National Park Reservations Favor Wealthier Visitors, Study Finds

Visitors who secure the most competitive national park permits come from wealthier areas than last-minute bookers. A 2026 study of reservation equity reveals that advance booking systems on Recreation.gov favor individuals from higher-income ZIP codes.

Reservations made up to 90 days before a trip originated from ZIP codes with median incomes $3,254 to $3,830 higher than those for same-day bookings. For the most competitive permits, holders came from areas with typical incomes about 3% to 6% higher than same-day bookers. This translated to a dollar gap of $3,200 to $4,200 for advance sales and $2,700 to $5,000 for day-ahead sales. In Yosemite, extending the booking window from 30 to 180 days coincided with permit holders' ZIP codes having median incomes roughly $3,150 to $3,600 higher.

Research Covers Major Parks and Years

The study analyzed reservation data from seven major national parks between 2021 and 2024. Economist Jonathan E. Hughes of the University of Colorado Boulder used the Recreation Information Database, covering eleven reservation programs across Acadia, Arches, Glacier, Haleakalā, Mount Rainier, Rocky Mountain, and Yosemite National Parks. Income was measured by matching visitor ZIP codes to median household income data from the American Community Survey.

Jonathan Hughes said: "How you allocate these permits seems to matter for who gets to recreate." He noted that higher earners may have more familiarity with the technology required to handle Recreation.gov. They might also have jobs requiring vacation scheduling many months in advance. Individuals with less flexible work schedules may struggle to be near a computer when high-demand permits are released. The study did not measure personal income, internet access, digital know-how, or job flexibility directly.

Context: Record Visits and Changing Systems

This analysis comes as national parks manage unprecedented demand. The National Park Service logged more than 331 million visits in 2024, a historic high. Some parks have adjusted systems in response. The NPS abandoned a timed entry system in 2024 at some popular parks like Arches. Rocky Mountain National Park roughly doubled daily permits from 600 to 1,200 on July 1, 2021, after noticing about a third of reservation holders did not show up. After this change, competition fell from about 85% to about 70%, and the median income of holders’ ZIP codes dropped by about $2,000.

Competition for permits remains fierce. At Acadia, more than 90% of day-ahead sunrise permits for Cadillac Mountain were claimed within five minutes of release. Rocky Mountain National Park saw 60% to 80% of day-ahead permits go within five minutes in 2023 and 2024.

Experts Suggest Solutions for Fairer Access

Researchers propose specific changes to reduce income-based disparities in access. Hughes suggested managers consider adopting a lottery system for the most competitive reservations to ensure fairness. Will Rice, an associate professor at the University of Montana who studies equity in campground reservations, supports the lottery approach. He believes releasing permits in staggered waves-from months to days in advance-allows for greater equity.

Will Rice said: "We’re seeing more and more parks do this, noting communicating these timelines effectively with the public is vital." Rice has worked with the Leave No Trace organization to develop ethical guidelines for reserving campsites.

Study Details and Limitations

The paper, titled Reservation policies and equity in national park access, was published online on July 29, 2026, in the open-access journal Nature Communications. It was funded by the University of Colorado Boulder Libraries Open Access Fund, and the author declared no competing interests. The research examined permit timing but did not analyze reservations for amenities like campsites. International visitors, comprising about 2% of the raw data, were excluded due to unavailable income data.

Researchers suggest managers consider lottery systems and staggered permit releases to improve equity in access.