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Summer 2027 sounds like a long way off.
But if visiting a National Park is on your travel list, now is actually a great time to start planning – especially if you have your heart set on one of the most popular parks, specific lodging, or particular summer dates.
You definitely don’t need every minute of your trip planned nine months in advance. But making a few decisions now can give you more choices later and help you avoid the scramble that comes when lodging, campgrounds and permits begin filling up. The National Park Service recommends checking each park’s official website ahead of a visit for things like reservations, timed entry, entrance fees and activity permits. So if you’re hoping to visit a National Park next summer, here are the things I’d start doing right now.
1. Decide Which National Park (or Parks) You Want to Visit
This sounds obvious, but you don’t necessarily have to start with exact dates. First, narrow down where you want to go. Think about:
- How many days you have
- How far you’re willing to travel
- Whether you’re flying or driving
- The type of scenery or activities you want
- Whether everyone in your group hikes
- How much driving you want to do
- Whether you want to combine several parks into one trip
If you’re working toward Visiting all 63 U.S. National Parks, this is also a good time to look at your remaining parks and see which ones make sense geographically.
👉 Not sure where to go next? Browse my Explore All 63 U.S. National Parks page.
👉 Need to keep track? Download the Free 63 U.S. National Parks Tracker.
Consider a National Park road trip
Some parks pair especially well together. You might combine:
- Yellowstone + Grand Teton
- Bryce Canyon + Zion
- Several of Utah’s Mighty 5
- Mount Rainier + Olympic + North Cascades
- Everglades + Biscayne + Dry Tortugas
- Sequoia + Kings Canyon + Yosemite
- Crater Lake + Redwoods + Lassen
2. Look at Lodging Now
If there’s one thing I wouldn’t wait on, it’s lodging near a popular National Park. Some in-park lodging becomes available a year or more before the trip. Yosemite, for example, currently releases lodging reservations 366 days in advance and strongly recommends reservations during the busy spring-through-fall season. You don’t always have to stay inside the park. In fact, a nearby gateway town may give you:
- More hotel choices
- Restaurants and grocery stores
- Lower prices
- Larger accommodations for families
- Vacation rentals
- Easier access to multiple areas
But there’s a tradeoff: a hotel that looks “near Yosemite” or “near Yellowstone” on a booking site can still mean a substantial drive to the places you actually want to see.
💡Regina’s tip: Always map the hotel to the park entrance and then to your main destinations inside the park before booking.
Looking for a place to stay?
Search hotels and accommodations near your National Park and compare your options before you book.
3. Choose Your Approximate Dates
Once you’ve picked the park, start narrowing down dates. You don’t necessarily need airfare yet, but knowing whether you’re considering early June, late June, July or August can make a huge difference. Weather, snowpack, road openings, crowds, wildfire conditions and seasonal services can vary considerably depending on both the park and the month.
For mountainous parks, “summer” doesn’t always mean every road and trail will be accessible on June 1. And for desert parks, July may technically be summer vacation – but that doesn’t automatically make it the best time to visit. Go to the official NPS page for your park and look specifically at:
- Weather
- Seasonal road information
- Operating hours and seasons
- Current alerts
- Typical conditions
- Things to do
You can always adjust later, but this gives you a much better starting point.
4. Find Out What Will Require a Reservation
This is the part of National Park planning that gets confusing. Depending on the park and what you plan to do, you could eventually need reservations for:
- Campgrounds
- Backcountry permits
- Wilderness permits
- Popular hikes
- Tours
- Shuttles
- Special activities
- Timed park entry
💡Regina’s tip: Don’t assume that the rules from 2026 will automatically be the rules for 2027. Some parks change their reservation systems, dates or release schedules from year to year.
What should you do now?
Create a simple list for your trip:
| Item | Reservation Needed? | When Does It Open? |
|---|---|---|
| Park entry | Check | TBD |
| Hotel | Yes/No | |
| Campground | Yes/No | |
| Special hike | Yes/No | |
| Tour | Yes/No | |
| Rental car | Yes/No |
Then set calendar reminders as reservation dates are announced.
Create your Recreation.gov account now
If your plans may involve federal campgrounds, permits or timed-entry reservations, set up your Recreation.gov account before booking day. That’s one tiny job you can cross off your list now instead of trying to create an account while a popular reservation window is opening.
5. Start Sketching Out Your Route
You don’t need a minute-by-minute itinerary. But you should know:
Where are you sleeping? What part of the park are you visiting each day? How long does it take to get between them?
National Parks are often much larger than first-time visitors expect. A destination that looks close on a map could be:
- An hour away
- On the opposite side of a mountain
- Accessible only by a seasonal road
- Dependent on a shuttle
- Difficult to park at by mid-morning
I like to make a simple must-see / would-like-to-see / bonus-if-we-have-time list. That keeps the trip flexible while making sure the things you care about most don’t accidentally get squeezed out.
