Yosemite National Park to Require Reservations in 2024

The National Park Service recently announced that next year, visitors to Yosemite National Park in California will need to reserve their entry for several spring and fall visits and all peak summer visits to aid with congestion.

The pilot reservation system will be similar to the “Peak Hours” reservation system used in 2022, which required visitors coming to the park between 6 a.m. and 4 p.m. from late May through September of that year to make a reservation in advance.

With the new reservation system, called “Peak Hours Plus,” visitors coming to the park will need to make reservations when visiting from 5 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends from April 13 through June 30 and August 17 through October 27, as well as every day from July 1 to August 16.

There will be two types of reservations to choose from, either full-day reservations or partial-day reservations for people coming after 12 p.m.

“This summer’s pilot system is built from extensive public feedback, data from three years of pilot reservation systems here in Yosemite, and lessons learned from other national parks,” Yosemite National Park Superintendent Cicely Muldoon said in a statement. “This pilot system will inform how we ensure an equitable and outstanding visitor experience while protecting Yosemite’s world class resources.”

Additionally, the park will require reservations on weekends from February 10 to February 25, during the event known as Horsetail Fall, as well as on Monday, February 19.

Visitors can begin purchasing reservations online (recreation.gov/timed-entry/10086745) at 8 a.m. Pacific Time on January 5 for dates starting in April. According to the National Park Service, each reservation will be valid for three consecutive days, including the chosen arrival date. February reservations are already available.

There are some exemptions, including those who have in-park lodgings, reserved spots at park campgrounds, wilderness permits or Half Dome permits won’t need to make a vehicle reservation. People coming into the parks by Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System (YARTS) buses or commercial tour vehicles will not need these vehicle reservations. People entering the park before 5 a.m. or after 4 p.m. also don’t need a reservation.

As USA Today reported, these non-refundable reservations cost $2 and are an additional fee to the park entrance pass, which costs $20 to $35 for the standard pass, $70 for an annual Yosemite National Park pass, or $80 for the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Annual Pass.

NPS is continuing to develop a Visitor Access Management Plan, using pilots such as the reservation systems to better inform how to manage tourism to the park to preserve the landscape while making trips more enjoyable for visitors.

“Yosemite has been grappling with congestion — even gridlock — for decades,” NPS said on its website. “We want to build from the lessons learned from the last three summer of managed access. We are currently developing the Visitor Access Management Plan in order to design an approach that provides a great visitor experience while protecting Yosemite’s natural and cultural resources.”