Reservations are no longer required to visit Yosemite National Park. Find out why
If you want to go on a spontaneous trip to Yosemite National Park, you may now do so because reservations are no longer required for the rest of 2024.
Nature lovers will find it easier to visit Yosemite National Park this month, as reservations are no longer required to drive through the park.
Previously, visitors needed to reserve a spot online to be able to drive through or into the park. The park service had previously intended to make online reservations mandatory for would-be visitors through Oct. 27.
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Reservations are no longer required to visit Yosemite National Park. Find out why
The park had enforced an online reservation requirement to help prevent the area from overcrowding and avoid traffic jams, as millions of people including climbers, hikers, campers, and photographers, flock to the park every year to enjoy one of the country’s most magnificent natural wonders.
However, after the Yosemite National Park Service studied the use patterns and impacts of visitors after implementing the reservation requirement, it decided to cut the reservation period short by a few weeks. The park says they “will automatically issue refunds to anyone who has a peak-hours reservation that was valid after October 13.”
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Supporters of the reservation system point out that limiting the number of people entering Yosemite helps keep the park clean and wild.
However, requiring people to reserve a spot prior to visiting makes it difficult for the technologically challenged to plan a trip to the park, and it also makes spontaneous visits to the area impossible.
If you wish to head to Yosemite, keep in mind that although you are no longer required to make an online reservation to drive through the park, you must still shell out $35 for the car park entrance fee.