National Parks Scrap Reservations at 433 Sites as Staffing Cuts Trigger Summer Gridlock
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jun 22
National Parks Scrap Reservations at 433 Sites as Staffing Cuts Trigger Summer Gridlock
2 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jun 22
Summary
Yellowstone logged its busiest May on record as demand for U.S. park trips surged, even while many National Park Service sites entered summer with fewer workers, dropped reservation systems and longer entry delays.
A 65% jump in interest in national parks and other outdoor destinations, tracked by Expedia last month, has collided with sharply reduced staffing that park advocates say will most affect visitors this year.
Some parks have already seen traffic snarl at popular sites after scrapping timed-entry systems, while steep new fees for foreign visitors have created confusion at gates and slowed processing.
The strain follows a 43-day partial government shutdown and last year's 323 million park visits—about 3% below 2024's record—when parks reassigned staff from other duties to keep visitor services running.