SCOTLAND, Md. – Visitors to Point Lookout, Newtowne Neck, and North Point State Parks will be able to make day-use reservations beginning June 12 for the Juneteenth holiday, June 19, and then for all subsequent weekends and holidays through Labor Day.
The day-use reservation system has been successfully operating on peak days at Greenbrier State Park and Sandy Point State Park since Memorial Day weekend. Visitors to all five parks can make reservations up to seven days in advance of a visit at parkdayuse.maryland.gov.
The Maryland Park Service’s new day pass reservation system requires all visitors to these parks 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.
With the new system, advance reservations are mandatory on weekends and holidays through Labor Day— no same-day drive-up access will be allowed. Reservations must be made online and can be revised 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 with Maryland Annual Park Passes, Golden Age Passes, or who qualify for free entry as veterans or individuals with disabilities will have their status verified upon entry to the park. Park staff may also adjust and require additional payment based on the actual number of visitors who arrive.
The system is needed due to the influx of new visitors entering Maryland State Parks–particularly parks with public swimming access–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.
More information is available on the Maryland State Parks website.