Yosemite National Park Will No Longer Require Reservations
You still have to follow safety precautions.
National Parks across the country have had to make a lot of changes throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Yosemite National Park, to protect visitors, put a reservation system in place on June 11, 2020. That requirement for day-use of the park lasted through Halloween. It was put back into use from February 8-28, 2021.
On March 1, that day-use reservation system, which limited the number of cars that could enter the park but not the number of visitors, ended. Travelers can once again visit one of the most beautiful parks in the US on a whim.
The reservation system was in place to allow visitors to continue using the park while adhering to guidelines on slowing the spreading of COVID-19. That guideline may have been removed, but the park is still asking visitors to take other precautions. "Face masks are required on NPS-administered lands where physical distancing cannot be maintained and in all NPS buildings and facilities," the National Park Service website states. Social distancing is requested on trails as well.
Additionally, shuttles inside the park remain closed. Some attractions like the theater, Yosemite Museum, Degnan’s Loft, and Mountain Room Restaurant are closed as well. There are also no first-come, first-serve campgrounds available. All campgrounds require advanced reservations. There's still a lot to do, like most national parks, but right now, it's worth looking ahead at restrictions and closures to plan your trek accordingly.
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