Am wondering what has been going on recently at the park entrance stations? Since SR120 opened in June, driving through the park without reservations or a wilderness permit has (sort of) not been allowed. The board does have an older June 8 thread on the matter. Here is what the park web site on the matter shows:
https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/reservations.htm
NPS.govPark HomePlan Your VisitBasic InformationPermits & ReservationsEntrance Reservations
Entrance Reservations
Based on local, state, and federal public health guidelines, the number of vehicles entering Yosemite must be reduced from normal visitation levels for public safety. This helps reduce overcrowding at the park’s most popular destinations. The park is aiming to increase public access while providing visitors with a reasonable opportunity to comply with health guidelines. The day-use reservation system is a temporary system that has been created to address public health concerns resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The day-use reservations only limits the number of vehicles; it does not limit the number of people.
You must display your permit on your dashboard at all times while inside the park.
------------------------
Even at the end of July after talking with rangers at the Tioga Pass entrance, they were however allowing those in vehicles that claimed they were not aware of the policy, to receive a special one time only permit to be placed on their dashboards to drive through without stopping anywhere. Understandable at least for a few weeks allowing time to get the word out.
I had parked east of the pass about 7am when there was no line of cars, just so I could walk in and do some photography at the Dana Meadows tarns that was allowed. Later in the morning upon returning, there was a growing line of cars and one related most did not have reservations and were being allowed to use the noted special one time only permit. By noon the line was really long down the road. Down at the SR120/US395 junction a large LED sign was tersely relating only those with reservations allowed through. So those driving up seemed to be aware they would still be let in, maybe from social media posts, and that was probably resulting in many ignoring the prohibition. Same kind of attitude would not surprisingly result in those same people ignoring the order not to stop as they might expect the park at most would just tell them to move on if caught. Worse during the holiday weekend there would be so many that got in and did whatever that enforcement would be overwhelmed.
So am wondering what is going on now with this big holiday imminent? If they don't force all such cars to turn around and people know that, it will otherwise likely result in all those with valid reasons to enter to getting stuck in frustratingly long lines and large crowds of the unwelcome.
also posted:
https://yosemitenews.info/forum/read.php?17,95980
http://www.davidsenesac.com
Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 09/04/2020 09:39AM by DavidSenesac.