Yosemite logs 836,000 visits so far

Yosemite National Park entered the 2026 season without timed vehicle reservations, and the change is colliding with an early surge in weekend traffic. The National Park Service said on February 18 that Yosemite would no longer require reservations this year after reviewing 2025 traffic, parking and visitor-use data. By mid-May, local and regional coverage showed Yosemite Valley parking filling before noon and visitors describing Saturday access as a scramble. The Los Angeles Times reported the park had logged more than 836,000 visits so far in 2026 before Memorial Day weekend. ### Why did Yosemite end the reservation system in the first place? Yosemite National Park said on February 18 that a season-wide timed reservation requirement was “not the most effective approach” for 2026. The park said its analysis found that most weekdays in 2025 still had available parking, stable traffic flow and visitation within operational capacity. Superintendent Ray McPadden said the park would instead rely on real-time traffic monitoring, active parking management, extra staffing at key intersections and more guidance steering visitors toward weekdays and destinations outside Yosemite Valley. (nps.gov) The National Park Service also said Yosemite would keep using congestion warnings, road-condition alerts and trip-planning tools. McPadden said the goal was to preserve open access on days when the park was operating within capacity while managing the busiest periods more actively. ### How crowded is Yosemite already? The Los Angeles Times reported on May 18 that Yosemite had recorded more than 836,000 visits so far in 2026, before the traditional summer peak around Memorial Day and beyond. (nps.gov) The same report said some visitors feared the high season could become unmanageable without the reservation controls used in prior years. The San Francisco Chronicle separately reported that Yosemite warned visitors on a recent Saturday morning that all parking in Yosemite Valley was full before noon, weeks before the busiest summer months. That report matched longstanding park guidance that weekend parking in the valley can disappear early in the day. ### What does the park itself tell drivers to expect? The National Park Service says spring-through-fall visitors heading into Yosemite Valley by car should arrive before 8 a.m., because parking is usually full after that. (msn.com) The park says weekend and holiday arrivals after 8 a.m. should be prepared for multiple delays and the possibility of not finding parking at all. Yosemite’s broader trip-planning page gives a similar warning. (sfchronicle.com) The park tells visitors to “pack your patience,” notes that millions of people visit from April through October, and advises drivers to enter before 9 a.m. or after 5 p.m. to avoid peak congestion. ### Is this unusual for May? Yosemite’s own visitation page shows May averages about 372,595 visits based on 2010-2024 data, while June averages 526,209 and July 624,559. (nps.gov) The park says nearly 75% of annual visitors arrive during the six busiest months from May through October, which helps explain why conditions are tightening before the core summer season begins. The park has also been reopening seasonal access points. (nps.gov) Yosemite said last week that Glacier Point Road opened to vehicles on May 9, and it urged visitors to arrive early or later in the afternoon, visit midweek and explore beyond Yosemite Valley to reduce congestion. ### Where should visitors look before heading in? (nps.gov) Yosemite directs 2026 visitors to its current conditions, traffic and trip-planning pages before traveling. The park’s website says no entrance reservation is required this year, but entrance fees still apply, and lodging and campground reservations remain important for overnight stays. Memorial Day weekend is the next major test. Yosemite says current alerts, road updates and planning tools are available through its official park website and traffic pages. (nps.gov 1) (nps.gov 2) (nps.gov 3)