National parks preparing for busy Memorial Day weekend: What to expect
(NEXSTAR) — It seems Americans are gearing up for a busy Memorial Day weekend, with travel expected to break a 20-year record, according to the latest forecasts. The majority of people are projected to hit the roads, fueled by gas prices that are expected to be the cheapest in years.
While we don't know exactly where those travelers are traveling, some of America's most beloved spots are preparing for an influx of visitors.
Several national parks say they're preparing for crowds to ring in the unofficial start of summer within their boundaries.
Zion National Park warned last week that visitors should expect heavy traffic, full parking, and long waits at the southern Utah site. Entrance stations may, at times, experience 'intermittent, temporary closures,' as well as 'lengthy waits to board park shuttles.'
'In 2024, Zion recorded over 92,000 visits during Memorial Day weekend,' park officials said in a press release. 'This is more than the annual total for over 150 National Park Service sites.'
Officials at nearby Arches and Canyonlands national parks also encouraged visitors to prepare for heavy traffic, limited parking, and crowded trails. Some may have to wait an hour or two to get in at the respective parks.
Arches is one of a handful of parks that require timed entry reservations for most visitors. As of Tuesday, no reservations were immediately available for the Memorial Day weekend, though more slots are expected to be released at 7 p.m. MDT each day for the following day. That means if you'd like to get into the park on Memorial Day, you'll need to wait for more tickets to become available at 7 p.m. MDT on Sunday, May 25.
Or, you'll have to enter the park before 7 a.m. or after 4 p.m., when timed entry is not required. But even that will not guarantee that you can beat the crowds.
'Timed entry tickets have really helped alleviate congestion once you're inside Arches,' said Southeast Utah Group Superintendent Lena Pace. 'However, we expect many Memorial Day visitors to arrive early in the morning or late in the afternoon, which could increase parking lot traffic and lengthen wait times at both parks.'
If you're planning to visit California's Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, officials recommend purchasing a park pass ahead of time. This will give you access to the pass-only lanes at entrance stations. You may be able to avoid some traffic by arriving before 9 a.m. or after 3 p.m. Like other national parks, officials say parking is expected to be limited at the parks.
Meanwhile, several smaller National Park Service sites will be hosting commemorative events for Memorial Day.
At the Pearl Harbor National Memorial and Honouliuli National Historic Site, there will be free guided tours of the USS Utah and USS Oklahoma Memorials, a commemorative ceremony, and the opportunity to make a floral tribute to the veterans memorialized at Pearl Harbor, among other events.
Volunteers are invited to help place flags at each grave in the Poplar Grove National Cemetery at the Petersburg National Battlefield on Friday, with guided walking tours featuring the 'poignant stories of the soldiers buried at the site' set for Monday. Flags will also be placed on the headstones at Stones River National Cemetery in Tennessee, with a Memorial Day ceremony slated for Sunday. A quiet observance of the holiday is scheduled for Memorial Day at the Fredericksburg National Cemetery.
When visiting a busy national park, regardless of the time of year, advocates encourage 'packing your patience' and envisioning yourself as a 'steward' of the park: don't litter, stay on the trails, and whatever you pack in, pack out.
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