America's national parks continue to draw big crowds. In fact, attendance has bounced back almost to pre-pandemic levels, with nearly 312 million visitors in 2022, according to the National Park Service. Visiting one of the U.S. park sites remains an incredibly popular travel choice for many people.
That high demand means some parks get very crowded, especially during the peak summer travel season. If you're already thinking of planning a trip to a national park in the summer of 2024, it's important you read up on entrance requirements for the park you intend to visit. The National Park Service website is an invaluable resource to help plan your trip and to make sure you're aware of specific entry requirements.
At certain parks like Arches National Park in Utah, the demand to gain entry to the park is so great some people arrive before sunrise to get in. Arches is one of a handful of in-demand national parks that continue to use a timed-entry reservation system or ticket requirements to manage crowds during the busiest time, which is between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. Entrance to the park before 7 a.m. or after 4 p.m. does not require a ticket. These measures began to deal with the massive influx of visitors after pandemic-era travel restrictions were lifted.
Visitors at Glacier National Park in Montana do not need a vehicle reservation at the moment as visitor traffic declines as the seasons change. The reservation system was a measure introduced to ease vehicle congestion in the park, primarily on Glacier's Going-to-the-Sun Road, during the busy summer season and peak times, primarily 6 a.m.-3 p.m. That 50-mile stretch crossing the Continental Divide in the Rocky Mountains is perhaps America's most scenic highway and one of Glacier's biggest drawing cards.
Related: Complete guide to Glacier National Park
The expiration of the reservation system means visitors can enjoy the sweeping vistas and outlooks along the road without fear of being turned away for not having booked a ticket in advance. Keep in mind that the alpine section of Going-to-the-Sun Road is closed during the winter season. The road is still open to the Avalanche Lake Campground on the west side and Rising Sun on the east side.
Related: What you need to know before planning your national park trip
Now, we should point out that while Glacier's reservation system expired as of Sept. 10, 2023, it doesn't mean it's gone for good. It's likely the vehicle reservation procedures will resume for the summer of 2024, given that Glacier remains a popular destination for travelers wanting to enjoy the great outdoors.
Additional entrances into Glacier National Park were added to the reservation system in 2023 to the Many Glacier and Two Medicine valleys
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