Arches National Park will not require timed-entry reservations in 2026, allowing visitors to enter the park at any time during operating hours without a reservation, the National Park Service announced Feb. 18.
As peak tourism season begins, NPS urged visitors to plan ahead for possible entrance lines and limited parking at popular trails, particularly on weekends and holidays.
“Arches offers extraordinary experiences at every hour of the day,” said Superintendent Lena Pace. “We encourage visitors to arrive early, explore lesser-traveled areas if certain locations are busy, and be flexible when enjoying the park.”
Pace added Arches is an International Dark Sky Park, and visiting after hours is “highly encouraged.”
“We look forward to working closely with local and state partners as we implement these adjustments and refine our approach to serve visitors while protecting park resources,” she said.
Timed entry was introduced by the National Park Service as a pilot in April 2022 after a 74% increase in visitation between 2011 and 2021 led to traffic backups, temporary park closures, resource damage and diminished visitor experiences during peak seasons, according to the agency.
Supporters of timed entry have said the program has eased congestion and improved visitor experiences, while critics have argued it has discouraged visitation and impacted the local economy.
The debate prompted the Grand County Commission last year to commission a $60,000 economic analysis by the University of Utah’s Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute to examine whether the system has affected visitation trends, lodging activity and local tax revenues. The study is expected to be completed at the end of April.
The system was preparing to enter its fifth pilot season this spring before the pause and has been evaluated through Arches’ Visitor Access and Experience Plan, a broader visitor use and management effort examining long-term strategies to balance access and resource protection.
A 2024 draft of that plan identified timed entry as the preferred alternative among several management options. NPS has not issued a final decision under the plan, and it is currently unclear whether timed entry will remain under consideration for long-term management of the park.
With no timed-entry reservations required this year, NPS requested visitors not to wait in roadways for parking spaces to maintain traffic flow. If a parking lot reaches capacity, staff may restrict access to specific locations to “reduce congestion and protect visitor safety,” according to the NPS.
NPS also cited additional opportunities to explore the Moab area during peak tourism season, such as Dead Horse Point State Park, Canyonlands National Park, and Utahraptor State Park.
Under the updated approach, visitors will still need to purchase an entrance pass either online at recreation.gov or at the entrance gate. Visitors staying at Devils Garden Campground or hiking Fiery Furnace will still need reservations.
NPS said it remains committed to providing access to Arches National Park while also protecting its natural and cultural resources.
Editor’s note: This story is developing and will be updated with more details.
This story was first published by The Times-Independent.