Yosemite logs 836,000 visits

Yosemite National Park entered 2026 without a timed-entry reservation system after park officials said the requirement was no longer the best fit for the season. The National Park Service announced the change on February 18 and said Yosemite would rely instead on real-time traffic monitoring, active parking management in Yosemite Valley, added staffing at key intersections and temporary traffic controls when needed. The shift has put crowding and access at the center of trip planning before the busiest stretch of the year. The San Francisco Chronicle reported that Yosemite warned visitors on a recent Saturday morning that all parking in Yosemite Valley was full before noon, weeks before the park’s peak summer months. The park’s own data shows why the pressure is expected to build. Yosemite says nearly 75% of its visitors typically arrive between May and October, making late spring road openings and holiday weekends especially important for traffic and parking conditions. (nps.gov) ### Why did Yosemite drop reservations in 2026? February 18 was the date Yosemite said it would stop using a timed reservation system for 2026. The park said its review of 2025 operations found that “most weekdays maintained available parking, stable traffic flow and visitation levels within the park’s operational capacity.” (sfchronicle.com) Superintendent Ray McPadden said the park would continue “active traffic management strategies” and called reservation systems “one valuable management tool,” but not the most effective approach for the coming season. (nps.gov) The park said it would push visitors toward weekday trips and destinations outside Yosemite Valley, including Tuolumne Meadows, Wawona and Hetch Hetchy. ### What does the 836,000 figure refer to? (nps.gov) The Los Angeles Times reported that Yosemite had logged more than 836,000 visits so far in 2026. The National Park Service’s public year-to-date report available online shows 225,817 recreation visits through March and labels current calendar-year data as preliminary and subject to change, which indicates the higher figure cited by the newspaper likely includes additional April and May traffic not yet reflected in the March report. That is an inference based on the reporting and the park’s posted statistics. (nps.gov) March alone accounted for 225,817 recreation visits, according to the Yosemite year-to-date report. The same report showed 222,277 visitors arriving by auto and 3,540 by bus through March. ### Where is the pressure showing up first? Yosemite Valley has been the clearest choke point. The Chronicle reported that the park told visitors to avoid the valley after parking lots filled and waits built before noon on a Saturday. (irma.nps.gov) The National Park Service said in February that it expected to use active parking management in Yosemite Valley and short-term traffic diversions when parking areas or roadways reached capacity. Those measures were part of a broader summer 2026 access plan for high-visitation parks including Yosemite, Arches, Glacier and Rocky Mountain. (irma.nps.gov) ### How do Tioga Road and Glacier Point Road change the picture? (sfchronicle.com) May 15 was the scheduled reopening date for Tioga Road to all traffic this year, and Glacier Point Road reopened to vehicles on May 9, Yosemite said. The park described the Tioga opening as the earliest in 16 years and said the route restores access to Tuolumne Meadows and the high country. Those openings spread visitors across more of the park, but Yosemite also warned that limited services were available along Tioga Road and told travelers to bring food and water. (nps.gov) The park’s current conditions page also lists campground status and road alerts, including work on Big Oak Flat Road that can cause 15-minute delays. ### What should visitors watch next? Memorial Day weekend is the next major test for Yosemite’s no-reservations system because it arrives just after the seasonal road reopenings and at the start of the park’s busiest months. (nps.gov) Yosemite tells visitors to check current conditions, road alerts and trip-planning updates on the park website before traveling, and to consider weekday visits if possible. (nps.gov)