In the
past couple of years, the National Park Service has seen big and small changes
to our national park system. And, in 2022, from an increased reliance on
reservations to the introduction of timed-entry permits and fee increases.
Here's a
look at some national park updates visitors can expect to see this year.
TIMED-ENTRY PERMITS AND RESERVATIONS
Back in
2020, Rocky Mountain National Park was
the first national park to implement a timed-entry permit. It was a response to
the COVID-19 However they're sticking with them again in 2022. Which other
national parks require reservations?
Yosemite and Glacier National Parks
introduced timed-entry permit systems in 2021, and like Rocky Mountain National
Park, they're using them again. The success of these programs has led other
national parks to try them as well. Arches National Park is
introducing timed-entry permits in 2022, as are Zion National Park, Shenandoah National Park, Acadia National Park.
It should
be noted that the scope of timed-entry permits varies from park to park.
For
instance, Zion started requiring timed-entry permits in 2022 for hikers who
want to make use of the Angels Landing Trail from April 1st, while Arches
National Park's timed-entry permits will apply to all day-use
visitors between April 3rd and October 3rd.
If you're planning an RV road trip to
any of these national parks this year, they usually allow you to make
timed-entry permit NPS reservations several months out, so jump on their websites and
reserve a spot now.
Reservations
for Camping of
particular relevance for RV travelers is the fact that more national parks are
doing away with first-come, first-served
campgrounds in 2022. Which national parks require reservations
for camping? Grand Teton National Park has
completely done away with first-come, first-served camping, with all spots
requiring online reservations.
Some national parks require reservations only
for certain campgrounds, while others can be expected to follow Grand Teton's
example and require reservations for all sites. Plan ahead of time, and check
if your preferred campground requires NPS reservations before you head out.
Contact your tour operator or local travel agent for more information regarding these changes.
Posted by: Cruise America & Canada RV Rentals Inc
Posted on: 07/07/2022