Yosemite reports big crowds after ditching reservations

Yosemite National Park entered the 2026 summer season without the timed vehicle reservations it had used in recent years, and park officials had already warned visitors to expect traffic and full parking on busy days. The National Park Service announced on February 18 that Yosemite would not require vehicle reservations in 2026 after reviewing 2025 traffic, parking and visitor-use data. (nps.gov) Superintendent Ray McPadden said that review found most weekdays had available parking and stable traffic flow within the park’s operating capacity. Since then, Yosemite has moved to what officials describe as targeted traffic management rather than season-wide entry controls. ### When did Yosemite end the reservation system? February 18, 2026, is when Yosemite said it would no longer use a timed reservation system this year. (nps.gov) In its news release, the park said the decision followed an evaluation of 2025 traffic patterns, parking availability and visitor use. Ray McPadden, Yosemite’s superintendent, said the park’s analysis showed “a season-wide reservation requirement is not the most effective approach for 2026.” He said the park would continue to focus on visitor access, safety and resource protection while using active traffic management strategies. ### What replaced the reservation requirement? Yosemite said it would rely on real-time traffic monitoring, active parking management in Yosemite Valley, added staffing at key intersections, congestion warnings and trip-planning tools. (nps.gov) The park also said it would encourage weekday visits and promote destinations outside Yosemite Valley, including Tuolumne Meadows, Wawona and Hetch Hetchy. The park’s current reservations page says an entrance reservation is not required in 2026, though lodging, campground, wilderness and Half Dome permits still apply depending on the activity. Yosemite’s trip-planning page also tells visitors to “pack your patience” because millions of people visit from April through October. ### Why were officials already warning about summer congestion? (nps.gov) May 13 marked Yosemite’s summer access update, and the park used that announcement to tell visitors to plan ahead as more areas reopened. The National Park Service said all front-country campgrounds would be open this summer, Tioga Road would open to vehicles on May 15, Glacier Point Road had opened on May 9, and Half Dome hiking would open May 15 through the daily lottery system. (nps.gov) That same release said visitors should expect traffic on weekends, especially Saturday mornings. Yosemite also warned that parking in Yosemite Valley fills early during peak summer days and urged visitors to buy digital passes in advance, visit midweek, arrive early or later in the day, and explore beyond the valley. (nps.gov) ### Was Yosemite the only park changing entry rules? The National Park Service said in a broader February announcement that Yosemite would not require advance reservations in 2026, while Rocky Mountain National Park would keep a timed-entry system and Glacier National Park would scale back reservations in some areas. LiveNOW from FOX separately summarized those 2026 policy changes in a February 22 report on western parks. (nps.gov) That means Yosemite’s current crowding is unfolding in a year when access rules across several major parks were also being adjusted, but Yosemite’s own policy is clear: no entrance reservation is required in 2026. ### What should visitors watch now? Yosemite’s official guidance says visitors should check current conditions, road alerts and trip-planning tools before arriving. (nps.gov) The park said planning early matters most for weekends and holidays, and officials have repeatedly steered visitors toward weekday trips when parking and traffic conditions are more favorable. The next major visitor decisions will center on day-of travel conditions in June and the July reopening expected for the Ice Cut section of the John Muir Trail, according to Yosemite’s May 13 update. (nps.gov) Half Dome permits remain available through the park’s rolling daily lottery, and campground reservations continue through Recreation.gov. (nps.gov 1) (nps.gov 2) (nps.gov 3)