If you're itching to visit the seven wonders of the United States it appears that you're not alone.
Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park have set monthly visitation records this past summer. Visitors are facing hours-long lines and some have been turned away due to overcapacity, the New York Times reported.
All 63 national parks are open. The following six require reservations: Yosemite National Park in California, Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado, Haleakalā National Park in Hawaii, Acadia National Park in Maine, Glacier National Park in Montana, and Zion National Park in Utah, according to Afar.
“Increases to Yellowstone’s visitation have accelerated rapidly over the past 12 months and we continue to be on pace to set record numbers for 2021,” Park Superintendent Cam Sholly said.
The increase in visitors to national parks has seen an upward trend. For example, visits to Glacier and Yellowstone have doubled since 1980. Overall, visitation was 20% higher in 2019 as compared to 2013 at all national parks, CNBC reported.
“They’ve traveled thousands of miles, made tens of thousands of dollars in hotel and airfare and rental car reservations, only to see their vacation ruined because they can’t get that $2 ticket to see Glacier National Park,” Whitefish, Montana, Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Kevin Gartland said.
Located in the Sierra Nevada, Yosemite National Park closed during the onset of COVID-19 in March 2020 and reopened three months later, requiring visitors to obtain permits before they could visit. Afar reports that a limited number of reservations are available and can be scheduled in advance.
Rocky Mountain National Park is a hiker's haven with 300 miles of trails and 415 miles of mountain terrain. The park is open 24/7 and a reservation is only required between the hours of 5:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.
Afar reports that advanced reservations are not required for Acadia National Park in Maine but they are required for driving up Cadillac Summit Road to reach the highest peak in Acadia.
For more information on National Park reservation requirements, click here.
