Do I Need a Reservation to Get In? Timed Entry, Lotteries and Fees for Zion, Bryce, Grand Canyon, Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Yellowstone, Grand Teton and Rocky Mountain (2026/27)

Status: 2026-10-28. Rules change every season. Check the park page in our sources before you set off.

A timed-entry ticket, a lottery permit and a campsite are three different things, and people mix them up. Turn up at Rocky Mountain at 10 am in July without a ticket and you wait until 2 pm. Turn up at Arches in 2026 and you just queue. This page puts all nine parks on our five routes in one table: what you need to get in, which permits are worth knowing about, what limits apply to your RV, and what a non-US visitor pays. Each fact has a source and a check date.

Quick answer

In 2026 only Rocky Mountain needed a timed-entry ticket to get in, from May 22 to mid-October [E3]. No ticket? You can still enter before 9 am or after 2 pm [E3].
No timed entry at Zion, Bryce Canyon, Arches, Canyonlands or Capitol Reef [E1], the Grand Canyon [E5], Yellowstone [E6] or Grand Teton [E7]. Arches dropped its system for 2026 [E2].
Permits are a separate thing: Angels Landing (lottery) [E9], Fiery Furnace (2–7 days ahead) [E2], Canyonlands backcountry roads [E18]. Campgrounds need their own booking, see our Recreation.gov guide.
From abroad, aged 16 or over? Six of the nine parks charge $100 per person on top of the vehicle fee. The $250 Non-Resident Annual Pass covers it [E4]. On a Zion–Bryce–Grand Canyon trip for two, that pass saves about $455 [A].
2027: when we checked on 2026-10-28, none of the nine parks had published entry rules for 2027. We mark this in the table as "not announced".
Campgrounds sold out? Here is a legal backup, park by park: Plan B when campgrounds are full.

The table: nine parks, 2026/27

"Timed entry" means a ticket for a time slot to drive into the park. "Permit" means a ticket for one trail, road or activity. The fee column is the regular price for a private vehicle; an RV counts as a private vehicle [E11]. All values were checked on 2026-10-28.

