A look behind the scenes as FOX Weather Correspondent Robert Ray takes you along with him as he hikes the canyons and cliffs of Arches National Park.
Four fan-favorite national parks in the West have announced their plans for how people can visit them this year.
Arches, Glacier, Rocky Mountain and Yosemite national parks have all implemented vehicle reservation systems for at least the summer visitor season for a few years in order to maintain visitor safety during their busiest time of year.
This year, two of the four national parks are not requiring advanced time vehicle reservations at all, including during the summer.
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Balanced Rock at Arches National Park near Moab, Utah. Arches National Park, one of the Fabulous Five Utah Parks, is located in southeastern Utah near the town of Moab. The park preserves a colorful eroded landscape of numerous canyons, mesas, balancing rocks, and buttes, along with nearly 2,000 natural sandstone arches.
(Photo by George Rose/Getty Images) -
A flooded Merced River and Half Dome are viewed on May 25, 2023, in Yosemite National Park, California.
(George Rose) -
High winds blow snow high in the peaks of Rocky Mountain National Park.
(Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post via Getty Images) -
Heaven’s Peak at 8,987 feet elevation in Glacier National Park, Montana, viewed from Going to the Sun Road in early summer.
(Education Images/Universal Images Group)
Arches National Park
Arches National Park in Utah said visitors may enter the park at any time during operating hours for the year.
“We encourage visitors to arrive early, explore lesser-traveled areas if certain locations are busy, and be flexible when enjoying the park,” Arches Superintendent Lena Pace said. “Arches is an International Dark Sky Park, and visiting after hours is highly encouraged. We look forward to working closely with local and state partners as we implement these adjustments and refine our approach to serve visitors while protecting park resources.”
THIS ROCK IN ARCHES NATIONAL PARK WILL FALL, IT’S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME
The landscape of Arches National Park in Moab, Utah, is seen in April 2024.
(Robert Ray / FOX Weather)
The national park said during their peak season in the summer, vehicle lines at the entrance may occur and park visitors should plan ahead, especially on weekends and holidays.
Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park in California, similarly, will also not require timed vehicle reservations for 2026.
“Park analysis found that most weekdays maintained available parking, stable traffic flow and visitation levels within the park’s operational capacity. These findings indicate that a season-wide reservation requirement is not the most effective approach for 2026,” Yosemite National Park Superintendent Ray McPadden said.
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YOSEMITE VALLEY, CA – OCTOBER 05: The iconic Half Dome is viewed from Glacier Point at sunset on October 5, 2019, in Yosemite National Park, California. With the arrival of fall, the tens of thousands of monthly visitors begins to drop off but the usual weekend traffic congestion and on-going road construction projects continue to provide challenges for getting around in the Park.
(George Rose / Getty Images)
Visitors are encouraged to come to Yosemite on weekdays instead of weekends and check real-time conditions on the national park’s website before visiting.
Glacier National Park
Montana’s Glacier National Park is scaling back its vehicle reservation for parts of the park this summer.
The national park said vehicle reservations will not be required in Many Glacier, Two Medicine or the North Fork in 2026.
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FILE – An entrance to Glacier National Park in St. Mary, Montana, on October 19, 2023.
(JOSH EDELSON/AFP / Getty Images)
Glacier National Park will continue targeted congestion management in high-demand corridors, including active management of Going-to-the-Sun Road, parking limits at Logan Pass and temporary vehicle diversions if safety thresholds are reached.
Rocky Mountain National Park
Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado will continue its timed vehicle reservations for summer, beginning May 22.
The reservation system will be similar to 2025, with two types of reservations available, the national park said.
One permit will be for the Bear Lake Road Corridor, which includes the entire corridor, as well as access to the rest of the park.
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The peaks of Rocky Mountain National Park are covered in snow.
(Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post via Getty Images / Getty Images)
The second permit will be for the rest of the park, excluding the Bear Lake Road corridor.
The Bear Lake Road Corridor timed entry reservation system will end on Monday, Oct. 19. The rest of the park reservation system will end on Tuesday, Oct. 13.
