As Yosemite continues to be one of the top-visited parks in the National Park Service, visitors and park officials have seen what happens without a reservation system. It’s ugly. If you visited this past summer, you saw what it looks like when 7,000 cars enter the park with only about 1,200 parking spots. If you didn’t see it firsthand, it made the news. The congestion on the roadways and the trails has prompted Yosemite to institute a reservation system for peak times in 2024. We’ll explain it all in detail below.
When Do You Need Reservations?
Yosemite’s new reservation system will be in effect for two time periods: February 10th-21st and April 13th-October 27th. In February, this reservation system was implemented because of the popular Firefall event. Reservations will be required for Saturdays, Sundays, and Washington’s birthday. From April 13th to June 30th, reservations will be required on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. A reservation is required every day from July 1st through August 16th (peak summer). From August 17th to October 27th, it goes back to Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.
Fortunately for guests of Lasting Adventures’ guided multi-day trips, summer camps, and day hikes, a reservation to the park is included with the booking!!
- February 10 through 25: A reservation is required 24 hours daily on Saturdays, Sundays, and Washington’s Birthday (Monday, February 19).
- February 26 through April 12: Driving into Yosemite requires no reservation.
- April 13 through June 30: A reservation is required from 5 am to 4 pm on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays (May 27 and June 19).
- July 1 through August 16: A reservation is required from 5 am to 4 pm daily.
- August 17 through October 27: A reservation is required from 5 am to 4 pm on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays (September 2 and October 14).
How Do You Get Reservations?
For February:
- Beginning at 8 am Pacific time on December 1, 50% of day-use reservations are available for all three weekends on Recreation.gov.
- Beginning at 8 am Pacific time two days prior to a day-use reservation date, the remaining 50% of day-use reservations will be available. For example, on February 23 at 8 am, day-use reservations for February 25 will be available.
For April-October:
- Most reservations for all dates from April 13 through October 27, 2024, will be available on Recreation.gov on January 5, 2024, at 8 am Pacific time.
- Additional reservations will be available seven days before the arrival date (e.g., make a reservation for an arrival date of October 27 on October 20) at 8 am Pacific time.
- If you don’t have computer access, call 877/444-6777 to make a reservation.
What Else Do I Need to Know?
- The non-refundable reservation fee is $2 (this does not include the $35-per-car park entrance fee or an annual or lifetime pass).
- Peak-hours reservations are valid for three consecutive days (including arrival date).
- February reservations are valid for seven consecutive days (including arrival date).
- Your reservation for in-park lodging or camping, a Half Dome permit, or a wilderness permit allows you to enter the park for the duration of your reservation or three consecutive days (whichever is longer).
- If you book a trip with us, you don’t need to worry about all of this!
Managing the amounts of people that want to access the park and how that affects the visitor experience has been the purpose of the Visitor Access Management Plan. This plan has been worked on the past few years with meetings, strategies, and feedback from the public and will no doubt change again in the upcoming years. Have questions regarding Yosemite’s reservation system or interested in booking a tour with Lasting Adventures? Feel free to contact us for a quick reply.
For more info on Yosemite reservations, entry, and access for Lasting Adventures guests, visit our FAQ page.