Major national parks will drop timed-entry systems this summer

The National Park Service announced several major national parks will eliminate their timed-entry reservation systems starting in the summer of 2026. The parks, including Arches, Yosemite and Glacier, will no longer require reservations.

The change is intended to make the parks more accessible to visitors without requiring extensive planning months ahead.

Officials at Yosemite National Park in California said congestion can instead be managed through staffing and monitoring.

Arches National Park in Utah also dropped its timed-entry requirement, but encourages visitors to arrive early during peak times.

Glacier National Park in Montana will end its vehicle reservation system, using parking limits and a shuttle service instead.

However, some parks, such as Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado and Zion National Park in Utah, will continue a time-entry reservation program, and Zion will maintain a lottery for popular hikes.

Campground reservations and shuttle bookings will remain in use.

Park managers plan to monitor conditions throughout the season and, if needed, implement temporary measures to protect visitors and protect the parks’ resources.