Yosemite National Park is Modifying Operations - Yosemite News Release September 29, 2020

Day use reservation system to end on November 1, 2020

Yosemite National Park is announcing modifications to operations to implement the latest guidance from the White House, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), and local and state public health authorities, as the park continues to increase public access and services. The NPS is working servicewide with federal, state, and local public health authorities to closely monitor the COVID-19 pandemic and using a phased approach to increase access on a park-by-park basis.

Yosemite National Park will be modifying park operations beginning on November 1, 2020, ending the day use reservation system that has been in place since the park reopened in June.

Day use reservations will be in place through the month of October. To secure a day use reservation, please visit https://www.recreation.gov. Day use passes will not be required for entrance into Yosemite National Park beginning on November 1, 2020.

“We would like to extend our gratitude to all park visitors and our local communities for their support of our modified operations this summer,” stated Acting Superintendent Cicely Muldoon. “With the health and safety of park visitors and employees guiding our decisions, we were thrilled to welcome thousands of visitors to Yosemite this summer.”

Since March 2020, Yosemite National Park has been part of the Yosemite Gateway Area Coordination Team (YOGACT), a group consisting of public health, public safety, and elected officials from Madera, Tuolumne, Mariposa, and Mono Counties. Other agencies in the group include the U.S. Public Health Service, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and the National Park Service. This group has been collaborating, and continues to collaborate, on public health and safety issues affecting Yosemite National Park and the greater Yosemite region. This group’s collective effort has resulted in the park being able to reopen in June and stay open throughout the busy summer season. Based on changing conditions and public health guidance, this group works in alignment on decisions affecting visitors and residents of the Yosemite region.

Yosemite National Park continues to urge visitors to do their part when visiting and to follow CDC guidance to prevent the spread of infectious diseases by maintaining a safe distance between yourself and other groups; wearing a cloth face covering when social distancing cannot be maintained; washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds; avoiding touching your eyes, nose, and mouth; covering your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze; and most importantly, staying home if you feel sick.