Yosemite National Park announces end to day-use reservations needed to enter park
Reservations will no longer be needed to enter Yosemite National Park beginning Nov. 1, park officials announced Tuesday.
Yosemite has been using a new day-use reservation system since reopening in June with limited visitors and services due to COVID-19. The park closed again this month due to wildfire smoke and reopened Friday.
Day-use reservations, available online at recreation.gov, will still be needed to enter the park through the end of October. Those with lodging or camping reservations within the park boundary haven’t needed a separate day-use reservation to enter.
“We would like to extend our gratitude to all park visitors and our local communities for their support of our modified operations this summer,” acting Yosemite Superintendent Cicely Muldoon said. “With the health and safety of park visitors and employees guiding our decisions, we were thrilled to welcome thousands of visitors to Yosemite this summer.”
Since March, park officials have been part of a Yosemite Gateway Area Coordination Team, made up of leaders from Madera, Tuolumne, Mariposa, and Mono Counties along with other federal, state and local health officials, park spokespeople said, whose input helped inform Yosemite’s phased reopening plans.
Sewage tests this summer revealed coronavirus in the popular park that had more than 4.5 million visitors last year. Some Yosemite employees also tested positive for the virus.
In a statement, Yosemite spokespeople said they continue to urge park visitors to “do their part when visiting, and to follow CDC guidance to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.”
Ways to prevent the spread, officials continued: Maintaining a safe distance between yourself and others; wearing a cloth face covering when social distancing can’t be maintained; frequent hand washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds; avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth; covering your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing; “and most importantly, staying home if you feel sick.”
Down the mountain, in nearby Fresno County, officials there also announced new reopening plans for businesses Tuesday.
This story was originally published September 29, 2020 at 4:00 PM.
