If you’re planning on luxury camping near Zion at Zion Wildflower Resort in 2024, you’re no doubt wondering whether you’ll need a reservation to get in.
National parks across the United States have been experiencing an increase in visitor numbers over the last decade. Social media has helped spread travel envy. Daily, it inspires people to visit parks they previously might have never visited. The COVID-19 pandemic had people looking for destinations that offered plenty of open space and fresh air. After the pandemic, many people who had skipped traveling for a year or two were eager to get out and turned to national parks to enjoy some adventure and time outdoors.
This rapid growth in visitor numbers has created some problems for our national parks and for the National Park Service. Crowding in popular parks has led to traffic backups, issues with illegal parking, an increase in litter and graffiti, and a host of other issues. It’s even left visitors waiting hours to hike popular trails on holiday weekends, or even to simply enter a park.
To help combat this issue, some national parks are now opting to implement reservation systems to limit the number of daily visitors allowed into the park. While this is great for helping keep our parks beautiful and reducing crowds, it can make planning a visit a little more tricky.
So, will you need a reservation during your stay? Keep reading to learn what you need to know.
Will You Need a Reservation to Enter Zion National Park in 2024?
If you’re going to be staying in our Zion park cabins or a luxury glamping tent in the coming year, you no doubt plan to spend some time exploring Zion National Park. While our resort is packed with amenities, like a resort-style swimming pool, complimentary bike rentals, fire pits, and more, our main attraction is our close proximity to the park and other area attractions.
Requiring a reservation to get in would make visiting Zion a little harder. It might be harder to plan a last-minute visit. Or more challenging to visit during busy times of the year.
Luckily, Zion National Park will not require a reservation in 2024.
Unlike nearby Arches National Park, visitors are able to enter Zion at any time throughout the day without a reservation or ticket. All you’ll need to do is pay the park’s entrance fee or present a valid America the Beautiful pass or Zion annual pass.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that you’ll be able to drive in any time of day. The Zion Canyon Shuttles are in operation for most of the year. When it is, only limited parking is available at the park’s entrance. If you’re visiting during a busy time of year such as a holiday weekend, you’ll want to plan to get to the park early to nab a spot during your stay in our Zion park cabins or glamping tents.
The Reservation You Will Need While Luxury Camping Near Zion
You won’t need a reservation to enter Zion in 2024. But there is one reservation you may need during your visit. That’s a reservation to hike Angels Landing.
The National Park Service began requiring permits to hike Angels Landing in 2022. The change was made after crowding on the trail and at the trailhead led to long lines to hike to the trail’s summit. The crowding also made the already dangerous trail even more treacherous. Hikers found themselves packed in on the trail’s narrow ridgeline.
The new permit system features two lotteries. These allot permits each day of the year, throughout the entire year. The Seasonal Lottery is open four times a year. It awards permits for the following season. If you don’t get a permit in this lottery, or if you miss the Seasonal Lottery window, you’ll have one more chance to get a permit. The Day-Before Lottery opens daily. It awards permits for the following day.
Without a valid permit for the date of your hike, you won’t be able to hike past Scout Lookout.
If you have your heart set on hiking Angels Landing while luxury camping near Zion, you’ll want to maximize your chances of getting a permit by entering the Seasonal Lottery that coincides with your visit dates.
Seasonal Lottery Dates
The four Seasonal Lotteries in 2024 are as follows:
- For hikes from March 1 to May 31, the Seasonal Lottery is open from January 1 to January 20, with permits awarded on January 25
- For hikes from June 1 to August 31, the Seasonal Lottery will be open from April 1 to April 20, with permits awarded on April 25
- For hikes from September 1 to November 30, the Seasonal Lottery will be open from July 1 to July 20, with permits awarded on July 25
- For hikes from December 1 to February 28, 2025, the Seasonal Lottery will be open from October 1 to October 20, with permits awarded on October 25
Luxury Camping Near Zion in 2024
With no reservations required to enter the park, you can enjoy luxury camping near Zion any time of year and even plan a last-minute trip with ease. A glamping tent or Zion park cabin at Zion Wildflower Resort is the perfect basecamp for any kind of getaway.
Ready to start planning your 2024 glamorous camping or cabin stay? Book your stay at Zion Wildflower Resort today!
