National parks are among the most favorite places to visit, especially in the U.S. and Europe. Also, it has become the most chosen outdoor destination after the global pandemic. Lots of people feel the need to enjoy the great outdoors after being restricted from travel for two years. Hence, national parks have become a great choice to visit.
Keep these things in mind before visiting national parks
The perk of visiting national parks is that you get to see the nature at its fines and witness beautiful wildlife from close distance. However, visiting national parks in the U.S with some lingering COVID-19 capacity restriction can be a recipe for potentially crowded visitors. Hence, it is important to make plan and be more prepared before paying a visit and here are some useful tips to consider:
About reservation policy
Some of national parks in the U.S require timed-entry reservation and some others don’t. therefore, it is best to ensure it by confirming the information first before visiting the place. Aside from reservation requirements, visitors of national parks are also required to purchase an entrance pass to display on your vehicle’s dashboard. You may save time by asking if your park offers passes to buy online.
Reservation to tour attractions
One of the most exciting parts of visiting national park is when you tour various attractions. Some of national parks require reservation but some others don’t. Again, you need to find out more information about it in advance. Some of national parks require ticketed reservation that can be purchased in advance online.
About camping reservation
Camping in one of your favorite national park can be a great idea to spend your next holiday. Some national parks offer reservation-only campsites that open for sale a year in advance and get booked a year in advance. Meanwhile, some other national parks are more first come first served type. There are also other national parks that are mix of both types of campsites such as Yellowstone National Park and Shenandoah National Park. If you want to try the first come first served campsite, you must come early in the day.
Booking hotels and lodges
National parks’ hotels and lodges are available for visitors who are not into camping in the open. However, again, this might require reservation in advance especially if your destination is one of the most popular national parks such as Yellowstone, Glacier, Yosemite, Grand Teton, etc. It is best to get on the phone to get a scoop from a real person with access to more information than you.
Taking pet with you to national parks
Dogs are allowed in developed areas of national parks such as along roads, campgrounds, parking lots, and picnic areas. However, dogs and other pet are typically not allowed on hiking trails or in the backcountry. Your dogs should always be leashed and you need to pick up your dog’s waste as its owner. You may also check out the National Park Service to know which parks allow pets.