Park	Timed entry to get in?	Lotteries and permits	Vehicle and RV notes	Entrance fee (2026)
Zion2026 checked. 2027: not announced	No [E1]. In shuttle season (March–November) the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive is closed to private vehicles; the shuttle is free, no tickets [E1][E8].	Angels Landing: permit by lottery, seasonal or day-before; $6 to apply, $3 per person if you win. No permit needed up to Scout Lookout [E9].	Zion–Mt. Carmel Highway (tunnel road east): max 35 ft 9 in long, 7 ft 10 in wide, 11 ft 4 in high. Over any one and you are turned around [E10].	$35 per vehicle (1–7 days) + $100 per nonresident aged 16+ [E11]
Bryce Canyon2026 checked. 2027: not announced	No. "You don't need a reservation to enter the park" [E1][E12].	Backcountry camping permits by reservation [E13]. We found no permit or lottery for day hikes [A].	23 ft or longer: no parking at the main viewpoints, visitor center or lodge during shuttle hours, roughly mid-April to mid-October [E14].	$35 + $100 per nonresident [E13]
Grand Canyon (South Rim)2026 checked. 2027: not announced	No. "There is no timed entry at this time" [E5].	None for entry. The bottleneck is camping: Mather is dry camping only under Stage 4 water restrictions, and that is about camping, not getting in. See our Recreation.gov guide.	Over 22 ft: park only in RV lots 1, B or D [E15]. Hermit Road: shuttle only most of the year (size guide).	$35 + $100 per nonresident [E5]
Arches2026: none. 2027: not announced [E2]	No, not in 2026. Timed entry was dropped for 2026 [E2]. Vehicles "may be diverted" at the entrance when the park is congested [E2].	Fiery Furnace: permit 2 to 7 days ahead, $10 per person, or a ranger-guided hike by reservation. Devils Garden Campground: reservation required [E2].	Parking fills at popular spots; staff may close them for a while [E2]. We found no park-wide length limit [A].	$30 per vehicle. No nonresident fee [E16]
Canyonlands2026 checked. 2027: not announced	No. "Timed entry reservations are not required" [E18].	Day-use permits for 4WD, motorbike and bike trips on White Rim Road, Elephant Hill and other backcountry roads, from 8 am MT the day before [E18]. Not for rental RVs [A].	The Needles campground: 28 ft maximum (size guide).	$30 per vehicle. No nonresident fee [E16]
Capitol Reef2026 checked. 2027: not announced	No [E1].	Free day-use permits by email for canyoneering, climbing and bouldering; "no fee and no reservation system" [E19].	Scenic Drive: paved, "suitable for passenger vehicles"; the Grand Wash and Capitol Gorge spurs are dirt [E20]. Ask before you take an RV on dirt [A].	$20 per vehicle. No nonresident fee [E21]
Yellowstone2026 checked. 2027: not announced	No. "Vehicle reservations are not needed" [E6].	None for entry. All campsites must be booked ahead (Mammoth: first-come in winter only); no sleeping in pullouts [E22].	RV rental companies may not deliver or pick up RVs inside the park [E22]. The South Entrance road runs through Grand Teton: two parks, two fees [E6].	$35 + $100 per nonresident [E6]
Grand Teton2026 checked. 2027: not announced	No. "Vehicle reservations are not needed" [E7].	Campgrounds by reservation only. Overnight parking at trailheads only with a backcountry permit [E23].	Moose-Wilson Road: closed to RVs and trailers (over 23.3 ft) [E24].	$35 + $100 per nonresident [E7]
Rocky Mountain2026 season over. 2027 dates: not announced	Yes, in 2026: 9 am – 2 pm, May 22 – October 12. Bear Lake Road: 5 am – 6 pm, May 22 – October 18. $2 fee, online only [E3].	A campground booking in the park includes timed entry from 1 pm on arrival day; a wilderness overnight permit counts too [E3].	Old Fall River Road: no vehicles over 25 ft, no trailers (size guide).	$30 (1 day) or $35 (7 days) + $100 per nonresident [E25][E4]

The nine parks on our routes: Las Vegas loop (Zion, Bryce, Grand Canyon) · Phoenix (Grand Canyon) · Salt Lake City (Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef) · Yellowstone & Grand Teton · Denver (Rocky Mountain).

Rocky Mountain: how timed entry works

Rocky Mountain is the only park on our routes with timed entry in 2026. Two kinds of ticket [E3]:

Timed Entry (the whole park except Bear Lake Road): needed to enter between 9 am and 2 pm, May 22 to October 12, 2026. Covers Trail Ridge Road, the Alpine Visitor Center and the west side.
Timed Entry + Bear Lake Road: needed between 5 am and 6 pm, May 22 to October 18, 2026. Covers Bear Lake, Moraine Park, Sprague Lake and the Park & Ride.
How you get one: on Recreation.gov only, not at the gate. Tickets for each month go on sale at 8 am MDT on the 1st of the month before (for example, July on June 1), and more go on sale at 7 pm MDT the evening before. The only cost is a $2 non-refundable fee, plus the entrance fee [E3].
Your ticket gives you a 2-hour window to enter. After that you can stay as long as you like [E3].
Camping in the park? A booking at Aspenglen, Glacier Basin, Moraine Park or Timber Creek includes timed entry from 1 pm on arrival day. Have the confirmation ready at the gate [E3].

From Europe: 8 am MDT is 16:00 in Berlin and 15:00 in London for most of the summer [A]. Our booking timeline works out the dates for your trip.

Our tip for an RV: drive in before 9 am. You need no ticket, and the parking lots still have room for a longer vehicle [E3][A].

