8 U.S. National Parks Requiring Reservations In 2022

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Attendance at national parks in the U.S. has been growing for years, but it has simply skyrocketed over the past two as people looked for outdoor activities and places to visit during the COVID-19 pandemic.

For instance, Acadia, Arches, Glacier, Grand Teton, Great Smoky Mountains, and Yellowstone National Parks all set visitor records for attendance last year.

The problem is increasing attendance consequently means growing crowds, more traffic congestion, and an overall lack of parking. And that’s for the visitors who can get into national parks. In recent years, staff at some parks has even had to close park entrances early because the park was at capacity for the day, which means they were forced to turn away hopeful visitors.

Several national parks used a reservation system last year as a means to limit crowd size and minimize traffic jams. This year, some of those parks will be using their reservation systems again, while others will be piloting similar systems.

-more-

https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/tripideas/8-us-national-parks-requiring-reservations-in-2022/ar-AATtedW

[mcar]

1. I was in Teton and Yellowstone in early September 2021

They were packed. We had to stay in Idaho; there wasn't lodging anywhere near Yellowstone.

[stollen]

3. We got to Yellowstone about 3rd or 4th week. No problems.

West Yellowstone had available lodging.

[stollen]

2. I was at Yellowstone and Badlands in Sept/Oct

It's an excellent time to go. Rangers told me had I been there in July and August, I wouldn't have been able to see the sidewalks, they were so jammed with people. Forget about bringing a dog during those months as well...there are "no dog" signs about, and you don't want to keep a dog in the car during those months, nor outside among the crowds and their dogs.

In any month one can get in a 30 min. line with a buffalo crossing the road and everyone out to take pictures, but in July/Aug the added crowds would make for some very frustrated driving.

We did bring our doxie, who was "service" certified, and we even got a lodge room without a reservation plus dog.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

4. I was at Yellowstone in mid-May, a few years ago.

We stayed at the inn at Old Faithful. I wanted to get reservations for a time before the kids got out of school for the summer. It was great, very little traffic, and the whole place was covered with snow: every two-bit steam vent was visible in the cold weather.

[llmart]

5. My experience

I was in Yellowstone the third week in July one year and early in the morning it was snowing! Didn't last long, but it was very strange. Some guys were getting out of a boat on the river after a morning of fishing and they said they couldn't believe they were fishing in July under snowflakes.

[2naSalit]

6. It's a good start.

We had discussions among the Superintendent and park staff about the hoards showing up and acting badly back in 2015. The number of daily visitors has to be capped and enforced or the parks will die.