Park: Acadia
What: Cadillac Summit Road – reservations required for both sunrise and daytime
When: TBD, for 2023 reservations were required May 24 to Oct 22, 2023
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: timed entry for the entire park
When: April 1 to Oct 31, 2024
Reserve: each month opens 3 months in advance. April tickets open on Jan 2, 2024 at 8 am MST at https://www.recreation.gov/timed-entry/10088426

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
What: Synchronous Fireflies Viewing Event (see also Great Smoky Mountains)
When: May 16-25
Reserve: April 4 at 10:00 a.m. EDT to April 10 at 10:00 a.m. EDT at www.recreation.gov/ticket/facility/300008

Park: Crater Lake
What: boat tours of the lake
When: July-mid September
Reserve: TBA at 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: Vehicle reservations for 3 areas of the park.
When: Going-to-the-Sun Road from the West Entrance only as well as North Fork from May 24 to Sep 8, 2024; Many Glacier from July 1 to Sep 8, 2024.
Reserve: A portion of vehicle reservations will be available 120 days or approximately four months in advance, starting on January 25, 2024, at 8 am MST on a daily rolling basis. Next Day vehicle reservations will be available at 7 pm MDT for next-day entry starting on May 23, 2024 on a daily rolling basis at https://www.recreation.gov/timed-entry/10087086

Park: Great Smoky Mountains
What: Synchronous Fireflies Viewing Event lottery
When: TBD. Event usually occurs in early June.
Reserve: TBD. Lottery expected to run in April/May 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
What: Timed entry for the entire park
When: For Paradise Corridor (entering through the Nisqually Entrance or through the Stevens Canyon Entrance) from May 24, 2024, through September 2, 2024; Sunrise Corridor (entering through the White River Entrance) from July 3, 2024, through September 2, 2024, from 7 am to 3 pm for both. For more info, visit https://www.nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/timed-entry-reservations-faq.htm
Reserve: 90 days in advance at 8 am or the day before at 7 pm at https://www.recreation.gov/timed-entry/10101917

Park: Rocky Mountain
What: timed entry for the entire park
When: May 24 – Oct 20 2024 for Bear Lake, May 25 – Oct 15 for the rest of the park
Reserve: 8 am MDT on the 1st of the month to reserve up to 2 months in advance. This is for 70-75% of all slots. The remaining 25-30% will be available at 7 pm the day prior. https://www.recreation.gov/timed-entry/10086910

Park: Shenandoah
What: Old Rag Mountain
When: TBD if reservations will continue for 2024. For 2023, reservations were required March 1 – Nov 30.
Reserve: TBD but this is how it worked in 2024: 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: Wind Cave
What: Cave tours
When: always
Reserve: first come, first serve in person on the day of the tour; they sell out quickly

Park: Yosemite
What: timed entry for the entire park for February Horsetail Falls even and also in the summer peak days
When: 24 hrs per day Feb 10–25; Apr 13 – June 30 and again from Aug 17 – Oct 17, a reservation is required from 5 am to 4 pm on weekends and holidays; Jul 1 – Aug 16, a reservation is required from 5 am to 4 pm every day.
Reserve: 50% of daily availability opens on Jan 5 at 8 am PST. The remaining 50% open at 8 am 2 days prior to the reservation date. https://www.recreation.gov/timed-entry/10086745

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 24, 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 2025. There is also a day-before lottery. https://www.recreation.gov/permits/4675326