These National Parks Will Require Reservations in 2022

[NMBruce]

I read this today and a search didn’t show anything on Overland Bound.

For everyone who is planning a trip this summer that includes one of the bigger National Parks, Glacier, Arches, Zion, Shenandoah, Rocky Mountain, Acadia, Yosemite and Maui’s Haleakala, read this;

Everything You Need to Know to Book a National Park Reservation This Summer

Four more parks have begun or expanded their ticketing systems, and many have renewed what was already in place

www.outsideonline.com

 

[Sylvester]

Have a hard time wrapping my mind around a Reservation to see Public Land - Part of the Reason we Typical avoid National Parks that and they Make it tough if you have Dog's

 

[307dulaney]

Teton recently went reservation only as well.

 

[KAIONE]

Have a hard time wrapping my mind around a Reservation to see Public Land - Part of the Reason we Typical avoid National Parks that and they Make it tough if you have Dog's

Well if you saw the amount of trash and feces left all over Haleakala, you’d know exactly why. They’ve done a great job there and it’s still sad to see what happens when people access public lands; it can end up being outright disgusting.

 

[ZombieCat]

Teton recently went reservation only as well.

Grand Teton will NOT require a timed entry pass in 2022. However, all of their campgrounds are reservation only.
In addition, there will be construction on a portion of Moose-Wilson Road throughout 2022 and this will include closures. During the summer (Memorial to Labor Day), this part of the road will be closed on weekdays; it will be open Friday 7 pm to Monday 7 am. Before and after those dates, the road will remain closed 24/7.
There’s also road construction planned for the southern part of Yellowstone.
Specific info regarding closures may be found in the park websites.

 

[NMBruce]

I guess I should of said this in my original post.

Last mid September some friends and I went to Glacier to drive the Going to the Sun road, we didn’t need a reservation, but the road was packed, so during summer, can see a need for it.
I don’t have a problem with this, since I hope it will help control the crowds at some of the larger parks.
Now there may come a time when I go to visit one of these parks and forget about this, not get in, get pissed at myself and then move on.

 

[RJ Howell]

I do have issues with this system. After visiting a few NP's this past Jan/Feb we stayed in 3/4 full campgrounds that were booked full. At 3 different locations I spoke to the Hosts & Rangers about this and heard "Nothing we can do." Turning away visitors because folks are reserving and not showing up. If people do not cancel, then they should be placed on a list of 'can not reserve' for balance of season at least.
Good news is they now take 'day of' reservations. Bad news is: Not all have service to do so. Let's get the system right before switching to something that doesn't work so well. Cart before the horse thing. Then again it is government at it's best..

We also stayed in a NF that had gone reservation only. No cell service within 40 miles. Host could not do anything and the 'pay box' was cut off at ground level. This is a bad idea all around when it comes to NF's. Sub-contracting services removes the personal pride folks working these National Parks/Forests have.

Not a Fan at all of this new systems. MHO

 

[OcoeeG]

It is sad to see it go this way, but I think it might be a necessary and inevitable step. We visited Great Sand Dunes, Arches, Teton, Yellowstone and Glacier last summer. Luckily we were earlyish in the season and had good timing, but it was pretty much a shit show. Yellowstone was the worst! We came into Grand Prismatic from the south and had to park a mile down the road. The poor fools coming in from the north had a 4 mile long traffic jam to get into or past Grand Prismatic, 1 in 1 out. Norris Geyser Basin took us about 1/2 hour of creeping traffic to get into the parking lot. Same for the loop at the falls. I am sure this just got worse as the summer went on. I would not even attempt to go in the summer again. Spring and Fall are the times to go to these places.
To make the problem worse, half of these people are your average Dick and Jane who have NO IDEA about treading lightly in nature, leaving no trace, outdoor etiquette, etc.

 

[Ubiety]

This is the saddest thing that I have seen for a while for so many reasons.

 

[grubworm]

GOVERNMENT:

 

[Ubiety]

half of these people are your average Dick and Jane who have NO IDEA about treading lightly in nature, leaving no trace, outdoor etiquette, etc.

Bingo! I have watched one of my favorite local tracks go from serene to the Dukes of Hazzard raceway and garbage hole over the last couple of years (correlation?). In some ways this summarizes my issues with the current state of “overlanding”; draw them in, sell them stuff, turn them loose.

