2026 National Park Timed Entries and Lotteries
[This blog post will be continuously updated with new information. Last Updated Feb 19, 2026]
As more and more national parks institute timed entries, reservations and lotteries, planning your national park trip requires more advance planning than ever. I have yet to see all this information in one place, which inspired me to do it! To compile it, I visited each national park website in addition to relying on my own experience visiting 54 of the 63 parks. I’ve also linked up the relevant Recreation.gov site for tickets. If I’ve missed anything, please let me know!
What’s new for 2026
- After months of delays and lots of speculation, it’s confirmed – Arches, Glacier, Yosemite and Mt Rainier will not require timed entry vehicle reservations for summer 2026. The announcements came in the latter part of February.
- Glacier is moving forward with its plan to limit parking at Logan Pass to 3 hours starting July 1, 2026. This will essentially make Logan Pass off limits for those wanting to do longer hikes that start there. Those folks will now need to make a shuttle reservation instead. Overnight parking will also not be allowed at Logan Pass with the exception of backcountry hikers and quests of the Granite Park Chalet.
- Rocky Mountain will continue its timed entry system for summer 2026.
- Yosemite will not require reservations during the annual Horsetail Firefall event for the first time in 3 years. This is concerning to many due to well-documented issues with overcrowding, traffic, parking and sensitive habitat destruction. Peak days this year are expected to be Feb 10-26. There will be restrictions in place though. Visit the park website for more details.
- Boat tours at Crater Lake are suspended until at least 2029 because Cleetwood Cove trail and marina will be closed for a major rehabilitation project for the 2026, 2027, and 2028 seasons.
I’ve split the information into four parts:
- Parks that require lotteries or timed entries for either the entire park or its most popular activities.
- Parks with popular lodging that requires lottery, waitlist or competitive advance reservation
- Parks that require special transportation due to their locations
- Parks with other special considerations before you visit
Parks that require lotteries or timed entries for either the entire park of its most popular activities
Park: Acadia
What: Cadillac Summit Road – reservations required for both sunrise and daytime
When: May 20 to Oct 25, 2026
Reserve: 90 days in advance for 30% of the capacity; 10 am 2 days ahead for the remaining 70% https://www.recreation.gov/timed-entry/400000
Park: Arches
What: Fiery Furnace tours
When: always
Reserve: 7 to 2 days in advance. Info at https://www.nps.gov/arch/planyourvisit/fiery-furnace-permit.htm; tickets at https://www.recreation.gov/ticket/234668/ticket/10087108
Park: Black Canyon of the Gunnison
What: Inner Canyon wilderness
When: always
Reserve: in person, at the South Rim visitor center and North Rim ranger station
https://www.nps.gov/blca/planyourvisit/innercanyon.htm
Park: Carlsbad Caverns
What: Caverns
When: always
Reserve: 30 days before the date desired https://www.recreation.gov/ticket/234637/ticket/10086811
Park: Congaree – TBD (2025 info below)
What: Synchronous Fireflies Viewing Event (see also Great Smoky Mountains)
When: May 14-21, 2025
Reserve: April 3 at 10:00 a.m. EDT to April 9 at 10:00 a.m. EDT at www.recreation.gov/ticket/facility/300008
Park: Crater Lake
What: boat tours of the lake (CLOSED TILL 2029)
When: July-mid September
Reserve: https://www.nps.gov/crla/planyourvisit/boat-and-trolley-tours.htm
Park: Gateway Arch
What: tram ride to the top of the arch
When: always
Reserve: typically 30 days before the date desired https://www.gatewayarch.com/#
Park: Glacier
What: Shuttle reservations for Going-to-the-Sun road, both from the west and from the east
When: Starting July 1, 2026, weather permitting (sometimes the road is not yet plowed up to Logan pass until later in July)
Reserve: A portion of shuttle reservations will be available 60 days in advance starting May 2, 2026 at 8 am MST. Remaining tickets will be released at 7 p.m. MDT for next-day entry beginning June 30. A link to to reserve on Recreation.gov is not yet available.
Park: Great Smoky Mountains – TBD (2025 info below)
What: Synchronous Fireflies Viewing Event lottery
When: May 29-June 5, 2025
Reserve: May 2-5, 2025 at https://www.recreation.gov/ticket/facility/233374.
Park: Great Basin
What: Lehman Cave tours
When: always
Reserve: up to 30 days in advance https://www.recreation.gov/ticket/facility/251853
Park: Haleakala
What: sunrise at the top
When: every day if entering between 3 am and 7 am
Reserve: up to 60 days in advance; if inventory left, 2 days in advance at 7 am HST https://www.recreation.gov/ticket/facility/253731
Park: Indiana Dunes
What: Century of Progress Homes Tour
When: The tour happens at the end of September each year
Reserve: tickets go on sale in August and sell out within an hour. See https://www.indianalandmarks.org/ for exact tour dates and tickets.
