New Day-Use Reservation System For Maryland Parks

The Maryland Park Service is launching a new Day-Use Reservation System, which will go live on May 19 for Greenbrier State Park and Sandy Point State Park. 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.”

Advance Reservations Mandatory on Weekends and Holidays

With the new system, advance reservations for Sandy Point State Park and Greenbrier State Park 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 are payable at the time of reservation using credit or debit cards or other online payment methods.

Reservations will be made through the Maryland State Parks website. Upon arrival at the park, visitors will check in with a QR code, 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 number of visitors in your party.

New Day-Use Reservation System To Expand

The system will expand to other parks, including Point Lookout, Newtowne Neck, and North Point State Parks, later this summer. 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 the 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 pre-planning, visitors can use the new day-use reservation system to ensure they’ll enjoy the parks they set out to visit on a weekend or holiday.

Maryland Park Service Day-Use Reservations.

Okay, here are the essentials for the Maryland Park Service’s new day-use reservation system:

What’s happening? Maryland State Parks is rolling out a reservation system for busy parks.
Why? To avoid huge crowds, traffic jams, and turning people away when parks get too full.
When does it start? Greenbrier State Park and Sandy Point State Park kick things off on May 19th.
Who needs reservations? Everyone visiting on weekends and holidays from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day.
No drive-ups? Nope, no same-day drive-ups allowed during those peak times.
How do you reserve? Online, through the Maryland State Parks website.
When can you reserve? You can book your spot starting seven days before your visit.
Changes? You can edit or cancel your reservation until 8 a.m. the day before your trip.
Paying? You pay the usual day-use fees when you make the reservation online.
Checking in? When you get to the park, you’ll scan a QR code.
Discounts? Park Pass holders, veterans, and people with disabilities will have their discounts verified.
More parks? Other parks like Point Lookout, Newtowne Neck, and North Point State Parks will join the system later this summer.
Why all this? Park visits have shot up since the pandemic, and they’re trying to manage the crowds.