 

[Ubiety]

GOVERNMENT:

View attachment 227932

You are braver than I am ;) The sierra club must be dancing a jig. Next step, tell everybody there are no reservations left…

 

[Mike W]

It is sad to see it go this way, but I think it might be a necessary and inevitable step. We visited Great Sand Dunes, Arches, Teton, Yellowstone and Glacier last summer. Luckily we were earlyish in the season and had good timing, but it was pretty much a shit show. Yellowstone was the worst! We came into Grand Prismatic from the south and had to park a mile down the road. The poor fools coming in from the north had a 4 mile long traffic jam to get into or past Grand Prismatic, 1 in 1 out. Norris Geyser Basin took us about 1/2 hour of creeping traffic to get into the parking lot. Same for the loop at the falls. I am sure this just got worse as the summer went on. I would not even attempt to go in the summer again. Spring and Fall are the times to go to these places.
To make the problem worse, half of these people are your average Dick and Jane who have NO IDEA about treading lightly in nature, leaving no trace, outdoor etiquette, etc.

I agree it is sad and I am mixed on this, but I am with you. We spent a good chunk of time in Yellowstone last year and it is just too crowded. The campgrounds are no fun there IMO. I wish that some kind of stern ranger educational session was required to go into the parks.

Also, I am still pissed at how badly the food services are in the parks. They outsource to some lowest bidder and they have nowhere near enough staff. Bring all your own food if you can. What a waste of time and money.

 

[OcoeeG]

On the bright side of our visit last summer, our son was in 4th grade. 4th graders get a free pass for the National Parks, so we got into all fo them for FREE.99!!

 

[Sylvester]

Well if you saw the amount of trash and feces left all over Haleakala, you’d know exactly why. They’ve done a great job there and it’s still sad to see what happens when people access public lands; it can end up being outright disgusting.

More and More I am against the National Park designation, Not Because it is Federal but Because of the Attention it then get's - I don't want to use the word Destroy's the Area but certainly changes it Just by the Sheer force of the Amount of visitor's not to Mention all the New rule's That come along with that Designation. It's a Hard one for me to Explain as my Opinion is still forming on it. Sometime's I would rather see Cows Then people no what I mean??

 

[orange01z28]

It's also high time the NPS creates a reservation system that uses technology newer than 1980s tech.

You have to fax reservations into the Grand Canyon NPS

 

[Mike W]

On the bright side of our visit last summer, our son was in 4th grade. 4th graders get a free pass for the National Parks, so we got into all fo them for FREE.99!!

We did the same. We went to a lot of parks and used that pass all over.

 

[ZombieCat]

I agree with many of the sentiments expressed in this thread. The ticketed entry system is a pain, but having endured the crowds and traffic jams last summer at Yellowstone, I kinda understand. Same with first come, first served campsites. In 2018, I was staying for a week at a very popular National Park campground. I would exit the campground every morning around 7am and there would be a line of 25+ vehicles already waiting in line to vie for just a few sites. This is frustrating for those in line, annoying to other visitors using the partially blocked roadway and a lot of extra work for the staff/hosts. Yes, It angers me when folks no show and fail to cancel their reservation. Grrrr! God grant me the serenity…
At present, outdoor experiences are the “in” thing. Like rollerblades and pet rocks, the trend will eventually wane. However, there’s still the fact that the world population continues to rise, which translates to more potential visitors each year.
The reservation system for federal lands has improved, but there’s still monumental room for improvement. Competition for the limited campsites, permits and entry tickets makes it difficult, but not impossible, to score your first choice. Research, plan and execute! Have a backup plan, consider state parks coupled with a park entry ticket, and look diligently for cancellations when booking last minute trips. I’ve done well over the years, even have two weeks booked in Glacier this summer - their entry tickets are nearly sold out for the season!
All of our public lands have something interesting to offer and I hope you all get out there to enjoy them as best you can. There are still a few hidden gems to be explored!

 

[OcoeeG]

At present, outdoor experiences are the “in” thing. Like rollerblades and pet rocks, the trend will eventually wane. However, there’s still the fact that the world population continues to rise, which translates to more potential visitors each year.

I think outdoor adventure has a bit more staying power than rollerblades or pet rocks. I wish you were right, but I have a feeling a lot more people are going to stick with it than you think.

The great thing is most of those people are going to stay on the beaten path, there are still lots of out of the way places to get your adventures in. Away from the Nat. Parks last year I was pleasantly surprised how easy it was to find camp sites and parking at trailheads.

 

[RJ Howell]

The wonderful thing about what we do is we don't need to camp within the NP. What drove me nuts over the past few years is how many NF campsites were closed and still are.

My conversations was Hosts/Rangers has been: This is the new normal.. There's not enough Hosts to manage them.. Back in the day, the 'old normal', there were no hosts. It was all first come/first serve. You paid at the pole. Simple, easy and a Ranger came through to collect and check sites.

It's coming down to the Government doesn't trust it's own employees to handle the money, so now it's easier to sub-contract at a set $$.

Not a fan at all of this 'new normal'. Again, MHO