Yosemite peak-hour rules

Yosemite is not using a timed entry system in 2026, but the park is still steering visitors away from the busiest hours. The National Park Service says no entrance reservation is required this year and urges drivers to arrive before 9 a.m. or after 5 p.m. to avoid congestion. (nps.gov, nps.gov) A private vehicle still costs $35 to enter Yosemite, and that pass is valid for seven consecutive days. All park entrances except Hetch Hetchy are open 24 hours a day, and Yosemite says it no longer accepts cash at the gate. (nps.gov) The park dropped its timed reservation program after reviewing 2025 traffic, parking, and visitor-use data. Yosemite said most weekdays stayed within operational capacity, with available parking and stable traffic flow, so a season-wide reservation requirement was not kept for 2026. (nps.gov) Instead, Yosemite says it will rely on real-time traffic monitoring, active parking management in Yosemite Valley, added staffing at key intersections, and road-condition and congestion alerts. The park is also pushing visitors toward weekdays and destinations outside Yosemite Valley, including Wawona, Hetch Hetchy, and Tuolumne Meadows when seasonal access allows. (nps.gov) That advice comes as Yosemite enters its heaviest travel stretch. The park says millions of people visit from April through October, and its traffic advisory warns that spring and fall can bring extended delays, extremely limited parking, and crowded trails, especially in Yosemite Valley. (nps.gov, nps.gov) Visitors who want to park once and stop driving can use the free Yosemite Valley shuttle, which runs daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. The valleywide route serves lodges, campgrounds, food service, and trailheads, with buses arriving about every 12 to 22 minutes. (nps.gov) Drivers coming in on Highway 120 through the Big Oak Flat entrance should still expect backups. The National Park Service says congestion is likely at park entrances from spring through fall, with delays especially common in the afternoons and on weekends. (nps.gov) Yosemite is also using Earth Day to put more people to work inside the park. On Wednesday, April 22, 2026, the Volunteer Office scheduled a drop-in litter clean-up from noon to 3 p.m. in front of the Exploration Center in Yosemite Village, and the park says Earth Day projects are suitable for all ages. (nps.gov) The practical message for spring and summer visitors is simpler than last year’s reservation rules: pay the entrance fee, check conditions before you go, and avoid the middle of the day if you want less time in line and more time in the park. (nps.gov, nps.gov)