Yosemite drops timed vehicle reservation system for 2026

Yosemite National Park said on February 18 that visitors will not need a timed vehicle reservation to drive into the park in 2026, ending a system the park had used in recent years to manage peak-season traffic. The National Park Service said the decision followed a review of 2025 traffic patterns, parking availability and visitor use. Park officials said most weekdays last season had available parking and traffic conditions within operational capacity. The entrance fee still applies, and Yosemite said visitors should still expect delays on busy weekends and holidays. ### If there is no reservation, what changes for drivers? Yosemite’s entrance reservation page says a reservation is not required to enter the park in 2026. The park said it concluded that a season-wide timed-entry system was not the most effective approach after reviewing 2025 conditions. Superintendent Ray McPadden said the park would continue to focus on visitor access, safety and resource protection. The park’s FAQ page says drivers can arrive without an advance vehicle booking, but they still must pay the entrance fee on arrival unless they hold a valid pass. (nps.gov) Yosemite’s planning pages also say lodging, camping and wilderness permits remain separate reservation systems. ### Why did Yosemite say it dropped the timed-entry system? February 18 marked Yosemite’s formal announcement that it would no longer use timed vehicle reservations in 2026. (nps.gov) The park said its analysis found that “most weekdays” maintained available parking, stable traffic flow and visitation levels within the park’s operational capacity during the 2025 season. McPadden said reservation systems remain one management tool, but the park’s data did not support keeping a season-wide requirement for 2026. (nps.gov) The National Park Service said Yosemite will instead rely more heavily on operational measures used in 2025. Those measures include real-time traffic monitoring, active parking management in Yosemite Valley, extra staffing at key intersections, road-condition alerts and guidance steering visitors toward weekdays and destinations outside Yosemite Valley, including Tuolumne Meadows, Wawona and Hetch Hetchy. (nps.gov) ### What should visitors expect on peak summer days? May 13 guidance from Yosemite said visitors should expect traffic on weekends, especially on Saturday mornings. The park urged travelers to visit midweek, arrive early or later in the day, and buy digital passes in advance where possible. Yosemite’s public guidance says the park will use temporary traffic diversions and additional seasonal staffing when parking areas reach capacity. (nps.gov) The National Park Service said those steps are intended to manage high-use periods without a blanket reservation rule for the full season. ### Do camping, backpacking and Half Dome still need reservations or permits? (nps.gov) Yosemite’s camping page says the park has 13 campgrounds and that all of them operate on reservations from April through October. Reservation release windows vary by campground, with some sites released five months ahead, others two months ahead, two weeks ahead or one week ahead for Camp 4. The park’s FAQ page says visitors should reserve lodging, camping and wilderness permits as early as possible if they plan to stay in or near Yosemite. (nps.gov) Overnight wilderness trips still require a wilderness permit, which Yosemite’s May 13 release said can be reserved on Recreation.gov. May 15 is also the start of Half Dome day-hike access, according to Yosemite’s May 13 release. The park said the daily lottery for Half Dome permits opened on May 13, with the application period running two days in advance of the desired hiking date. (nps.gov) ### What else is reopening as the summer season begins? May 13 updates from Yosemite said all front-country campgrounds will be open this summer and available for reservation through Recreation.gov. (nps.gov) The park also said most High Sierra Camps are returning to operation, and a section of the Valley Loop Trail near Royal Arches and several climbing routes are reopening. (nps.gov) Tioga Road is scheduled to open to vehicle traffic on May 15 at 8 a.m., Yosemite said in current alerts and its summer reopening notice. Glacier Point Road opened on May 9, the park said, restoring vehicle access to major high-country and overlook areas ahead of the main summer travel period. May 15 is the next major date for visitors because Tioga Road opens at 8 a.m. and Half Dome day-hike access begins the same day, according to Yosemite National Park. (nps.gov) Current conditions, alerts and trip-planning updates are posted on the park’s website, while campground, wilderness and Half Dome bookings run through Recreation.gov. (nps.gov)