Road tripping through the parks?
I love having an audio guide along for the drive. GuideAlong uses your GPS to tell you about viewpoints, history and stops as you travel especially helpful when you’re exploring a park for the first time.
6. Decide Whether You Want a Guided Experience
Not every National Park trip has to be completely DIY. A guided tour can make sense if:
- It’s your first visit
- You’re short on time
- You don’t want to drive
- Someone in your party isn’t a hiker
- You want wildlife or photography expertise
- You’re visiting an area where logistics are complicated
Want someone else to handle the logistics?
Depending on the park, you may also find guided sightseeing, wildlife, boat or day tours that let you experience more without planning every detail yourself.
7. Start Watching Flights and Rental Cars
If you’re flying, you don’t necessarily need to book the minute you decide on a park. But you can start learning:
- Which airports make sense
- Whether one airport is dramatically cheaper
- How far the airport is from the park
- Whether you’ll need a rental car
- Whether an open-jaw itinerary makes more sense for a road trip
💡Regina’s tip: For multi-park trips, don’t automatically assume you should fly in and out of the same airport. Sometimes arriving in one city and departing from another can save hours of backtracking.
8. Make a National Park Packing List – But Don’t Buy Everything Yet
No, you do not need to start packing for July in October. But once you know what kind of trip you’re taking, start a list. Depending on the park, that might include:
- Daypack
- Reusable water bottle
- Portable charger
- Binoculars
- Hiking poles
- Sun protection
- Rain layer
- Cooler
- First-aid supplies
- National Parks Passport
- Car organization items
Need park-trip gear?
I’ve put some of my favorite National Park and road-trip essentials together in my Amazon storefront.
You can also see my National Park Packing List here.
9. Don’t Forget the Things You DON’T Need to Do Yet
Planning ahead is helpful. Planning every detail nine months early can make you crazy. You probably don’t need to:
❌ Create a detailed hour-by-hour itinerary
❌ Decide every restaurant
❌ Buy all your gear
❌ Assume last year’s timed-entry system will be next year’s system
❌ Panic if a campground reservation isn’t available yet
Instead, concentrate on the pieces that are hardest to change later:
Park → Dates → Lodging → Reservation deadlines → Transportation
Everything else can build from there.
A Simple Summer 2027 National Park Planning Timeline
Fall 2026
✅ Choose your park(s)
✅ Narrow down dates
✅ Research lodging
✅ Book accommodations when appropriate
✅ Check current NPS planning information
✅ Create a Recreation.gov account
✅ Identify future reservation deadlines
✅ Begin watching flights and rental cars
About 6 Months Before
✅ Watch campground reservation windows
✅ Recheck permits
✅ Book flights/rental car when it makes sense
✅ Start building your itinerary
Many Recreation.gov campsites use roughly a six-month reservation window, although park-specific rules vary.
2–4 Months Before
✅ Book tours and activities
✅ Recheck entry requirements
✅ Reserve specialty hikes or permits
✅ Finalize your route
1 Month Before
✅ Download the NPS app
✅ Download offline maps
✅ Check road and trail status
✅ Fine-tune your packing list
✅ Review park alerts
The Week Before
✅ Check weather
✅ Check current NPS alerts
✅ Download reservation confirmations
✅ Download maps for offline use
✅ Fill the cooler and GO!
One Last Tip: Build in Some Flexibility
Some of my favorite National Park moments haven’t happened because they were scheduled to the minute. A viewpoint is better than expected. Wildlife appears. Someone tells you about a trail you hadn’t considered. Weather changes. Or you simply decide you want to stay in one beautiful place a little longer.
Do the important planning ahead of time – but leave enough room to actually enjoy being there. Because ultimately, that’s the point. And if summer 2027 adds another park to your Visit All 63 U.S. National Parks list, even better. ❤️
FAQ’s
Is October too early to plan a National Park trip for next summer?
No. For popular summer destinations, fall is an excellent time to choose your park, research lodging and identify future reservation deadlines. Some lodging is available roughly a year in advance; Yosemite lodging, for example, currently opens 366 days ahead.
When do National Park campground reservations open?
It depends on the campground. Many reservable federal campsites use approximately a six-month booking window, but some locations use different schedules. Check the specific campground on Recreation.gov.
Will I need timed entry for a National Park in 2027?
Possibly, depending on the park, but visitors should check the park’s official NPS website rather than relying on previous years’ requirements. Reservation systems and booking windows can change.
What’s the first thing I should book?
For a popular park, I’d start by checking lodging. Once your accommodation and approximate dates are set, you have the foundation for the rest of the trip.
🏞️ Visit All US National Parks Mail Club
Can’t wait until your next park trip? Join us at the Visit All U.S. National Parks Mail Club. Each month’s mailing brings a little National Park experience straight to your actual mailbox – plus another park to add to your collection 💌
Happy Planning,
