Yosemite National Park in California welcomes millions of visitors each year, more than 3.3 million in 2021 alone, in fact. And like other popular U.S. national parks, Yosemite is trying to devise a solution to the influx of crowds.
Starting 8 a.m. PT (11 a.m. ET) Wednesday, March 30, Yosemite’s reservation system will go live for visitors to secure entry to the park in peak season.
How to Visit Yosemite National Park in 2022
From May 20 to September 30, all park visitors will need a reservation to enter between 6 a.m. and 4 p.m. This applies for both weekdays and weekends.
Visitors that are annual or lifetime pass holders still need to secure a reservation to enter. To book a reservation for Yosemite, visit the following reservation link website: www.recreation.gov.
Worried you’re going to be left out? The early bird gets the worm. Yosemite advises people to have their Recreation.gov accounts already established and “be logged in and ready to get a reservation promptly at 8 a.m. Pacific daylight time.”
A nonrefundable reservation fee is $2 is charged, and it does not include the $35 per car park entrance fee. People who have already made reservations for in-park camping, lodging, or wilderness permits don’t need to make an additional entry reservation.
For more details on the process, you can visit the National Parks Service website.
Remember, plan ahead! Many other well-known national parks across the United States are expecting to be bombarded with high volumes of visitors this summer season. To keep the areas from being overwhelmed and potentially harmed by so many people, parks are implementing changes that run the gamut from extra fees, special passes, lotteries, and visitor caps.
Additionally, some parks that used to be free are now adding entry fees. For example, Indiana Dunes National Park will institute an entry fee for the first time this year, beginning March 31. And in Utah, Arches National Park is introducing a timed entry program for visits from April 3 to October 3.
