Yosemite National Park Finally Announces Reservation System
After months of confusion and delay, Yosemite National Park has announced its reservation rules for the summer of 2025. On May 6, people can book their reservations through the National Park Service's website starting at 8 a.m. Pacific Time. While the new system is significantly less restrictive than previous years, some advocates argue that it won't prevent traffic from overwhelming the park.
Reservation requirements for 2025 start on Memorial Day Weekend (May 24-26) for anyone driving into or through Yosemite between 6 a.m. and 2 p.m. After that, people will only need reservations if they visit from June 15 to August 15 and from August 30 to Labor Day (September 1).
'This system ensures all visitors, whether they plan in advance or decide last minute, can experience the park each day,' Yosemite National Park officials wrote on the website. 'It also spreads visitation across the day so that visitors have a better experience.'
This new system replaces a previous 2025 visitation plan that would have required reservations every day from 5 a.m. to 4 p.m. from Memorial Day to Labor Day, with weekend-only reservations in April, May, September, and October. According to Mark Rose, the Sierra Nevada program manager for the National Park Conservation Association (NPCA), that was the preferred system among Yosemite park officials.
'If the administration truly cared about the visitor experience at Yosemite this summer, it would have allowed park leaders to move forward months ago with its preferred reservation system, which was refined over the past several years, and led by data, deep community engagement, and commonsense,' Rose said in a statement.
On the morning of May 6, reservations for all dates will be released on the National Park website. Additional dates will be posted 7 days ahead of the arrival date. Reservations will be available for purchase every day at 8 a.m. There is a $2 reservation fee that does not include the $35-per-car Yosemite National Park entrance fee.
Be sure to have an account on Recreation.gov set up before logging onto the site to book your dates.
'Reservations sell out almost immediately,' NPS warns. 'Even if you're logged on by 8 a.m., there is no guarantee you will be able to get a reservation.'
Anyone with a Half Dome or wilderness permit, reservations for in-park camping or lodging, or who accesses the park using a regional transit or tour bus is exempt from the 2025 reservation requirements.
To visit without a permit, simply enter the park before 6 a.m. or after 2 p.m. You can also visit Yosemite's Hetch Hetchy area without a reservation during daylight hours.
Generally, Yosemite National Park announces its reservation system months before summer. However, in February, it suspended reservations at five of its largest campsites due to understaffing. It announced that it was waiting for a 'blessing' from the new administration to move forward with its plans for summer reservations, The LA Times reported.
According to the NPCA, visitation at Yosemite has exploded in the last 20 years, soaring by 30% between 2020 and 2019. The crowds caused congestion and gridlock throughout the park, so reservation systems were piloted starting in 2020. Since then, the program has been refined, streamlined, and adapted. NPCA said this new 2025 reservation system is 'insufficient to protect the park.'
'It's clear that when implemented thoughtfully, reservations significantly improve the visitor experience while protecting Yosemite's invaluable resources,' Rose said. 'Last year, over 4 million people visited the park with a more expansive reservation system in place. Smart planning doesn't mean fewer people, just a better experience for all.'
Whether this new reservation system will result in more crowds and negatively affect visitor experiences remains unknown. However, with fewer resources and continued staffing shortages, increased visitation could cause problems.
'Attacks on park staffing aren't just about the numbers; they directly impact visitors, local communities, and the landscapes we cherish,' Rose said.
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