2024 in the National Parks

It’s a brand new year, and in this episode of Exploring the National Parks, we are discussing what you can expect in the national parks in 2024!

Granted, things will change throughout the year, but this is an overview of how things are looking for the 2024 season. I know many of you are planning your trips right now, so our goal is to give you as much insight as possible into what you can expect this year in the parks.

Join us as we discuss:

What you need to know about park reservations this year
What to know if you are planning to camp in the parks
Parks with upcoming construction closures you’ll want to know about
How to prepare for wildfire season in the parks

Remember, the parks are always changing, so it’s best to check the official NPS website often. If you want help planning your trip, check out our itineraries to get started planning!

Don’t forget to complete your task for this week. If you know that you’re visiting a national park in 2024, go and look at the official NPS site for that national park so you know what you need to do before you go.

You can also head over to Instagram and join Ash for a Q&A session where you can ask all of your national park questions!

Listen to the Full Podcast Episode:

Overview of the National Parks in 2024

Reservations, wildfires, and construction, oh my! This episode of the podcast will save you some major headaches as you travel to the National Parks. Make sure you catch the full episode to hear all the details so your trip is as smooth as it can be!

*Disclaimer* Many parks don’t decide what’s happening until March or April, but we’re sharing what we know is happening in 2024 so far. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel for our park-by-park update this spring as the National Park Service makes final decisions.

Entrance Reservations Are Here to Stay

Arches, Glacier, and Rocky Mountain are bringing back their reservation systems for 2024. You can’t get into any of these parks without a reservation during peak visit times – your park pass alone isn’t enough to get in. Arches released their first round of reservations on January 2nd!

Glacier’s reservation system changes from year to year, so make sure you read the fine print before planning your trip. Glacier will release their first round of reservations on January 25th, earlier than other years. You will need a reservation starting at the end of May to enter through the park’s west entrance.

Rocky Mountain reservations begin in May, so you have some extra time to plan if you’re traveling to Colorado.

Yosemite is bringing back their reservations in 2024 after not requiring them in 2023. Yosemite’s reservations for the entire season were released on January 5th. Luckily, as of the release of this episode, many reservations are still open for the summer. You can check back a week before your planned entry if you missed out. Booking lodging in the park is another way to ensure entry this summer.

For more details on reservation systems and step-by-step videos, visit our YouTube channel! Even if some parks don’t have entrance reservation requirements, they may require reservations for highly trafficked areas within the park.

Timing of Campground Reservations Is Changing

Put your detective hats on because we dug deep for this tip!

Typically, National Park campgrounds allow you to make reservations six months in advance. Some parks, like Olympic and Glacier, have started allowing reservations only 14 days before your stay at specific sites.

Zion changed their campground reservation timing a few years ago to the 14-day window, and now other parks are following suit. Last-minute planners, this is your time to shine!

Bryce Canyon officially announced a change to this 14-day reservation policy earlier this year at Sunset Campground for some campsites. Always check the National Park Service website to know when you can reserve your spot!

Ultimately, this change may benefit you at the parks where reservations are almost impossible to get when they are first released. We’ll stay on top of this trend as it develops!

Don’t Let Construction Closures Catch You Off-Guard

Construction is the hardest thing to predict leading up to the travel season. We’ll release a video on construction updates on our YouTube channel sometime in March or April.

One park to look out for is Yellowstone. After the floods in 2022, much of the park is still undergoing fixes that will create delays.

Glacier’s Going-to-the-Sun-Road is still partially under construction from previous years. Hopefully, they will finish in 2024, but keep an eye out for further delays.

Rocky Mountain may have construction at their entrance stations.

In Episode 23: Scariest National Park Roads Ranked, we talk about Denali’s main entrance road being one of the most terrifying roads we’ve driven on. This road will be closed for some much-needed construction until 2026 – don’t go right now if you want good Denali views!

Grand Canyon is experiencing issues with their water sources. Hiking into the canyon may be a no-go until they sort things with their pipelines. Bright Angel Trail is closed until they finish repairs around mid-April (but make sure you double-check before you go!).

Zion is falling apart! Observation Point Trail and Hidden Canyon Trail have been closed for years because of a rock slide. Weeping Rock in this area had reopened, but another rockslide closed it back up recently. Just our luck!

Watch Out for Wildfire Season

August is one of the worst months to visit western National Parks like North Cascades. In our experience, the last two weeks of July are the best window to miss melting snow and the start of wildfires.

California, Oregon, Washington, Montana, and Wyoming are all typically the most impacted by wildfires. Smoke can spread further than the fire, so always be on the lookout before you travel.

Olympic had a fire at the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center, which has caused repeated closures and openings as they rebuild. We expect closures of this area and limited access to continue for a few years.

Head over to Instagram to ask questions about your 2024 National Park trips! The parks are constantly changing, so make sure you stay in the know. We’ll post updates to our YouTube channel throughout the year so you have the best time in the National Parks.

Links mentioned in this episode:

Are you hoping to visit all of the national parks? Sign up for your FREE NATIONAL PARKS CHECKLIST so you can easily see where you’ve been and where you still need to go!

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2024 in the National Parks – What to Expect