, but it’s not necessary. In my experience, it’s just as easy to pay the fee upon arrival.
If you’ll be visiting multiple national parks over the course of a year, you should consider purchasing the America the Beautiful national park pass. It will likely save you money. You can purchase this online ahead of time, or at any national park.
Purchasing your entry fee ahead of time does not guarantee entry or parking availability.
As I discussed above, the only national park that needs a special timed entry reservation in 2026 (in addition to your entry fee) is Rocky Mountain National Park.
Need to Know: Starting in 2026, the America the Beautiful pass was made much more expensive for non-US residents. Entry fees for non-residents also went up in the most visited parks.
My Thoughts on National Park Reservations
I thought I would end this guide with a few of my thoughts on reservations in national parks. These are just my opinions and I know that not everyone will agree.
Personally, I think that the reservations are a good thing. In my experience of visiting almost all of the national parks, it has seemed to me that the reservation systems have helped a lot to control crowds. Plus, whenever there was a timed reservation in place, there were typically options to enter very early in the morning or to snag a reservation the night before.
I know that reservations can be frustrating for some visitors, but I think it’s alright that some national parks require a bit of advanced planning. Plus, fewer crowds make for a more enjoyable experience for all, and help to reduce the heavy environmental impact that crowds can have on our parks.
I was disappointed to see several of the national parks get rid of their reservation systems in 2026, especially for Arches National Park. If visitation continues to grow in US national parks, I hope to see more reservation systems in the future.
Final Thoughts
I hope this guide helps you make sense of reservations in US national parks. I know this is a lot of information, but it doesn’t have to be complicated. My best advice is to always check the national park website for the latest information regarding reservations. You can also check the social media pages of a specific park. No matter what, enjoy your visits to some of the most beautiful places in the United States, and leave it better than you found it.
For More US National Parks Travel Guides, check out these blogs:
- How to Plan a National Park Road Trip
- How to Avoid Crowds in National Parks
- How to Spend 2 Days in Zion National Park
- How to Spend 3 Days in Acadia National Park
- The Best National Parks to Visit in the Summer
- How to Spend 2 Days in Grand Teton National Park
- How to Spend 2 Days in Olympic National Park
Thanks for Reading!
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