Yosemite records 836,000 visits so far

Yosemite National Park has already logged more than 836,000 visits in 2026, according to a Los Angeles Times report published May 18. The figure landed days before Memorial Day weekend, one of the park’s busiest travel periods, and after Yosemite reopened Tioga Road to vehicle traffic on May 15. The count has drawn attention because Yosemite is operating this year without the timed entry reservation system it used in prior peak seasons. Park officials have said they will instead rely on traffic monitoring, parking management and congestion alerts. ### Where does the 836,000 figure fit in? The Los Angeles Times reported that Yosemite had recorded more than 836,000 visits so far in 2026 as crowds built ahead of the holiday weekend. The same report described parking lots filling early, including Curry Village by 8 a.m., and cars being left in unmarked spots as visitors searched for space. March was already running ahead of last year’s pace. (aol.com) SFGATE, citing a National Park Service monthly public use report, said Yosemite recorded 225,817 recreational visitors in March, compared with 155,758 a year earlier. ### Why are visitors watching the reservation policy so closely? Yosemite National Park said on February 18 that it would not use a timed reservation system in 2026. (aol.com) The park said its review of the 2025 season found that most weekdays had available parking, stable traffic flow and visitation within operational capacity. (sfgate.com) Superintendent Ray McPadden said in the park’s reservation notice that Yosemite would continue “active traffic management strategies” and use targeted tools instead of a season-wide reservation requirement. The park said those tools include real-time traffic monitoring, active parking management in Yosemite Valley, added staffing at key intersections and guidance encouraging weekday visits. (nps.gov) ### What changed on May 15? Tioga Road reopened to all traffic on Friday, May 15, at 8 a.m., according to Yosemite’s road status page. The road gives drivers access across the park toward Tuolumne Meadows and the high country, but the park said only limited services are available along the route. The National Park Service said visitors on Tioga Road should bring their own food and water. (nps.gov) Vault and portable toilets are available, the park said, but no drinking water or other services are open along the road. Glacier Point Road had reopened earlier, on May 9 at 8 a.m. ### What are officials telling visitors to do now? Yosemite officials are telling travelers to plan early, especially for weekends and holiday periods. (nps.gov) The park’s 2026 visitor guidance says weekday trips generally offer lower congestion and better parking availability, and it urges visitors to check current conditions before arriving. The park also said it is promoting destinations outside Yosemite Valley, including Tuolumne Meadows, Wawona and Hetch Hetchy, as part of its traffic management approach. (nps.gov) That guidance appears alongside warnings that real-time road condition alerts and congestion notices may change plans on busy days. ### What should visitors watch over Memorial Day weekend? Memorial Day weekend is the next major test for Yosemite’s 2026 access strategy. (nps.gov) The park says there is no day-use or peak-hours reservation requirement this year, but visitors still need to pay the entrance fee or use a valid pass, and officials direct travelers to the park website for live conditions, seasonal updates and trip-planning tools. Tioga Road is now open, Glacier Point Road is open, and Yosemite’s next crowd-management updates are expected through the National Park Service’s conditions pages as holiday traffic builds. (nps.gov 1) (nps.gov 2)