Getting into Yosemite just got easier next summer with changes to reservation system
Worth noting for anyone planning a trip to Yosemite in central California next summer:
The National Park Service is suspending its reservation requirements in 2023.
The National Park Service announced the change Tuesday on social media, noting that Yosemite needed to have those requirements in place in 2020 and 2021 to help deal with the pandemic and then in 2022 when several attractions were closed for repairs.
“Yosemite has been grappling with congestion — even gridlock — for decades. We want to build from the lessons learned from the last three summers of managed access,” the park service said.
The park service will use next year’s summer season to conduct an environmental assessment on how to best deal with overcrowding. That will include public input.
“Look for an announcement in December, when we’ll start seeking your help to design an approach that provides a great visitor experience while protecting Yosemite’s natural and cultural resources.”
Visiting Yosemite tips
The change was welcomed by the Yosemite Mariposa County Tourism Bureau, which is hoping it will bring tourism levels back to pre-pandemic levels.
“This decision will help our visitors, especially those from other states and countries who tend to plan their once-in-a-lifetime vacations to Yosemite about a year in advance,” executive director Jonathan Farrington said in a statement on Tuesday.
Locals will also get the benefit of a bit more spontaneity in their visits.
At that, the organization did offer some of its own tips on how visitors could help alleviate overcrowding (and also enhance their own experiences).
That includes: visiting in one of the seasons that’s not summer; arriving early to avoid lines at the entrance gates and and avoiding peak traffic on holiday weekends (that’s between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.); using public transportation or commercial tours when possible; and avoiding the temptation to try to see the nearly 1,200-square-mile park in a single day.
