REOPENING PARK HAS NEW RULES
Reduced crowds, reservations among changes beginning Thursday
National On Monday, Park officials Yosemite announced that the famed Sierra Nevada attraction would be reopening at 7 a.m. Thursday, after being closed for 11 weeks due to the coronavirus. But you
can’t just get in the car and drive there, like before. Everyone visiting for the
day needs to make a reservation for their vehicle online. If you show up at the park entrance without one,
you’ll be turned around and denied entry. And conditions at the park will be different. Here’s what you need to know:
Q How do I make a reservation?
A Go to recreation.gov. Pay the $35 entrance fee, just like in the past. There is a $2 service charge. Print out your confirmation email and show it to the ranger at the gate. Cell service around the park is spotty. Don’t count on being able to pull it up on your phone at the gate. You must arrive on the day that you reserved, but after that your reservation is good for seven days.
Q Aren’t they all sold out by now?
A No. The park is allowing up to 1,700 vehicle passes a day for day-use visitors. As of midday Tuesday, most days for the next two months still had open slots available, although some were getting close to filling up.
Q What if I have a reservation at a hotel or campground in the park? Do I need a day-use reservation also?
A No. Just print out your confirmation email and bring it to the gate. Q If I have an annual pass, a lifetime pass, a
senior pass, a military pass or other pass, do I need to make a reservation?
A Yes, for day use. The only charge online will be the $2 processing fee.
Q Can I show up at the park and buy a reservation at the gate?
A No.
Q Are there loopholes for getting in without
a reservation? A Some. Visitors who enter the park via YARTS (Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System) buses, or by bicycle, on foot, or on horseback will not be required to have a day-use reservation to enter the park. Park entrance fees still apply.
Q Why are they even requiring reservations?
A Yosemite normally receives about 4.5 million visitors a year, mostly in summer months. The counties around the park are rural, with lots of retirees at risk for COVID-19. They have limited hospital capacity. County supervisors and county public health officials worked with the park service on the reservation system idea. It’s a compromise to open the park while limiting the number of visitors to about 50% of normal to help with social distancing and reduce the risk of a new outbreak.
Q Can I give or sell my reservation or permit to someone else?