Permits and lotteries that are not about entry

Angels Landing (Zion): you need a permit for the chains section after Scout Lookout. There are two lotteries. In the seasonal lottery you apply months ahead: for hikes from March 1 to May 31, applications run January 1–20 and results come on January 25. The day-before lottery runs from 12:01 am to 3 pm MT the day before your hike. It costs $6 to apply and $3 per person if you win. It makes no difference when in the window you apply [E9].
Fiery Furnace (Arches): book 2 to 7 days ahead, $10 per person, groups of up to six, no children under five. Or book a ranger-guided hike [E2].
Canyonlands backcountry roads: day-use permits for White Rim Road, Elephant Hill, Lavender Canyon and Peekaboo/Horse Canyon, bookable from 8 am MT the day before. These are 4WD roads, not for rental RVs [E18][A].
Capitol Reef: canyoneering and climbing need a free permit by email. There is no reservation system [E19].
Overnight in the backcountry (any park): you need a wilderness or backcountry permit. At Rocky Mountain it also counts as your timed entry [E3][E13][E23].

Fees: the $100 nonresident fee and the $250 pass

Since 2026, non-US residents aged 16 and over pay a $100 nonresident fee per person on top of the normal entrance fee at 11 national parks. On our routes that applies to Zion, Bryce Canyon, Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Grand Teton and Rocky Mountain. It does not apply at Arches, Canyonlands or Capitol Reef [E4][E16][E21]. Free entrance days are for US citizens and residents only [E4].

The America the Beautiful Non-Resident Annual Pass costs $250. It covers entrance fees and nonresident fees for the pass holder and everyone in the same private vehicle [E4]. It does not cover campsites or the $2 timed-entry fee [A].

Route (two adults, one RV)	Pay at each gate	With the $250 pass
Las Vegas loop: Zion, Bryce, Grand Canyon	3 × ($35 + 2 × $100) = $705	$250, saves about $455 [A]
Phoenix → Grand Canyon	$35 + 2 × $100 = $235	$250: about the same; worth it if you add a second park [A]
Yellowstone & Grand Teton	2 × ($35 + 2 × $100) = $470	$250, saves about $220 [A]
Denver → Rocky Mountain (7-day pass)	$35 + 2 × $100 = $235	$250: about the same [A]
Salt Lake City → Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef	$30 + $30 + $20 = $80 (no nonresident fee)	Not worth it on this route alone [A]

Our arithmetic from the 2026 fees in the table [A]. One adult pays one nonresident fee instead of two. Our trip cost calculator works out the total for your trip.

What about 2027?

Not announced yet for any of the nine parks (checked 2026-10-28). The 2026 rules came out on February 18, 2026 [E2][E3], so 2027 news may also come late in the winter [A].
Rocky Mountain: timed entry comes from a plan the park finalised in May 2024 and has run every summer since [E3]. We expect it again in 2027, but dates and times are not published yet [A].
Arches: no decision for 2027. The NPS says parks without timed entry "are prepared to implement additional measures if conditions warrant" [E2]. Local news reports a free shuttle from Moab, planned again from March 1, 2027 [E17].
Angels Landing: the lottery for March to May 2027 opens on January 1, 2027 [E9].
Fees: the $100 nonresident fee is the 2026 rule. We found no change announced for 2027 [E4].

We check this page again when the parks publish their 2027 rules, and change the date at the top when we do.

Know what you need?

Get your dated booking timeline

Campgrounds, Angels Landing, Rocky Mountain timed entry: with dates in your time zone

Sources and how we checked

All sources opened on 2026-10-28 (Europe/Berlin). We quote the park's own wording where it matters. [A] marks our own advice, estimates, arithmetic and time-zone conversions.

