Maryland Expands State Park Reservation System Ahead Of Summer
Maryland State Parks Add Reservation Requirements To More Locations This Summer
- Maryland launches reservation system to manage traffic and capacity at 5 popular state parks.
- Reservation system allows dynamic reopening of spots throughout the day, unlike fixed-number systems.
- Expansion to 15 more parks approved despite debate over lack of competitive bidding process.
As Maryland gears up for another busy summer travel season, state officials are expanding a reservation system designed to reduce long lines and overcrowding at some of the state’s most popular parks.
According to Maryland Department of Natural Resources Secretary Josh Kurtz, attendance at several state parks surged following the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to repeated capacity closures and major traffic backups during peak weekends and holidays.
Kurtz told the Maryland Board of Public Works that Sandy Point State Park, Greenbrier State Park, North Point State Park, Point Lookout State Park, and Newtowne Neck State Park experienced more than 166 unexpected closures in 2024 because they reached maximum capacity.
“We had to put more park rangers at the front to manage traffic, and we even had to bring in Maryland State Police and Natural Resources Police overtime support,” Kurtz explained. “It created not only frustrations for visitors but also unsafe conditions.”
To address the issue, Maryland launched a pilot reservation program during the spring and summer of 2025 in partnership with Kaizen Laboratories. The system required visitors to reserve vehicle entry in advance for daytime visits on weekends and holidays between Memorial Day and Labor Day at the five impacted parks.
State officials say the results were immediate.
Kurtz said the parks went from 166 closures to zero during the pilot program. Visitor feedback was also overwhelmingly positive, with many asking the state to expand the system to more locations.
The reservation platform allows guests to pay online ahead of time and use a QR code for entry. A license plate reader tracks when vehicles leave, allowing additional guests to enter without waiting for staff to manually monitor parking availability.
Maryland officials say the technology differs from systems used in other states because it allows spots to reopen dynamically throughout the day instead of limiting access to a fixed number of reservations.
The state has now approved a new contract with Kaizen Laboratories through 2031 to expand the reservation program to 15 additional DNR sites, with the possibility of adding even more parks in the future.
The contract, however, sparked debate among state leaders because it was awarded without a competitive bidding process. Maryland Comptroller Brooke Lierman voted against the agreement, saying she supports the reservation system itself but believes the contract should have gone through an open bidding process.
State Treasurer Dereck Davis also expressed concerns, though he ultimately voted alongside Gov. Wes Moore to approve the deal.
DNR officials defended the decision, saying changing vendors now could disrupt operations at the existing parks ahead of the busy summer season. Click here for more info.
