The summer Season officially kicks off today in Yosemite requiring all visitors from 6am till 4pm to have a reservation for entry into the park.
Yosemite National Park- May, 20, 2022 – A reservation will be required to drive into or through Yosemite National Park from May 20 through September 30, 2022, for those driving into the park between 6 am and 4 pm. Driving through the park will also require a reservation if entering between 6 am and 4 pm..
The temporary reservation system will help manage congestion and provide a quality visitor experience while numerous key visitor attractions are closed for critical infrastructure repairs
Peak-Hours Reservations
Seventy percent of reservations for all dates from May 20 through September 30, 2022, have been available on Recreation.gov since March 23. Thirty percent of reservations will be available seven days before the arrival date (e.g., make a reservation for an arrival date of September 30 on September 23).
Reservations are available each day at 8 am Pacific time. Reservations are taken almost immediately. Be sure to have a Recreation.gov account and be logged in and ready to get a reservation promptly at 8 am Pacific daylight time.
The non-refundable reservation fee is $2 (this does not include the $35-per-car park entrance fee).
Each user can make one reservation for each three-day period. For example, if a user makes a reservation for a Friday arrival (valid Friday through Sunday), the user won’t be able to make a second reservation for an arrival that Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. The reservation holder must be in the arriving vehicle and show photo ID at the entrance station.
Peak-hours reservations are valid for three consecutive days (including arrival date).
If you don’t have computer access, you can call 877/444-6777 to make a reservation.
Park Admission Included
For those who have a wilderness backpacking permit, a hotel reservation in the park or are taking a YART from outside the park in for the day, your entrance reservation is already covered and an additional reservation is not needed.
Additional Information
Do I need a reservation to visit Yosemite?
Yes, if you are driving a vehicle into or through Yosemite National Park between 6 am and 4 pm (peak hours), you must have one of the following with matching photo ID:
- Peak-hours reservation (valid for three consecutive days for unlimited re-entries)
- A reservation for a campground in Yosemite National Park: Upper Pines, Lower Pines, North Pines, Camp 4, Wawona, Hodgdon Meadow, Tamarack Flat, White Wolf, or Yosemite Creek
(Reservations for campgrounds outside the park do not provide access to Yosemite during peak hours.) - A reservation for Curry Village, Housekeeping Camp, Yosemite Valley Lodge, The Ahwahnee, or Wawona Hotel
- A reservation for private lodging or vacation rental in Wawona, Yosemite West, or Foresta
(Reservations for lodging or vacation rentals outside the park and in communities other than these three do not provide access to Yosemite during peak hours.) - A reservation for a Yosemite wilderness permit
- Half Dome permit
- Commercial use authorization
- Special use permit
Driving through the park without stopping requires a reservation if entering the park between 6 am and 4 pm.
The vehicle entrance fee, which is valid for three days, still applies. For those with an overnight reservation, the fee is valid for three days or the duration of the overnight reservation (whichever is longer). Credit cards are the only form of payment accepted for entrance fees.If you enter the park via YARTS (Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System) buses, bicycle, on foot, or on horseback, or if you visit Hetch Hetchy, you do not need a peak-hours reservation to enter the park. Park entrance fees still apply.
Do I need a reservation to drive into the park during non-peak hours (before 6 am or after 4 pm)?
No. If you enter Yosemite before 6 am or after 4 pm, you do not need a reservation. You can remain in the park during peak hours if you arrive during these non-peak hours.
The $35/car entrance fee applies and is valid for three consecutive days for visiting Hetch Hetchy during open hours and driving into the park only during non-peak hours. Paying the entrance fee does not allow entry during peak hours without a reservation.
Camping or sleeping in a vehicle is only allowed in a campsite you have reserved via Recreation.gov.
If I arrive without a reservation and pay the entrance fee to enter the park during non-peak hours, can I arrive during peak hours on the same or following days?
No. The $35-per-car entrance fee is valid for three consecutive days for visiting Hetch Hetchy and driving into the park only during non-peak hours. Paying the entrance fee does not allow entry during peak hours (6 am to 4 pm) if you don’t have a valid reservation.
I want to drive through the park without stopping. Do I need a peak-hours reservation? How can you limit access to a state highway?
Yes, you still need a peak-hours reservation to drive into the park between 6 am and 4 pm, even if you’re just passing through. If you enter the park before 6 am or after 4 pm, you can continue driving through the park (or stay and recreate) during peak hours on the day you enter the park.
Tioga Road, which connects with Highway 120 at the park boundaries near Big Oak Flat and Tioga Pass, is not and has never been a state highway. Originally a private mining road, private citizens purchased the road and donated it to the National Park Service, which has improved and maintained the road ever since. The National Park Service is solely responsible for providing road maintenance, as well as law enforcement and emergency services, along all roads within Yosemite National Park. More info here
As a reminder Glacier Point, Bridal Veil falls parking and several Yosemite Campgrounds are closed to vehicle traffic in 2022 for renovations.