This week, I've been in NYC for the IMM Travel Conference, where I was fortunate enough to get 1:1 meetings with tourism destinations across the US and the Globe. It's pretty crazy to think that just two years ago, I had never worked with a tourism destination and was just plotting how to make this entire freelance business work.

While having a meeting doesn't mean anything, it's a great way to stand out, and I'm confident that these will lead to some amazing opportunities this year and going forward!

Otherwise, life is good and normal. Which is about all we can ask for right about now. We’re enduring this Seattle “winter” which is warm and wet - not a fun recipe for outdoor adventures

This newsletter is a bit longer than usual, but I've laid out all the National Parks entry rules that you'll want to keep in mind for 2024 if you have the NP's on your travel list.

Navigating the National Park's Timed Entry Policies in 2024

The list of National Parks requiring some sort of entry reservation has grown in 2024. In mid-January, Mount Rainier National Park in Washington State announced it would be the 12th National Park in the United States to require visitors to obtain a permit to access public land.

This is a direct result of the most popular National Parks needing more infrastructure (mainly parking) to handle the influx of visitors during the peak hours of the day. While many attribute this growth to social media and post-covid nature allure, many locations have seen visitation growth of over 25% over the last decade.

What happens if you don’t get a permit?

Luckily, there are ways around the timed entry policies - not for hiking permits. If you enter any of the destinations before 6 or 7am (whatever the individual park states) or after 3pm/4pm, you can access the entirety of the area.

Furthermore, you do not need a timed entry permit if you hold a campsite reservation, hotel reservation, or another applicable reservation.

The main reason behind timed entry permits is to control the number of visitors during peak hours when trails and parking lots get filled up.

National Parks that Require Timed Entry Permits for the entire park

Make sure you have your America the Beautiful Pass before visiting.

Arches National Park

Arches are chaotic because there’s one way in and one way out. Due to this, all the popular areas get crowded extremely quickly and become a madhouse.

If you plan to visit Arches National Park between April 1 and October 31, 2024, you are required to have a timed entry permit. If you enter the park before 7am and after 4pm, you can adventure as you please.

Glacier National Park

The rules around Glacier are slightly confusing because different parts of the park become snow-free at different times.

From May 24 through September 8, all vehicles require reservations for the West side of Going to the Sun Road and the North Fork. This applies to all entrances between 6am and 3pm.

Then, on the east side of Glacier National Park, you need a permit to visit the Many Glacier area from July 1 through September 6. The same time applies.

A change from 2023 is you do not need a permit to drive the Going to the Sun Road up to Logan Pass from St. Mary’s (east side) or to visit the Two Medicine area.

Mt. Rainier National Park

Up in Washington, Mount Rainier is the latest park to adopt entry regulations to stem the flow of tourists. The park is now regulating who enters the park from the Paradise Cooridor (south side) and the Sunrise Cooridor (northeast side).

Paradise Corridor: May 24 - September 2
Sunrise Corridor: July 3 - September 2

These requirements are active between 7am and 3pm. Thankfully, Washington’s long summer days (daylight after 9pm) will allow people who enter the park in the afternoon to enjoy their trip still.

Visitors should note that the northwest side of the park - Carbon River and Mowich Lake - do not require any permits during the summer months. This area offers terrific hiking opportunities with far fewer crowds.

Rocky Mountain National Park

In Rocky Mountain National Park, they have a two-pronged approach due to the popularity of one particular area.

Visitors can get permits for the Bear Lake Road Corridor (and the rest of the park). This begins on May 24 and will go through October 20. The reservation is in effect from 5am to 6pm

For those who wish to visit the rest of this stunning national park, you can apply for non-Bear Lake Road access, too. Those reservations go from May 24 until October 15. The reservation is in effect from 9am to 2pm.

If you want to visit RMNP, park passes are released on the first day of the month.

Yosemite National Park

This year, entrance reservations in Yosemite will be complicated, so bear with me here.

No reservation is needed to visit Yosemite from the start of the year until February 9th. Then, from February 10-25, reservations are required 24 hours per day on Saturday, Sunday, and President’s Day, February 19.
This random time slot in the middle of winter is due to Yosemite’s Firefall, which attracts photographers worldwide.
Then, the park opens back up from February 26 to April 12.
From April 13 to June 30, reservations are required from 5am-4pm on weekends and holidays.
For the summer months, July 1-August 16, a timed entry permit is required every day of the week between 5am and 4pm.
Finally, From August 17 through October 27, a reservation is only required on the weekends and holidays between 5am and 4pm.

Also of note, if you want to hike Half Dome, permits are required. You can get those in advance or by daily lottery two days before you want to hike.

Maybe print this out because I’m 100% sure no one will remember these details.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

The policies for Great Smoky Mountain are more relaxed than the others in this list.

The park does not limit who drives through the park, but they instruct people to buy a parking tag if they plan to park anywhere in the National Park for longer than 15 minutes.

Daily tags cost $5, weekly is $15, and annual is $40.

You can get these in person and online, which shows the lack of urgency for this.

National Parks Requiring Reservations for Popular Hikes

The following parks are open 24/7 with no permits but have a specific hike or location where you need a permit.

Redwood National Park - Fern Canyon

You must obtain a free permit from Redwood National Park to hike the Fern Canyon Loop Trail. This applies to all hikers from May 15 through October 15.

Zion National Park - Angels Landing

Angels Landing isn’t just one of the most popular hikes in Zion National Park. It is one of the most popular hikes in America. Due to this and the danger of having so many people on a somewhat dangerous hike, a permitting process is in place.

Shenandoah National Park - Old Rag Mountain

Between March 1 and November 30, anyone who wishes to hike to the top of Old Rag Mountain and soak in the stunning views needs a day-use permit. Eight hundred tickets will be issued daily, with 400 available 30 days in advance and the other 400 released five days in advance.

Haleakala National Park - Sunrise from the top

Do you want to watch the sunrise from the top of the Haleakala volcano? If so, you need to get a permit year-round. This only applies to those entering the park between 3am and 7am. Anyone wishing to visit the park can do so outside of those hours.

Acadia National Park - Cadillac Mountain Summit

One of the most popular spots in Acadia, Cadillac Mountain, sees the most visitors by far. Due to this, they’ve now limited who can drive up to the summit. This permit is required from May 22 through October 27.

How does one get a permit?

Wrapping up, all permits can be reserved online at Recreation.gov for a small fee. You cannot get one at the entrance booth of the national parks. You’ll want to consult the individual destination that you wish to visit for full rules and regulations.

The REI Outlet is having a sale between 40% and 70% off. I compiled a few in the article below, and you can browse the entire sale here.

Top Deals From the REI Outlet Sale