Congestion at Arches National Park has led park officials to consider implementing a reservation system for visitors. The problem is that the current allocation system — a long wait in line to pay a nominal entrance fee, followed by an interminable search for a parking space at popular trailheads — leads to a poor visitor experience. Overuse of the park also damages the very resources that people are there to enjoy.
A reservation system will shift a portion of visitation from times when the park is overused to other times when the park is not so crowded. An economic study commissioned by the National Park Service found that a newly implemented reservation system would likely cause a temporary loss in visitation, resulting in reduced economic benefit to the Moab economy.