Are you feeling frustrated from sitting in endless online queues trying to secure reservations for US National Parks months in advance? Bagging campsites, tours and timed entry tickets has grown increasingly difficult as interest in visiting National Parks has risen, but all that looks set to get easier with a new Availability Alert system.
Securing a campsite in a park like Yosemite has long required a reservation six months in advance, while more recently, parks like Zion, Arches and Rocky Mountains have started introducing timed entry systems to help reduce congestion. As we explain in our article on navigating the National Parks reservation system, there are workarounds to this, such as entering the park very early, visiting in off-season and camping nearby.
Not everyone has the flexibility to use these loopholes, however, and Availability Alerts are meant to help you secure a reservation without spending hours on your computer or knowing your plans months in advance.
Tested since last summer by Recreation.gov, Availability Alerts are now a permanent feature and mean that for some of the busiest parks, you can subscribe to receive a free alert whenever there's a cancellation for a park entry, campsite, tour or vehicle permit. Then all you need to do is dust off your tent, pack your hiking boots and head out for an adventure.
The feature won't alert you to regularly scheduled ticket releases so you'll still need to head to Recreation.gov for those and not every National Park site is featured yet, but here's a list of the current National Parks you can receive an Availability Alert for:
- Arches National Park Timed Entry
- Arches National Park Tours
- Bryce Canyon National Park Full Moon Hike Tours
- Bryce Canyon National Park Private Horse Reservations
- Carlsbad Caverns National Park Tours
- Crystal Cave Tours Sequoia National Park
- Glacier National Park Vehicle Reservations
- Haleakala National Park Summit Sunrise Reservations
- Joshua Tree National Park Tours and Programs
- Mammoth Cave National Park Tours
- Mesa Verde National Park Tours
- Picket Wire Canyonlands Guided Auto Tour
- Voyageurs National Park Special Interpretive Programs
- Voyageurs National Park Tours
- White Sands National Park Tours
- Wind Cave National Park Tours
- Yosemite National Park Ticketed Entry
There are also dozens of other National Park sites such as National Monuments and Preserves listed.
How does it work?
First, create an account at Recreation.gov then head to the Ticket Location page and select the Set Availability Alert button. Select the service you want to be alerted for, such as a tour, campsite or National Park entry, then enter your desired dates (there's an option for flexible dates +/- three days). Enter the number of tickets you need and save the alert.
If a reservation slot becomes available, you'll receive an alert on your phone, but so will everyone else who has signed up for that alert, so keep your phone nearby and respond quickly.
