Construction projects in Yosemite trigger 3rd year of Temporary Vehicle Reservations
The National Park Service has announced that a temporary vehicle reservation system will be put in place for the summer of 2022 between May 20 and September 30. Unlike previous years, this is not because of COVID-19, but due to construction projects in Yosemite. This means that the restrictions will only be required during the peak visitation periods – from 6 am to 4 pm. Outside those times, you can still visit the park without a vehicle reservation/day-use pass this year.
If you’re planning a visit to Yosemite this summer, here’s what you need to know:
Yosemite National Park has been requiring additional reservations to enter the park during the summer for two years now. However, each year, the system changes slightly. So, for those of you who are familiar with the previous year policies – make sure you’re updated on a few key changes to the reservation system this year.
Reservations are only required for peak-use times between 6 am and 4 pm each day. If you enter the park before 6 am, you can stay for the day. Note that there is no camping in the park outside of designated campgrounds.
Reservations are required for all travel through the park during peak hours, even if you aren’t planning on stopping. If you plan to drive through and don’t have a reservation, just be sure to arrive at the gate before 6 am or after 4 pm.
All early reservations for the summer become available at 8:00 am on March 23, 2022. In previous years there was a complicated phased roll-out for different times. This year, it’s simpler. If you want to enter Yosemite during peak use periods, you need to be ready to make the reservation at 8 am Pacific Time on March 23, 2022.
Do you even need reservations for Yosemite?
Before you go to the trouble of getting a temporary vehicle reservation for peak hour dayuse, make sure you actually need one. Many Yosemite day-use visitors will find that they already have permission to enter the park at any time through some other reservation or permit system.
Here are a bunch of ways to avoid needing to get a vehicle reservation for day-use:
1. Visit before May 20 or after September 30, 2022.
If you’re planning a trip before or after the dates when the reservation system is in place, you can simply pay the entrance fee at the gate and enjoy the park. No dayuse vehicle reservations are required. And there is no doubt that there is plenty to see and do in the early spring, late fall, and winter months when the park is naturally quieter.
2. Make a lodging or camping reservation inside the park.
If you have a lodging or camping reservation inside the park, you will NOT need an additional day-use reservation. This includes hotels like The Ahwahnee, Curry Village, Housekeeping Camp, Wawona Hotel, Tuolumne Meadows Lodge, or White Wolf Lodge, as well as vacation rentals in Yosemite West, Wawona or Foresta, or campgrounds inside the park like Upper Pines or Hodgdon Meadow.
If you aren’t sure if the lodging reservation that you have is inside or outside the park, be sure to check with the people that you made a reservation with.
If your lodging or camping reservation is outside the park, you will need to get a vehicle reservation to enter the park during peak hours.
3. Use some form of transportation other than your personal vehicle
There are plenty of ways to get into the park without driving your personal vehicle. If that was your plan, forget about this temporary vehicle reservation for day use. You’re all set if you planned to enter the park using one of these alternative transportation options:
YARTS: During the summer, YARTS – the Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System operates bus lines that enter Yosemite from Highway 140, 41 and 120 from the towns of Merced, Mariposa, El Portal, Fresno, Oakhurst, Sonora and Mammoth Lakes. You may even be able to get picked up right from your hotel.
Guided Tour: If you are arriving as part of a tour group, they will already have your permit covered. Note: Attending select programs offered by a few in-park partners like The Ansel Adams Gallery or the Yosemite Conservancy also eliminates the need to get a day-use vehicle reservation.
If you want to hike, bike, or ride a horse into the park, you don’t need a separate reservation either.
4. NEW: Plan to enter outside of peak use times – after 4 pm or before 6 am.
Sunset lovers and night photographers rejoice! NPS heard you. This temporary restriction is designed to reduce traffic congestion during peak hours, so if you’re planning to arrive outside of these times, you don’t need to get a day-use reservation.
If you enter the park before 6 am, you can stay and enjoy the park during the day. If that’s too early, simply spend the day enjoying things to do outside Yosemite and drive in after 4 pm. At summer solstice (late June) when the sun sets around 9 pm, that’s 5 whole hours to explore the park even if you don’t get a vehicle reservation.
The regular entrance fee still applies if you enter after peak hours. Also, your off-peak pass will be valid for three days, however it will only be valid outside of peak hours for those days.
5. Obtain one of the following
• A reservation for a Yosemite wilderness permit.
• A Half-Dome Permit
• Commercial Use Authorization
• Special Use Permit Each of these requires a different reservation or permitting process, and you won’t need to duplicate efforts with the temporary vehicle reservation as well.
Note to Annual Passholders: Day-use vehicle reservations ARE REQUIRED, but your annual National Parks pass covers the entrance fee, so make sure you look for a check box on the recreation.gov site so you only pay the $2 reservation fee and not the $35 entrance fee.