Two Maryland parks will require reservations on weekends and holidays beginning this month, the Department of Natural Resources said.

Greenbrier State Park and Sandy Point State Park, both popular destinations for swimming and boating, will require passes beginning May 24.

Later this summer, the reservation system will grow to include more Maryland parks, including Point Lookout, Newtowne Neck and North Point state parks.

Maryland Park Service Director Angela Crenshaw said the reservation system will make the parks more accessible.

“By allowing visitors to plan ahead, we’re helping families make the most of their time outdoors — with less stress and more confidence that they’ll have a great day in our state parks," she said in a statement.

The number of people visiting state parks has grown significantly since 2020, according to DNR. Park visitation averaged 18.7 million per year between 2020-2024, up from an average of 10.8 million between 2010-2019.

The sharp increase in visitors can often lead to parks being closed because they reach capacity, the DNR said.

Parks close for capacity when parking lots are full, said Gregg Bortz, a spokesperson for DNR. When the weather is good, that can often happen multiple times in one day.

In addition to frustrating visitors’ plans, those capacity closures have led to significant traffic backups and long wait times.

Reservations must be made online and can be modified or canceled until 8 a.m. the day before the visit, DNR said.

The system to make reservations will be available on the Maryland DNR website beginning May 19, and the first day that a reserved pass will be required is May 24.

Once someone makes a reservation, they can check in with park staff using a QR code.