A new reservation system aimed at reducing overcrowding at Maryland state parks will be rolled out to three more parks this month.
The Maryland Park Service’s new Day-Use Reservation System will be expanded to North Point State Park in Baltimore County, as well as Point Lookout and Newtowne Neck state parks in St. Mary’s County.
Starting June 12, visitors will be able to reserve day-use passes for these three parks for the Juneteenth holiday on June 19, as well as any for any other holidays and weekends through Labor Day.
The reservation system was first launched in May for Sandy Point State Park in Anne Arundel County and Greenbrier State Park in Washington County.
The system is meant “to reduce overcrowding, limit traffic backups at park entrances, reduce the frequency of capacity closures, and ensure that every visitor knows they have a space before arriving,” according to a news release.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the Maryland Park Service has recorded a significant increase in visitors at state parks, especially parks with access to public swimming.
An average of 18.7 million people visited Maryland state parks per year from 2020 through 2024. That’s about a 73% increase from the 10.8 million average annual visitors that the park service recorded from 2010 to 2019, according to the news release.
“This has resulted in a significant corresponding increase in park capacity closures. These sudden closures can result in large backups at state parks and traffic issues on approaching roads as visitors wait in lines to enter the park, or in disappointment when park staff must turn away potential visitors due to capacity limitations,” the news release stated.
“The goal of this new day use reservation system is making our parks more welcoming and accessible to all,” Maryland Park Service Director Angela Crenshaw said in May. “By allowing visitors to plan ahead, we’re helping families make the most of their time outdoors — with less stress and more confidence that they’ll have a great day in our state parks.”
Advance reservations are mandatory on weekends and holidays through Labor Day for the parks where the system has been implemented. Same-day drive-up access is not permitted.
Reservations can be made online up to seven days before a visit. Visitors can revise or cancel their reservation until 8 a.m. the day before their scheduled visit.
