On August 9, 2004, we awarded a new contract to simplify the process for customers who might be visiting more than one facility, to replace the two separate reservation systems with a new, consolidated service. For more details on that effort,
see the News Release regarding the reservation contract award.

Make an Advance Reservation

photo of camper in Prince William Forest in Virginia, courtesy of the National Park Service

Want to reserve a campsite on Federal lands, before leaving on your trip? The Forest Service, Corps of Engineers, National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, and the Bureau of Reclamation are all working together to make it easier for the public to make advance reservations for high-demand facilities and activities on lands managed by those agencies.

Many campsites and tours are first-come, first-served. Some campgrounds that offer advance reservations also include campsites that are not reserved - space may be available at the last minute, even after all "reservable" units are filled.

The Federal government currently uses two major computerized reservation systems to process advance reservations:

National Recreation Reservation Service (for facilities managed by the Forest Service, Corps of Engineers, National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, and Bureau of Reclamation)
National Park Reservation Service (for facilities and tours managed by the National Park Service)

In addition, concessionaires on some National Park Service units provide advance reservations. These include:

Prince William Forest Park
Prince William Forest Park Camping Reservations
Prince William Forest Park Travel Trailer Reservations

Yellowstone National Park
Bridge Bay Campground
Canyon Campground
Grant Campground
Madison Campground
Fishing Bridge RV Park

Virgin Islands National Park
Cinnamon Bay Campground

Denali National Park and Preserve

Mesa Verde National Park
Morefield Campground