National Park Reservations Alternative Hiking Options

The reservation system for the US National Parks is likely here to stay. Check out the list HERE. Personally the reservations can be a good thing and a bad one at the same time. It’s such a privilege to get to witness and experience these wild places, however many people who live in the country and the world could simply never dream of being able to travel to these almost made up and certainly magical places! If you miss out on National Park Reservations here are some alternative hiking options you can find that are great options!

The National Parks get more crowded each year while access to marginalized communities remains low and underserved. There are many amazing park rangers, citizens, groups, non-profits and more working to eradicate this.
But as it stands a few of the parks get too many visitors, and those visitors are much more likely to be rich and white.

The reservation system also likely benefits those with the time, access, and money to look up, research, and make their reservation far in advance. From this aspect I don’t think the reservation system is a good thing.

To protect the land and the animals on it and to protect ourselves from large crowds during the COVID19 pandemic however I think makes the reservations of good use.

Regardless of the issues…the Reservation System is here in some format moving forward. And we won’t be changing it by nagging about its Pro’s and Con’s forever.

If you snag a reservation off this list, or miss out on one but are in the area of the parks, here’s a quick rundown of a favorite hike we have done in or near the park that might have less crowds in each of the permit required parks!

Happy Dirt Trails friends.

Acadia Mountain Summit.

Acadia National Park:

Acadia Mountain is off the beaten path and offers a nice trail and views on a beautiful day without the massive crowds that will be forming bumper to bumper traffic from the Bar Harbor entrances.
This trail is a good workout, offers much more solitude than other trails in the park, and still gives you a look of the gorgeous water that forms around Acadia in Maine!

Chilling underneath Corona Arch.

Arches National Park:

Skip the permit process all together here. Head to Gold Bar Campground and take a hike up to Corona Arch (not named after the beer nor the pandemic.) You’ll follow the Colorado River as it sends itself into Canyonlands National Park. If you have an additional day to explore this area in Utah opting for exploration in this park is a great alternative in the spring and fall to the crowds in Arches.

Glacier National Park:

Glacier’s Going to the Sun Road is crowded for a reason. It’s one of the most majestic drives in the United States. It can also lead to some truly packed trailheads. From the St Mary’s entrance on the West Side of Glacier the crowds begin to thin out. Head all the way into the Many Glacier Region for a hike to Iceberg Lake. 10 Miles Round Trip and don’t forget your bear spray!

Rocky Mountain National Park:

Twin Sisters skirts the required permits if you show up early, which you will want to do anyways because of the length and the elevation of this hike.
The trailhead is located across the street from Lily Lake. When I visit this summer I’ll have our dog for the first time and for those hiking with their four legged friends Meadow Mountain in the connecting National Forest will not have the crowds, required reservations, and is dog friendly. Our old family friend Derf loved taking his dog Goldie up this mountain and I’m excited to follow in his foot steps up the trail!

Zion National Park:

Once again, just like Going to the Sun Road in Glacier, the Zion Canyon is packed partly because it’s out of this world stunning to witness.
Angels Landing now requires permits as does the Zion Canyon. Head to the Kolob Canyon Wilderness in a different part of the park for some equally epic hiking to the Double Arch Alcove and the Kolob Arch are not to be missed. Unfortunately you’ll have to leave your dog at home for these, due to mountain lion activity in the region.

The National Parks are a beautiful gift, described as America’s Best Idea in the Ken Burns Documentary.

The Reservations system is what it is, I would hope if it continues it can provide more access to those who aren’t able to just login and snag them the second they are available. It leaves a large group of people unavailable to go.

However there’s millions of acres of public lands as National Forest, Bureau of Land Management, State Parks, Metro Parks, and even lesser frequented areas in these parks on the trails I listed above. Perhaps a better route to take is amplifying the excitement and the stories about these places that are there for our enjoyment and recreation but hardly anyone visits or is even aware of its existence.

Is there a hike on this list that you have done or that you would like to do? Comment below!

Thanks for reading friends and being a part of our community.

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Because Adventure Feeds the Soul,
Mike R