Park: Kenai Fjords
What: boat tours of the fjords
When: reservations recommended but not required
Reserve: https://www.nps.gov/kefj/planyourvisit/boattours.htm
Park: Mammoth Cave
What: Cave tours
When: reservations recommended but not required
Reserve: up to 6 months in advance https://www.recreation.gov/ticket/facility/234640
Park: Mesa Verde
What: Cliff dwellings (ranger-lead)
When: dwellings open May to Oct, reservations recommended but not required;
Reserve: available up to 14 days in advance https://www.recreation.gov/ticket/facility/233362
Park: Mt Rainier – TBD (2025 info below)
What: Timed entry for the Sunrise Corridor only; Paradise corridor does not require reservations this year due to a major construction project.
When: 7 am to 5 pm daily from Jul 11 – Sep 1, then holidays/weekends through the end of season (approx. mid-October). More info at https://www.nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/timed-entry-reservations-faq.htm
Reserve: July was released on May 16, and August was released on June 6. Daily rolling reservations for the following day will be released at 7 PM PT for the remainder of the season, including weekends and holidays in September and October. Reserve at https://www.recreation.gov/timed-entry/10101917
Park: Rocky Mountain
What: timed entry for the entire park
When: May 22 – Oct 12, 2026
Reserve: 8 am MDT on the 1st of the month to reserve the following month plus anything still available up to that point. For example, on May 1 you can reserve May 22 – June 30, on June 1 you can reserve July, on July 1 you can reserve August and so on. https://www.recreation.gov/timed-entry/10086910
Park: Shenandoah
What: Old Rag Mountain
When: Mar 1 – Nov 30 every year
Reserve: 10 am 30 days in advance for 50% of the inventory (400 slots), then 5 days in advance for the remaining 50% at https://www.recreation.gov/ticket/10088450/ticket/10088451.
Park: Sequoia – TBD (2025 info below)
What: Crystal Cave Tour
When: May 23 – Sep 7, 2025
Reserve: Tickets are managed through the Sequoia Parks Conservancy, not Recreation.gov. Get your tickets here: https://sequoiaparksconservancy.org/crystal-cave/
Park: Wind Cave
What: Cave tours
When: always
Reserve: https://www.recreation.gov/ticket/facility/10088514
Park: Yosemite
What: Half Dome permits
When: usually Friday before Memorial day to second Monday in October
Reserve: pre-season lottery March 1 – 31; then starting May 21, daily lottery 2 days in advance of hike https://www.recreation.gov/permits/234652
Park: Zion
What:Angel’s Landing lottery
When: Always.
Reserve: Enter lottery Jan 1-20 for hiking Mar – May, Apr 1-20 for hiking June-Aug, Jul 1-20 for hiking Sep – Nov and Oct 1-20 for hiking Dec – Feb. There is also a day-before lottery. https://www.recreation.gov/permits/4675326
Parks with popular lodging/camping that requires lottery/waitlist
Park: Grand Canyon
What: Phantom Ranch cabins only; the dorms are still closed and a reopening date is not yet confirmed. Phantom ranch can also be booked through general availability (whatever is left after the lottery).
Reserve: enter online lottery 15 months in advance from the 1st to the 25th of the month. Drawing takes places in the 14th month before the visit. Unsold or unclaimed inventory opens to the general public on the 13th month prior to the stay month
https://secure.phantomranchlottery.com/phantom-ranch-lottery
Park: Haleakala
What: Wilderness cabins in the Haleakala crater
Reserve: Each date is released 6 months in advance at 9 am PST. https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/234783?tab=campsites
Park: Katmai
What: Brooks Lodge lottery
When: June- September every year
Reserve: enter lottery Dec 1 – 31, 2026 for visits in summer 2028. Lottery closes on Dec 31 at 5 pm AST. https://katmailand.com/brooks-lodge-lottery/
Park: Katmai
What: Brooks Camp Campground reservations (not a lottery but they do go fast)
When: May 1 – Oct 31, 2025
Reserve: starting Jan 7, 2025, 8 am AKST (9 am PST, 12 pm EST) at https://www.recreation.gov/permits/249991
Park: North Cascades
What: Ross Lake Resort waitlist
When: May – Oct
Reserve: Join the waitlist now: https://www.rosslakeresort.com/stay
Park: Sequoia
What: Bear Paw High Sierra Camp
When: Closed until further notice for fire recovery and improving water infrastructure.
Reserve: 366 days in advance: https://www.visitsequoia.com/stay/lodging/bearpaw-high-sierra-camp/
Parks that require special transportation due to their locations
- Channel Islands – www.islandpackers.com
- Dry Tortugas – https://www.nps.gov/drto/index.htm
- Isle Royale – park is open mid April to mid October, https://www.nps.gov/isro/planyourvisit/directions.htm
- Katmai – https://www.nps.gov/katm/planyourvisit/directions.htm
- Kobuk Valley – accessible by air only, https://www.nps.gov/kova/planyourvisit/business-with-park.htm
- Lake Clark – https://www.nps.gov/lacl/planyourvisit/directions.htm
Parks with other special considerations before you visit
- American Samoa – unexpired passport valid for 6 months or more from the date of your visit
- Big Bend – valid (unexpired) passport required to cross the Rio Grande into Mexico at the Boquillas Crossing
Nadya, great list! I think Grand Canyon National Park’s Colorado River noncommercial river permit is missing from your list: https://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/weightedlottery.htm
Thanks I’ll look into it! I’m more of a hiker so no surprise this wasn’t on my radar 🙂
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This is fantastic! Thank you for putting this together and keeping it updated!
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