[E1] NPS — National Parks in Southern Utah (overview table: "Timed Entry Tickets: No" for Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef and Zion; shuttles need no tickets; permits "Not required for entry"; page last updated March 17, 2026) — www.nps.gov/articles/000/national-parks-in-southern-utah.htm (checked 2026-10-28)
[E2] NPS Arches — "Arches National Park Lifts Entry Reservation Requirement for 2026" (news release February 18, 2026) and Plan Your Visit ("Reservations Not Required in 2026"; "Vehicles may be diverted from park entrances when areas become too congested"; reservations still required for Devils Garden Campground and Fiery Furnace; last updated April 8, 2026); NPS national news release of the same day (Arches: no timed entry in 2026; Rocky Mountain keeps it; parks without timed entry "are prepared to implement additional measures if conditions warrant") — news release · Plan Your Visit · NPS national release (checked 2026-10-28)
[E3] NPS Rocky Mountain — Timed Entry Permit System (Timed Entry 9 am–2 pm, May 22 – October 12, 2026; Timed Entry + Bear Lake Road 5 am–6 pm, May 22 – October 18, 2026; 2-hour entry windows, no set departure time; monthly releases at 8 am MDT, more at 7 pm MDT the night before; $2 non-refundable processing fee; Recreation.gov only, not at entrance stations; campground reservations at Aspenglen, Glacier Basin, Moraine Park and Timber Creek include timed entry from 1 pm on arrival day; a wilderness overnight permit serves as timed entry; page last updated May 14, 2026) and the 2026 announcement (February 18, 2026) — www.nps.gov/romo/…/timed-entry-permit-system.htm · 2026 announcement (checked 2026-10-28)
[E4] NPS — Entrance Passes (Non-Resident Annual Pass $250, covers entrance and nonresident fees for the pass holder and passengers in a private vehicle; $100 nonresident fee per person aged 16+ at Acadia, Bryce Canyon, Everglades, Glacier, Grand Canyon, Grand Teton, Rocky Mountain, Sequoia & Kings Canyon, Yellowstone, Yosemite and Zion; from 2026 free entrance days only for US citizens and residents; page last updated October 9, 2026) — www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/passes.htm (checked 2026-10-28)
[E5] NPS Grand Canyon — Fees & Passes ("No reservation needed for entry, no timed entry"; "You do not need a reservation at this time. There is no timed entry at this time."; private vehicle $35; $100 nonresident fee; page last updated July 20, 2026) — www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/fees.htm (checked 2026-10-28)
[E6] NPS Yellowstone — Fees & Passes ("Vehicle Reservations Not Required to Enter Yellowstone"; "Two Parks, Two Fees" via the South Entrance and Grand Teton; private vehicle $35; page last updated June 16, 2026) — www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/fees.htm (checked 2026-10-28)
[E7] NPS Grand Teton — Fees & Passes ("Reservations Not Needed to Enter Grand Teton"; separate fee from Yellowstone; private vehicle $35; page last updated June 30, 2026) — www.nps.gov/grte/planyourvisit/fees.htm (checked 2026-10-28)
[E8] NPS Zion — Zion Canyon Shuttle System (Zion Canyon Scenic Drive closed to private vehicles in shuttle season, March through November and a holiday period in late December; page last updated October 4, 2026) — www.nps.gov/zion/…/zion-canyon-shuttle-system.htm (checked 2026-10-28)
[E9] NPS Zion — Angels Landing Permits & Hiking (permit for the chains section from Scout Lookout; seasonal lottery windows, e.g. hikes March 1 – May 31: apply January 1–20, permits issued January 25; day-before lottery 12:01 am – 3 pm MT; $6 per application, $3 per person if you win; page last updated October 8, 2026) — www.nps.gov/zion/…/angels-landing-hiking-permits.htm (checked 2026-10-28)
[E10] NPS Zion — Large Vehicles (Zion–Mt. Carmel Highway: 35 ft 9 in long, 7 ft 10 in wide, 11 ft 4 in high; vehicles over a limit are turned around; page last updated September 2, 2026) — www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/large-vehicles.htm (checked 2026-10-28)
