Yosemite National Park Launches Temporary Peak Hours Reservation System May 20

System will help manage traffic congestion throughout summer season

Yosemite National Park – Beginning Friday, May 20, Yosemite National Park will implement a temporary peak hours reservation system. Building on lessons learned during the summer reservation systems in 2020 and 2021, the peak hours reservation system is designed to spread visitation out and reduce chronic congestion in the park. Park visitors will need a reservation to enter the park between 6 a.m. and 4 p.m. seven days a week. Visitors entering the park outside of the peak hours are not required to have a reservation.

“A visit to Yosemite should be about enjoying the beautiful granite-lined landscape, not sitting in gridlock,” said Yosemite National Park Superintendent Cicely Muldoon. “Yosemite visitors deserve a high-quality experience in this magnificent place. Our goal with the peak hours system is to ease overcrowding during the busiest times this summer while still offering access for all.”

The park will benefit from multiple major Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) and other infrastructure improvement projects in 2022 to repair roads, trails, campgrounds, visitor facilities, and utility systems. This work will involve the closure of several park areas and impact traffic circulation. For example, the Glacier Point Road, Tuolumne Meadows Campground, Crane Flat Campground, and other sites will be closed for extensive repairs throughout 2022.

The peak hours reservation system will be in effect through September 30, 2022, and reservations will be required for all users, including annual and lifetime pass holders. Each reservation is valid for three days. Reservations are available on https://www.recreation.gov beginning at 8 a.m. on March 23, 2022. Each peak hours reservation is valid for one vehicle and the occupants of that vehicle.

Visitors who enter the park before 6 a.m. or after 4 p.m. will be required to pay the park entrance fee and that pass is valid for three days outside of peak hours. For more detailed information, please visit: go.nps.gov/reserve

Peak hours reservations are included for all visitors staying overnight in the park. This includes reservations for The Ahwahnee Hotel, Yosemite Valley Lodge, Curry Village, Wawona Hotel, Housekeeping Camp, and NPS-managed campgrounds. Peak hours reservations are also included for all visitors with wilderness and Half Dome permits and visitors entering the park via YARTS buses and on permitted commercial tours.

“Yosemite’s visitation affects our gateway communities in so many ways,” said Muldoon. “We are grateful for the helping hand our community partners have extended to make this system work better for all.”  

Any idea how long this is in effect? We have reservations at Yose West for a few nights the 2nd week in September, followed by four nights at TM Lodge. I assume that both of those constitute "staying overnight in the park" even though they're not in the "includes reservations for..." list (I know they were last year).

If you have reservations for lodging inside the park you should be fine. I wonder how they handle the situation with lodging like the new Rush Creek--which is just outside of the park. I know they have a shuttle that goes into the park each day, but don't know what you would do if you didn't want to take the shuttle...

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balzaccom
I wonder how they handle the situation with lodging like the new Rush Creek--which is just outside of the park.

I believe in the past reservations in Yosemite West and the private Wawona accommodations counted as in-park reservations for the purposes of the day-use permit, but not reservations outside the park (Rush Creek/Evergreen, El Portal, or Fish Camp areas...)

Correct. The NPS announcement specifically says that if you have reservations for private lodging in Wawona, Yosemite West or Foresta then you don't need an entrance reservation. Also says reservations for properties outside the park do not provide access.

https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/reservations.htm