Yosemite National Park to Reinstate Reservation System in 2024

Famous for its stunning waterfalls, towering granite cliffs, and magnificent sequoia groves, Yosemite National Park has consistently ranked among the most visited locations in the National Park system, attracting nearly 3.7 million visitors in 2022 alone. Following a summer of intense overcrowding, which included full parking lots and wait times of up to four hours for park entry, officials have announced the return of a reservation requirement during peak periods.

Yosemite first implemented a reservation system in 2020 to manage increased visitor numbers and public health considerations during the pandemic, lifting the requirement in November 2022.

Here’s when the newly reinstated reservation system will be in effect in Yosemite for 2024.

According to the policy, visitors must secure an advance reservation if they intend to enter the park (or simply drive through) between 5 a.m. and 4 p.m. on these specified dates:

• April 13 to June 30 (weekends and holidays only)
• July 1 to August 16 (daily)
• August 17 to October 27 (weekends and holidays only)

In addition, advance reservations will be required during the renowned “Firefall” event. (This stunning natural occurrence happens every February when the setting sun hits Horsetail Fall at the perfect angle, causing the waterfall to glow as if on fire.) The specific dates for this event are February 10–11, 17–19, and 24–25.

The 2024 reservation system “is designed based on extensive public input, data from three years of trial reservation systems at Yosemite, and insights gained from other national parks,” said Yosemite superintendent Cicely Muldoon in a press release. “This pilot system will guide how we provide a fair and exceptional visitor experience while safeguarding Yosemite’s world-class resources.”

Reservations will open for the year on January 5, 2024, at recreation.gov. Park officials plan to release additional reservations one week before each entry date—meaning more spots for July 8 will be available online on July 1, for instance. Visitors can choose between a full-day admission pass or an afternoon pass starting at noon. Each pass will cost $2 and be valid for three days. It’s important to note that, in addition to these advance reservations for the national park, visitors must still pay the regular entrance fee ($35 for a private vehicle, $30 for a motorcycle, or $20 for a single pedestrian or cyclist). These entrance fees will be waived on the six fee-free days in 2024, but reservations will still be necessary on those dates, even during fee-free days.

There are certain situations where travelers won’t need an advance reservation, such as if they are part of an organized tour, have lodging or campground reservations within the park, or are using public transportation to enter.

Yosemite will join seven other parks that required advance reservations in 2023 and are expected to continue this requirement into 2024. Generally, these reservation mandates apply only during specific busy times and locations within a park. The National Park Service enforces these limits to safeguard natural and cultural resources from overtourism and to help distribute visitors more evenly across larger areas.

Here are the other parks that also require advance reservations:

• Acadia National Park in Maine (for Cadillac Summit Road)
• Arches National Park in Utah (entire park)
• Haleakalā National Park in Hawai‘i (for sunrise viewing at the summit)
• Glacier National Park in Montana (for Going-to-the-Sun Road, North Fork, and Many Glacier scenic drives)
• Olympic National Park in Washington (for Staircase Campground)
• Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado (entire park)
• Zion National Park in Utah (for Angels Landing Trail)