Yosemite ends 2026 reservations, reopens areas

Yosemite National Park said on February 18 that it will not require timed-entry vehicle reservations in 2026 after reviewing 2025 traffic, parking and visitor-use data. The park said on May 13 that it is also reopening campgrounds, trails and high-country access ahead of the summer rush, including a full slate of front-country campgrounds and an early opening for Tioga Road. Superintendent Ray McPadden said the park will rely instead on real-time traffic monitoring, active parking management and added staffing at busy intersections. (nps.gov) Park officials and outside guides have warned visitors to expect weekend traffic, especially on Saturday mornings, and to arrive early or use backup plans. ### If Yosemite dropped reservations, what still requires a booking? Yosemite said a reservation is not required to enter the park in 2026, but the entrance fee still applies at the gate. The park said visitors should still book lodging, camping and backpacking in advance, and overnight wilderness trips still require wilderness permits through Recreation.gov. The National Park Service said all Yosemite front-country campgrounds will be open this summer and available for reservation. Most High Sierra Camps are also returning to operation, giving visitors more backcountry access as summer begins. (nps.gov) ### Why did park officials say the reservation system was ending? Yosemite said its analysis of the 2025 season found that most weekdays still had available parking, stable traffic flow and visitation within the park’s operating capacity. McPadden said a season-wide reservation requirement was therefore not “the most effective approach” for 2026. (nps.gov) The park said it will broaden measures it used in 2025, including real-time traffic monitoring, active parking management in Yosemite Valley, more staff at key decision points and congestion warnings on park information channels. Officials also said they will push visitors toward weekdays and destinations outside Yosemite Valley, including Tuolumne Meadows, Wawona and Hetch Hetchy. (nps.gov) ### Which areas are reopening now? Yosemite said on May 13 that a section of the Valley Loop Trail near Royal Arches is reopening, along with several climbing routes that had been closed for safety monitoring. The park also said the Ice Cut section of the John Muir Trail is expected to reopen in July after safety and trail improvements. (nps.gov) Tioga Road is scheduled to open to vehicle traffic on May 15 at 8 a.m., according to the park’s conditions and news pages. The park said that opening would be the earliest in 16 years and would restore access to Tuolumne Meadows and other high-country areas. (nps.gov) Glacier Point Road reopened to vehicles on May 9, the park said. Half Dome’s cable route is set to open May 15, Yosemite said, and the daily lottery for permits opened May 13. The application window runs two days before the desired hiking date, according to the park. (nps.gov) ### What are visitors being told to expect at the entrance and in Yosemite Valley? Yosemite’s visitor guidance says “millions” of people visit from April through October and recommends arriving before 9 a.m. or after 5 p.m. to avoid peak traffic. The park’s May 13 release separately said visitors should expect traffic on weekends, especially Saturday mornings, and urged people to buy digital passes in advance and visit midweek if possible. (nps.gov) Climbing.com reported on May 14 that parking pressure had already intensified on early-May Saturdays after the reservation system ended, describing circling cars, tow trucks and a line of vehicles between Camp 4 and El Capitan Picnic Area. (nps.gov) That account was reported by the publication and attributed to its on-the-ground observations and conversations with Yosemite staff. KVPR reported on May 14 that Yosemite is reopening popular trails, climbing areas and campgrounds as the tourist season builds before summer. KVPR’s report said all front-country campgrounds and most backcountry camps would be open this summer. (nps.gov) ### Where should visitors check before they drive in? Yosemite directs visitors to its current conditions page and road-status phone line for the latest closures and openings. The park’s conditions page said on May 15 that Wawona Road, El Portal Road, Big Oak Flat Road, Yosemite Valley roads, Hetch Hetchy Road and Glacier Point Road were open, while Tioga Road was reopening at 8 a.m. (climbing.com) The National Park Service said planning resources, congestion warnings and seasonal updates for 2026 are posted on Yosemite’s website. Campground reservations, wilderness permits and Half Dome permit applications are being handled through Recreation.gov as summer access expands. (nps.gov 1) (nps.gov 2) (kvpr.org)