National Park Timed Entry Updates, 7 Days In Jail for Walking Off-Trail, and More

Join Jason Epperson in this month's National Park news roundup on RV Miles. Key updates include 2025 timed entry requirements for several national parks like Arches, Rocky Mountain, Glacier, and Yosemite. Discover changes in reservation systems and what it means for your 2025 travel plans. Also, could Chesapeake Bay become a national park? Recent incidents at Yellowstone, policy shifts under the incoming Interior Secretary and more.

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[dynac]

Wow. We need a spreadsheet just to travel to the NP's. So much for hittin' the road on a whim.

[kensterling]

2nd week of September 2022, We were at West Glacier, early entry before 6:00am was restricted because of road construction in the Park. They worked all night. Major sections were single lane On Going to the Sun Road. East Glacier entrance was starting to get really backed to St Mary's. Many Glacier Hotel was never reached. That road was torn up pavement and mostly dirt. Vehicles were backed up along Lake Sherburne. No movement. So show up after 4:00pm...they had another construction shift start construction and restricted movement with traffic lights, barrels and flagmen after construction prevented easy movement. Logan Pass was packed (both along Going to the Sun Road near Logan Pass was packed. Tickets were written, some didn't care.

ALL regardless of having THE three day pass. Sneak in early or come later...don't believe it.

I thought it was restricted access, it seemed completely the opposite. Your patience will be tested to a new level.

Polebridge access was a separate 1 day Pass which we couldn't get. The Mercantile/Bakery was still worth going there. Expect really bad North Fork Rd. Camas Rd was great.

Amtrak was OK, should've got a berth. Columbus, Wisconsin to Whitefish, Montana

IMO, wait till October to go. I will not go to another National Park during restricted access.

Wish you the best.

[TheFreewheelinNomad]

Jason, I really appreciate the effort you put into keeping us updated on national parks! 🌄 As someone who loves exploring the beauty of this country, your news is always a must-watch. 🎥 The updates on 2025 timed entries and the potential Chesapeake Bay National Park are game changers. 🗓️🌊 Your videos always give me more reasons to hit the road and see the wonders of these parks. 🚐🌲🌌 Thanks for sharing your passion and keeping us informed! 🗺️

[jjones]

Jason, you do a great job bringing all this info and explaining it well to the outdoor community. All I can say is that I am so thankful that I visited all these areas in the 60's and 70's and I will die soon so NONE of these regulations matter one bit to me!!

[mattvittal]

National parks are becoming not worth it. Plenty of great things to see outside the parks in the surrounding public lands. I live right outside a national park and barely do anything in the park anymore. Every year they have changed how the reservations work. It’s frustrating and confusing for people. I watch it closely since I live by a park. I can only imagine how confusing it is for people just visiting for the first time. The more people who get to experience the parks, the more people there are excited and passionate about preserving and funding the parks. It’s time to expand shuttles and public transportation in the parks, to still provide access at times when private vehicle congestion exceeds capacity. There’s better ways of doing this.

[cyclin]

This past summer we went into Arches National Park via Willow Springs Road and avoided the main gate. You need a high clearance 4x4 vehicle. Our Ram 1500 did just fine.

[rdrose]

Totally onboard with the crackdown on off path violators. Would like to see the same for aggressive encroachment to wildlife. In September on our last day in Grand Tetons as we were leaving in our RV, we encountered one of those roadside scrums viewing a black bear earing berries in the roadside ditch. Most observers respected the animals space and may have been inside the posted viewing distance but still maintained a safe distance comfortable to the bear. There were several though that really crowded the bear (like within 7 feet).

[k-mparker]

We hit the mighty 5 a few months ago and the absolute best way to enjoy these parks is go in and be parked in your destination 30-45 prior to sunrise.

First, you don’t have to get a reservation, there are less people, and you have the place to yourself bcuz 95% of the other folks are 😴😴😴😴.

Example for Bryce Canyon NP. We were about 20 minutes from the entrance to Bryce. We would get up at 0430 and have everything ready and 30 minutes hit the road. We would park at Sunset Point, Inspiration Pt, or Bryce Pt. and hike the rim trail and watch the drama unfold as the sun would rise…absolutely watching it happen as we hike the rim trail alone!!! We did this a handful of times and hardly saw any people at all. Most of the tourists go to the scenic view points and congregate there - don’t do that. It’s much more stunning hiking the rim trail bcuz of the scenery change!!!

Following the sunrise after maybe 15 minutes or so, we then drop down into the canyon and hop on the various trails and now the drama of the colors changing is even more ahhhhmazing!!! Again, very few people around as we hike in the canyon bcuz everybody is still 😴😴😴 or maybe just getting up.

Around 8-9 as we start our ascent out of the canyon, we start encountering folks coming down on the trails and as we head back to the parking lot, its close to being full and we are on the way out after our beautiful and peaceful morning hike.

We did the same thing for all the other parks in the mighty 5 as well. It was sooo much more enjoyable having the trails and park for the most part to ourselves. Plus, we beat the heat bcuz of the time of the year. The morning temps could be a bit chilly, but we just layered and had light jackets we could shed and put in our backpacks.

[brucewallace]

Good report! Thanks! I don’t think we need all parks on the same schedule….as I think they should be capable of setting schedules according to what’s going on in that park/that week. Fortunately for us, every national park I’ve been to keeps its website very current. So, simply go to that park’s website in advance of your visit to see what roads are closed, timed entry details, etc. Of course, if seeking a timed entry pass - plan ahead.

[timf]

The US Parks are getting WAY TO Complicated and expensive, it’s getting ridiculous on trying to make reservations at different parks on one trip. Our trips are 4 to 8 weeks at a time, it is getting very hard to coordinate everything on the same path on a trip. Every federal park is kinda like the Indian reservations. They’re all the same, but they’re all different.

[turnbullstravels]

Thanks Jason. We are now in our winter base camp, an hour from Yosemite, and we’ll make several day trips in for hiking. Despite not needing reservations on Feb. weekdays, we’ll stay away then…the craze to see the Firefall just makes it too crowded.

[tristramstout]

I agree that there should be some standardization with all this timed entry stuff.

[sarahlarson]

WOW!! We love your videos. They are always full of good info. We are trying to plan a trip to the National Parks next Summer, but all this info on restrictions to enter the parks are a bit overwhelming. It is hard enough planning a trip and now worried about what day and time to enter a park.

[tikoy]

Good informational video. I hope we don’t lose a lot of access do to gas & oil.

[sherriweber]

Thank you Jason for reporting this news and infuriation. Great job as always.

[dawnw]

The different restrictions on ways to access national parks make it extremely difficult for families who have limited vacation time to plan a trip to a national park. We are retired and I worked in the travel industry for many years and found the processes to visit Glacier National Park last summer difficult. I feel sorry for families who do not have unlimited time or flexible vacation time to be able to visit. I am definitely rethinking some future plans for a west coast sweep of several parks.

[gdan]

I agree, reservations should be standard nation wide.

[kona_moon]

Standardizing the reservation system is good. One web site should handle ALL national parks (currently, few parks have their own separate sites).

[arthurnied]

I have a lifetime pass. How does that work with reservations?

[gerricole]

Just FYI - your chapter headings appear to be incorrect. Great video as usual.