You No Longer Need a Reservation to Visit Yosemite National Park

Yosemite

Yosemite National Park has ended its day-use reservation system, allowing visitors to enter the park without any pre-required paperwork.

The reservation system had been put in place to manage traffic flow during the COVID-19 pandemic from June 11 through Oct. 31, 2020, and again from Feb. 8 through Feb. 28, 2021.

"This helped reduce overcrowding at the park's most popular destinations," according to the National Park Service (NPS) website. "The park aimed to increase public access while providing visitors with a reasonable opportunity to comply with health guidelines."

The reservation system limited the number of cars that could enter the national park but did not cap the number of visitors.

While visitors are no longer required to make reservations, they must still take pandemic safety precautions when visiting Yosemite, including social distancing on trails and wearing a face mask.

Campgrounds that do not allow for social distancing between campers remain closed. Advance registration for camping is required if you intend on staying overnight in Yosemite.

All trails are open, except for normal winter closures on parts of the Mist, John Muir, and Four Mile Trails. Visitors are encouraged to exercise caution on trails that may be icy or snowy, due to weather conditions.

Some areas like the park's visitor center and bookstore are operating with reduced service at this time, however an outdoor information kiosk is open behind the Valley Visitor Center.

There is currently no shuttle service in Yosemite Valley and attractions like the Yosemite Museum, theater and Mountain Room Restaurant remain temporarily closed.

Those who can't make it can still enjoy all that Yosemite has to offer through the national park's extensive webcam.

Cailey Rizzo is a contributing writer for Travel Leisure, currently based in Brooklyn. You can find her on Twitter, Instagram, or at caileyrizzo.com.

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