5-16-2025 4:02am

RSVP Park Plan

Maryland Department of Natural Resources Launches New Day Pass Reservation System in Select State Parks

Required reservations to relieve backups at busiest state parks

Greenbrier State Park, photo by Ranger Sarah Rodriguez, Maryland Department of Natural Resources

The Maryland Park Service is launching a new Day-Use Reservation System, which will go live May 19 for Greenbrier State Park and Sandy Point State Park, to be followed by several other parks later in the season. This new system requires all visitors to reserve their day-use passes in advance during peak times, 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.

“The goal of this new day use reservation system is making our parks more welcoming and accessible to all,” said Maryland Park Service Director Angela Crenshaw. “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.”

Reservations will be made through the Maryland State Parks website. The link to the new system with instructions will be available starting May 19; the first day that reservations will be required is Saturday, May 24 for Greenbrier and Sandy Point state parks.

With the new system, advance reservations are mandatory on weekends and holidays from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day— no same-day drive-up access will be allowed. Reservations must be made online and can be made starting seven days in advance of a visit. Reservations may be edited or canceled until 8 a.m. the day before the visit.

Regular day-use fees will be paid at the time of reservation using credit or debit cards or other online payment methods. Visitors will check in with a QR code upon arrival at the park, and discounts will be validated for Maryland Park Pass holders, veterans and individuals with disabilities. Park staff may also adjust and require additional payment based on the actual number of visitors in your party.

Later this summer, the system will also expand to other parks including Point Lookout, Newtowne Neck, and North Point State Parks. The launch dates will be announced in the coming weeks.

The system is needed due to the influx of new visitors entering Maryland State Parks–particularly parks with public swimming access such as on lakes, the Chesapeake Bay or ocean–following the Covid-19 pandemic. Park visitation rates increased from an average of 10.8 million per year from 2010 to 2019 to an average of 18.7 million per year from 2020 through 2024. 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.

With a little bit of pre-planning, visitors can ensure they’ll get to enjoy the parks they set out to visit on a weekend or holiday by using the new day-use reservation system.