You No Longer Need a Reservation at Yosemite, Starting Summer 2023

It’s no secret visitation to national parks soared over the pandemic. With larger crowds came necessary measures to stem the flow of excess guests. However, in 2023, one of those measures will finally be lifted at Yosemite National Park.

The National Park Service announced, starting in summer 2023, Yosemite National Park no longer requires peak hours vehicle reservations. The reservation system was put into place in 2020 to prevent COVID-19’s spread and has remained as the park undergoes construction. The removal of this reservation requirement not only benefits spur-of-the-moment travelers, though. It also will allow the park service to conduct an environmental assessment of the park.

“This decision will help our visitors, especially those from other states and countries who tend to plan their once-in-a-lifetime vacations to Yosemite about a year in advance,” said Jonathan Farrington, CEO and executive director, Yosemite Mariposa County Tourism Bureau. “For our friends who live closer to the region, this allows them to be more spontaneous with their plans to visit.”

Still, just because this reservation system is no longer in effect starting in summer, doesn’t mean crowds are expected to be non-existent. You’ll still face busy roads and facilities during most visits, which is why the tourism bureau recommends visiting during non-peak times.