The reservation system, which was piloted last year for holidays and weekends, aims to reduce congestion on Highway 28, improve parking availability, and enhance the overall visitor experience.
Nevada State Parks implemented a reservation system last year for holidays and weekends.
“It was just a trial period to get visitors accustomed to it and for staff to work out any kinks. Everything went pretty smoothly and as expected, so we are gonna be fully implementing the reservations this year, and they will run annually from April 15th to October 15th,” public information officer Tyler Kerver said.
From April 15 to October 15, day-use reservations will be required for anyone entering Sand Harbor by vehicle between 8:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. After 10:30 a.m., any unclaimed reservations will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Sand Harbor received 1.2 million visitors in 2023, according to Kerver. It's the second park in Nevada to implement a reservation system, joining Big Bend of the Colorado in Laughlin.
To streamline the process, Nevada State Parks has created a three-tiered reservation system:
• Tier One: 200 day-use reservations are available 90 days in advance.
• Tier Two: 100 day-use reservations are available 30 days in advance.
• Tier Three: 50 day-use reservations are available 7 days in advance.
• Same-Day: Day-use reservations that have not been booked are available up until 10:29 a.m. Same-day reservations do not include the $5 reservation processing fee.
Additional reservation details:
• Reservations must be made through reservenevada.com. Reservations are non-transferable and cannot be resold. The reservation holder must be present in the vehicle and able to present a valid ID matching the name on the reservation.
• Processing fee: A $5.00 fee will be charged for all reservations. Same-day reservations are exempt from this fee. Same-day reservations can be made until 10:29 a.m. on the day of arrival.
• Entrance fees: The park entrance fee is $10 for vehicles registered in Nevada and $15 for vehicles registered out-of-state. This fee will be added to your reservation at checkout. Any additional park fees can be paid upon arriving at the park.
• Group use areas: Reservations for the Ramada/Group Use Area include 25 exclusive parking spots; therefore, Group Use Area visitors will not need to make a day-use reservation. Vehicles entering the park for group use must pay the vehicle entry fee upon arrival.
• Boat launch: The boat launch will remain on a first come, first served basis.
• Shakespeare Festival ticket holders: Those arriving before 10:30 a.m. will need a valid day-use reservation. Since shows begin later in the day, this new system should not impact afternoon park entry.
If reservation holders do not enter the park by 10:30 a.m., they forfeit their reservation, and their reserved spot opens on a first come, first served basis. Reservation holders will not be required to re-pay entrance fees if they can make entry after the deadline. Refunds will not be given to visitors who fail to use their reservation.