Timed entry or quotaAmericasApply yourselfCheck · Sep 2026
US national parks: timed entry and non-resident fees
Seasonal timed-entry or peak-hours reservations at a few busy parks (in 2026 Rocky Mountain, plus Haleakalā sunrise), and from 2026 a non-resident surcharge at 11 of the busiest parks, on top of the park entrance fee.
The permit
- Who issues it
- US National Park Service, sold on Recreation.gov
- How to get it
- Apply yourself. Book the time slot on Recreation.gov; most parks release a batch months ahead and a second batch the evening before.
- Lead time
- 1 day+ · Up to 3 months ahead, with a next-day release; rules and dates change every year (Arches, Glacier, Yosemite and Mount Rainier dropped timed entry for 2026).
- Cost (check)
- About US$1–2 booking fee per vehicle plus entry (US$20–35 per vehicle). From 1 January 2026 non-US residents pay US$250 for the annual pass (US$80 for residents), or US$100 per person aged 16+ on top of entry at 11 busy parks including Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Yosemite, Zion and Glacier (check).
- Documents
- Reservation QR code
- Photo ID matching the booking
- Park pass or entry receipt
- If you skip it
- Rangers turn back vehicles without a slot during reserved hours.
- Official site
- National Park Service
Check before you pay
Fees, quotas and closed areas change, sometimes with days of notice. These figures were last checked in Sep 2026; confirm on the official site or with a licensed operator before you book flights.