Yosemite Drops Summer Reservations

Yosemite's move away from a reservation system for the summer of 2026 reverses a trend seen in many popular national parks that have been battling overcrowding. The park will instead use "active traffic management," which includes real-time monitoring of traffic, managing parking availability in Yosemite Valley, and placing additional staff at key intersections during peak hours. This isn't the first time Yosemite has adjusted its approach to visitor management. Reservation systems were first piloted in 2020 to handle pandemic-era crowds and were used in various forms through 2025 to mitigate traffic congestion and protect natural resources. The decision to end the system was based on an evaluation of traffic patterns and visitor use during the 2025 season, which, according to park officials, showed that most weekdays had available parking and stable traffic flow. The change is expected to be a boon for gateway communities like Oakhurst, where local businesses reported a significant drop in tourism under the reservation system. The move is intended to restore flexibility for travelers and make spontaneous trips more feasible for California residents. However, the decision has drawn criticism from conservation groups who fear a return to gridlock and environmental damage. Between 2000 and 2019, before the implementation of reservation systems, visitation to Yosemite increased by over 30%, leading to frequent traffic jams, full parking lots, and damage to sensitive meadows. For the first time in six years, all 13 of Yosemite's campgrounds are expected to be open, adding approximately 500 more campsites than have been available in recent summers. Despite the end of the vehicle reservation system, reservations will still be required for most of these campsites, as well as for wilderness permits and in-park lodging, which often sell out months in advance. The National Park Service has stated that it will closely monitor conditions throughout the summer and is prepared to implement temporary traffic diversions if parking areas reach capacity. Visitors are being encouraged to plan their trips for weekdays, arrive early, and explore areas beyond the popular Yosemite Valley to help mitigate congestion. The move away from reservations at Yosemite, along with similar changes at Glacier and Arches National Parks, comes as the National Park Service faces staffing challenges. Some critics question whether the park will have adequate personnel to effectively manage the anticipated increase in visitors without a reservation system in place. Research on reservation systems in national parks has shown they can have unintended consequences, potentially excluding lower-income and non-White visitors who may be less able to plan trips far in advance. The shift to a first-come, first-served model for park entry aims to address some of these equity concerns.