If your go-to Memorial Day move is rolling up to the beach or a shady trail and hoping there is parking, Maryland wants you to start planning.
Starting this Memorial Day weekend, six popular state parks will require day-use reservations on busy weekends and holidays. The new system covers Greenbrier, Point Lookout, Newtowne Neck, North Point, Sandy Point, and Swallow Falls. Swallow Falls is the strictest of the bunch, with reservations required every day during the season.
Park officials say the shift is meant to cut those notorious entrance lines, reduce traffic backups on surrounding roads, and avoid surprise capacity closures that have sent would-be picnickers and swimmers back home in past summers.
In a May 20 announcement, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources said reservations must be made in advance through the state’s online system, according to a Maryland Department of Natural Resources press release. The department says the reservation system will run on weekends and holidays from Memorial Day through Labor Day at most of the participating parks, while Swallow Falls will be on the calendar every day during that stretch.
How the reservation system works
Visitors must reserve day-use passes at parkdayuse.maryland.gov, where bookings open May 23 and can be made up to seven days in advance. You can edit or cancel a reservation until 8 a.m. the day before your visit.
Standard day-use fees are charged at the time of booking and must be paid with a credit or debit card. Even if you already have a Maryland Annual Park Pass or Golden Age Pass or qualify for free entry as a veteran or disabled visitor, you still need to lock in a reservation. Staff will check your pass or eligibility at the entrance, and can adjust fees if the number of people in your group does not match what you reserved.
What the pilot showed
According to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, a 2025 pilot program at five parks generated more than 67,000 reservations between Memorial Day and Labor Day, and the call center handled over 4,000 calls during that period. The agency says the test run sharply reduced traffic backups at participating parks and helped avoid unexpected capacity closures, which it cites as a key reason for expanding the system for 2026.
System expansion and state contracts
Public procurement records show that DNR has awarded a contract to Kaizen Laboratories to maintain and expand the digital entrance platform. The vendor’s system is expected to roll out to as many as 15 additional properties around the state, according to the Board of Public Works meeting agenda. The May 6 documents describe a sole-source contract and detail revenue projections and vendor estimates as the platform scales to more parks.
Tips for visitors
If you are eyeing a holiday weekend outing, make your move early. Book ahead at parkdayuse.maryland.gov, and bring proof of any season passes, veteran status, or disability certification so staff can verify eligibility at the gate.
Expect busy conditions on peak summer weekends. Check each park’s opening status before you hit the road, and have a backup destination in mind in case your first choice fills up faster than your cooler.
