Planning to visit a top US national park this summer? Start organizing now—don’t wait until the last minute

Cities like Venice and Amsterdam are all too familiar with the challenge of overwhelming tourism.

Some of the busiest US national parks face similar struggles—being too popular can have its drawbacks.

This creates a real challenge, especially for parks with brief peak seasons and rare, must-see attractions. The goal is to encourage visitors, but not flood the park all at once. Striking the right balance can be difficult.

Just like the famous European cities, the US National Park Service is adopting similar tactics to manage the crowds.

How does this impact you? If you're planning to visit a popular park this summer, now is the time to start making arrangements.

In 2022, expect additional fees, early reservations, exclusive passes, lotteries, and visitor caps to protect the uniqueness of some of the most beloved parks from overcrowding.

National park travelers: We’re eager to experience the beauty!

The Covid-19 pandemic sparked a craving among people who had been cooped up in small spaces for weeks or months to escape into the healing embrace of the great outdoors across the nation.

In 2021, the crowds flocked especially to the well-known parks, scenic parkways, and other popular sites. Here's a quick overview of the highlights:

• Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina and Tennessee) set a new visitation record in 2021, surpassing 14 million visits for the first time.

• Over in North Carolina, Cape Hatteras National Seashore attracted more than 3 million visitors in 2021, a milestone it had never reached before, according to the NPS.

• In Wyoming, Devils Tower National Monument saw its highest number of recreational visits ever in 2021, surpassing 500,000 visits for the first time in its history.

• The very first US national park, Yellowstone, saw an astonishing 4,860,537 recreational visits in 2021, marking its busiest year ever. To put it in perspective, that’s like the entire population of Louisiana—plus the city of Des Moines, Iowa—paying a visit. And much of this influx happened within just a few months of the peak summer season.

This gives you an idea of the challenges these parks are facing.

To balance visitor demand with environmental protection, the NPS is testing various strategies. Here’s what you might encounter on your next trip:

New entry fees

But more parks may soon follow suit. Indiana Dunes National Park will begin charging an entry fee for the first time this year, starting March 31.

The revenue from the new fees will be used to fund improvements, including a new bike trail, according to the park.

Timed entry systems

The days of casually dropping by the most visited parks without a plan may be coming to an end.

In Utah, Arches National Park is launching a timed entry system for visits between April 3 and October 3.

Patricia Trap, the park superintendent, explained in a statement late last year, "By introducing a temporary, timed entry reservation system, our goal is to better distribute visitors throughout the day to alleviate traffic and crowding issues."

Park tickets will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis through Recreation.gov, with new tickets released in monthly blocks three months in advance, according to the following schedule:

• February 1: Reservations for May (May 1-31)
• March 1: Reservations for June (June 1-30)
• April 1: Reservations for July (July 1-31)

This pattern extends through July for visits up to October 3. A limited quantity of tickets will also be available for purchase one day prior to entry via Recreation.gov.

Additional fees or advance tickets may be required for popular attractions

Once inside the park, you may encounter additional fees or be required to book advance tickets (or both) for access to highly sought-after attractions.

The pilot program will run from March 1 through November 30.

Lotteries

Some attractions are so in-demand that the NPS is experimenting with lotteries—though there's no guarantee you'll secure a spot.

New entrance stations

The last thing you want during your getaway is to be stuck in a city-like traffic jam. These days, limited entry points can often be a major headache.

In Southern California, the popular desert destination Joshua Tree National Park is now accepting public feedback on a project to build a new West Entrance Fee Station approximately half a mile inside the park, replacing the current fee station.

The park aims to alleviate "excessive traffic backups outside the park boundary" and improve safety conditions for park staff working in the desert.

Campground size restrictions

Large RVs are creating challenges at some NPS-managed sites.

Along the Gulf Coast, Gulf Islands National Seashore has introduced length and height restrictions for all campsites at Fort Pickens Campground in Florida and Davis Bayou Campground in Mississippi, with enforcement starting February 1.

"The current restrictions are in place to ensure the safety and protection of both the park and visitors' property," said Darrell Echols, superintendent of Gulf Islands, in a news release.

"In 2021, Gulf Islands National Seashore experienced an uptick in incidents that caused damage to park resources and visitors' property. Enforcing these restrictions should help reduce such incidents," he added.

Planning well ahead

The overall trend is that visitors will need to plan their trips months, or even over a year, in advance.

At Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona, the NPS has already begun accepting applications for noncommercial river trip permits to raft the Colorado River in 2023. Yes, you read that correctly—these are for 2023. A total of 359 permits are available for river trips ranging from 12 to 25 days.

The application period closes on February 22. The NPS notes that follow-up lotteries will be held as needed throughout the year to reassign canceled or leftover river trips.

Over at Yellowstone, reservations are already being accepted for several campgrounds six months in advance. At Indian Creek, Lewis Lake, Pebble Creek, Mammoth, and Slough Creek campgrounds, 80% of sites can be reserved six months ahead of time. For those who prefer more flexibility, the remaining 20% will be available for booking just two weeks in advance.

Other initiatives by the NPS

Here’s a quick overview of other parks and their crowd management strategies for 2022:

• North Cascades National Park (Washington): The park will offer online trip planning and reservations for the peak hiking season from May 27 to September 30. The process begins on March 3 with an early access lottery.

• Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado): A new system will be in place for backcountry camping reservations this peak season. From March 1 to April 3, visitors can check permit availability, make reservations, and pay online. Phone, mail, email, and fax reservations will no longer be accepted.

• Glacier National Park (Montana): In 2022, visitors will need to use a ticket system to access certain parts of the park between May 27 and September 11. This marks the second year of the pilot ticketing system, which aims to manage heavy traffic and prevent gridlock. Visitors will have to create an account on Recreation.gov to secure their tickets.

• Yosemite National Park (California): Starting May 20, Yosemite will implement a temporary reservation system during peak hours to reduce congestion. Visitors will need a reservation to enter the park from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day of the week.

Avoid the crowds

Not a fan of the fees and advance planning required for the most visited parks?

Consider exploring lesser-known or more remote parks. The NPS is encouraging visitors to experience its other hidden gems. Here are a few suggestions:

• Congaree National Park (South Carolina): Home to the largest remaining stretch of old-growth bottomland hardwood forest in the Southeast, this park offers a unique experience you won’t find elsewhere.

• Great Basin National Park (Nevada): Featuring Wheeler Peak at 13,063 feet, sagebrush-covered foothills, and some of the darkest night skies in the country, this park is a hidden wonder.

• Guadalupe Mountains National Park (Texas): Located about 110 miles east of El Paso, this park boasts the four highest peaks in Texas, along with canyons, desert landscapes, and vast sand dunes.

• Katmai National Park and Preserve (Alaska): Located southwest of Anchorage, this park offers breathtaking views and opportunities to see brown bears in their natural habitat.

Explore at the state level

Another great option to explore is state parks. Many of them offer amazing landscapes and are often less crowded, giving you a peaceful nature experience. Here are some more suggestions:

• Cheaha State Park (Alabama): Located at the southern tip of the Appalachian Mountains, Cheaha is the highest point in Alabama, offering surprising mountain views in the Deep South.

• Crystal Cove State Park (California): Discover the beauty of the Pacific Coast with its scenic beaches and fascinating tide pools in Orange County.

• Letchworth State Park (New York): Known as the 'Grand Canyon of the East,' the Genesee River cascades through a gorge, creating three stunning waterfalls.

• Tettegouche State Park (Minnesota): Famous for its breathtaking views of Lake Superior from cliff-top trails, this park is a favorite among rock climbers. For a peaceful visit, try traveling midweek.