Yosemite drops reservations

Yosemite just did something unusual for a park that can gridlock on busy weekends: it scrapped timed vehicle entry for all of 2026 after reviewing 2025 traffic, parking, and visitation data and deciding a season-long reservation system was not the best fit this year. (nps.gov) That includes the late-February Horsetail Fall rush, when sunlight can turn a thin waterfall on El Capitan orange and draw thousands of people into Yosemite Valley for a photo window that lasts only minutes near sunset. (nps.gov) The park says no entry reservation is required for that 2026 viewing period, projected for February 10 through February 26, but visitors still have to use a specific parking setup and walk about 1.5 miles each way to the viewing area near El Capitan Picnic Area. (nps.gov 1) (nps.gov 2) The catch is that “no reservation” does not mean “no planning.” Yosemite’s own trip-planning page says the entrance fee still applies, lodging and campground reservations are still strongly recommended, and the heaviest traffic usually runs from April through October. (nps.gov 1) (nps.gov 2) Park staff are also warning people to think about timing the way commuters think about rush hour: arrive before 9 a.m. or after 5 p.m. if you want a better shot at avoiding long entrance lines and full parking lots in Yosemite Valley. (nps.gov) What makes the 2026 decision more interesting is the spring backdrop. Yosemite’s April 1 snow surveys found the Tuolumne River Basin at 56 percent of the April 1 average, and the Tuolumne Meadows survey course itself measured 7.7 inches of snow water equivalent, or 37 percent of average. (nps.gov 1) (nps.gov 2) Across California, the snow picture is even thinner: the Department of Water Resources showed statewide snowpack at 16 percent of the April 1 average on April 7, with the central Sierra at 19 percent. Yosemite sits inside that stressed system, so a weak snow year can change the park’s calendar fast. (ca.gov) That is why Yosemite can have low snowpack and strong waterfalls at the same time. Warm early-April temperatures are melting what snow is left now, which pushes water into falls and creeks immediately, even if the total seasonal reservoir in the mountains is smaller than normal. (nps.gov) (goldrushcam.com) The park’s current conditions page still shows much of the high country closed, including Tuolumne Meadows, White Wolf, and Yosemite Creek campgrounds, while lower-elevation roads into Yosemite Valley are open. That means the easiest spontaneous 2026 trip is not “the whole park,” but mainly the valley and other open lower areas. (nps.gov) So the 2026 Yosemite deal is simple but not carefree: getting through the gate is easier than it was under timed entry, but finding a bed, a campsite, a parking space, and the exact version of Yosemite you want is still a race against crowds, road openings, and a very lean snow year. (nps.gov) (nps.gov)