[E11] NPS Zion — Fees & Passes (private vehicle $35, valid 1–7 days; $100 nonresident fee per person 16+; page last updated June 6, 2026) — www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/fees.htm (checked 2026-10-28)
[E12] NPS Bryce Canyon — Basic Information ("You don't need a reservation to enter the park") — www.nps.gov/brca/planyourvisit/basicinfo.htm (checked 2026-10-28)
[E13] NPS Bryce Canyon — Fees & Passes (private vehicle $35; $100 nonresident fee; backcountry camping permits by reservation; page last updated May 14, 2026) — www.nps.gov/brca/planyourvisit/fees.htm (checked 2026-10-28)
[E14] NPS Bryce Canyon — Oversized Vehicle Restrictions (23 ft and longer; shuttle season) — www.nps.gov/brca/…/oversized-vehicle-restrictions.htm (checked 2026-10-28)
[E15] NPS Grand Canyon — Visiting the South Rim in an RV or Pulling a Trailer (over 22 ft: RV lots; page last updated September 12, 2026) — www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/rv.htm (checked 2026-10-28)
[E16] NPS Arches and Canyonlands — Fees & Passes (private vehicle $30; Southeast Utah Parks Annual Pass $55, "U.S. residents only"; no nonresident fee listed; pages last updated April 18, 2025) — Arches fees · Canyonlands fees (checked 2026-10-28)
[E17] KUER (Utah public radio), October 19, 2026 — Moab–Arches shuttle pilot (ran from September 1 to the end of October 2026; planned again for the 2027 peak season from March 1; free with a national parks pass). Local news, not an official park source — www.kuer.org (October 19, 2026) (checked 2026-10-28)
[E18] NPS Canyonlands — Permits & Reservations ("Timed entry reservations are not required"; day-use permits for White Rim Road, Elephant Hill, Lavender Canyon and Peekaboo/Horse Canyon, reservable from 8 am MT the day before; overnight backcountry permits open four months before each season; page last updated April 1, 2025) — www.nps.gov/cany/planyourvisit/permitsandreservations.htm (checked 2026-10-28)
[E19] NPS Capitol Reef — Permits (free day-use permits for canyoneering, rock climbing and bouldering, "no fee and no reservation system"; page last updated August 31, 2026) — www.nps.gov/care/planyourvisit/permits.htm (checked 2026-10-28)
[E20] NPS Capitol Reef — Scenic Drive (7.9-mile paved road "suitable for passenger vehicles"; dirt spur roads to Grand Wash and Capitol Gorge) — www.nps.gov/care/planyourvisit/scenicdrive.htm (checked 2026-10-28)
[E21] NPS Capitol Reef — Fees & Passes (private vehicle $20; page last updated December 29, 2025) — www.nps.gov/care/planyourvisit/fees.htm (checked 2026-10-28)
[E22] NPS Yellowstone — Camping (no car camping or overnight parking outside designated campgrounds; all campsites reserved in advance except first-come sites at Mammoth from October 15 to April 1; "The delivery or pick-up of out-of-park RVs or other camper unit rentals is prohibited"; page last updated February 25, 2026) — www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/campgrounds.htm (checked 2026-10-28)
[E23] NPS Grand Teton — Camping (campgrounds by reservation only, up to six months ahead; no car camping in pullouts or parking areas; overnight parking at trailheads only with a backcountry permit) — www.nps.gov/grte/planyourvisit/camping.htm (checked 2026-10-28)
[E24] NPS — Moose-Wilson Road ("closed to RVs and trailers (vehicles over 280 inches/23.3 feet in length)") — www.nps.gov/thingstodo/moosewilsonroad.htm (checked 2026-10-28)
[E25] NPS Rocky Mountain — Fees & Passes (1-day vehicle pass $30, 7-day vehicle pass $35; card payment only at entrances; page last updated December 9, 2025) — www.nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/fees.htm (checked 2026-10-28)
Not from an official source [A]: "no permit for day hikes" at Bryce Canyon (we found none), our tips (enter Rocky Mountain before 9 am, ask before driving an RV on dirt), the pass arithmetic, the time-zone conversion, and our expectations for 2027.

Affiliate note: there are no affiliate links on this site yet. Once partner links go live, they will be marked and we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. We don't accept paid rankings. See our disclosure.

Do I need a reservation to get in? Timed entry, lotteries and fees for the nine parks on our routes