Yosemite National Park adds new reservation system. How to snag a spot this summer
After months of uncertainty, Yosemite National Park has introduced a new reservation system aimed at controlling crowds during the busy summer season.
“Visitors who plan to enter Yosemite National Park between 6 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Memorial Day weekend, any day between June 15 and Aug. 15 or Labor Day weekend are likely to need a reservation,” the park said on its website.
Nestled in the Sierra Nevada, Yosemite features waterfalls, meadows, giant sequioas and granite cliffs spread across 748,542 acres. It’s widely considered one of the best national parks in the nation.
The reservation system will ensure that “all visitors, whether they plan in advance or decide last minute, can experience the park each day,” Yosemite National Park said. “It also spreads visitation across the day so that visitors have a better experience.”
News of the plan, which broke Wednesday, April 30, was met with support from the local hospitality industry.
The reservation system is “designed with greater flexibility in mind .... making it easier for travelers to plan their visit with confidence,” Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite wrote in a Wednesday news release.
The full-service resort, located two miles from Yosemite’s South Gate entrance, said it was communicating details of the park reservation system to guests “through all channels ... to help ensure seamless planning.”
Yosemite National Park encouraged would-be visitors to check its trip planning website for details on how to book a reservation on Recreation.gov, the federal government’s centralized travel planning platform.
Here’s what to know:
Do I need a reservation to visit Yosemite National Park this summer?
In 2025, you’ll need a reservation to drive into or through Yosemite National Park between 6 a.m. and 2 p.m. on select days from Saturday, May 24, through Monday, Sept. 1, the park said on its website.
Those dates include Memorial Day and Labor Day holiday weekends.
“If you are planning to visit after peak hours, please do not arrive before 2 p.m.,” the national park said on its website. “Vehicles blocking roads will be cited.”
Here are the dates when reservations are required to visit Yosemite National Park from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. :
Saturday, May 24, through Monday, May 26
Sunday, June 15, through Friday, Aug. 15
Saturday, Aug. 30, through Monday, Sept. 1
When are reservations not required at Yosemite?
According to the website, you don’t need a reservation to visit Yosemite National Park on the following dates:
- Saturday, May 3, through Friday, May 23
- Tuesday, May 27, through Saturday, June 14
- Saturday, Aug. 16, through Friday, Aug. 29
During those time periods, “A reservation is not required at any time,” the park said.
How do I book a reservation for Yosemite National Park?
“Reservations for all dates” at Yosemite National Park will be released on Recreation.gov at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, May 6, according to the park’s website.
Those peak-hour reservations are valid for three consecutive days, including the arrival date.
“Additional reservations are available seven days before the arrival date” at 8 a.m. each day via Recreation.gov, Yosemite National Park said.
For example, you can make a reservation for an Aug. 31 arrival date as early as Aug. 24.
“Reservations sell out almost immediately,” Yosemite National Park officials warned, and there’s no guarantee you’ll get one.
The national park encouraged would-be visitors to create a Recreation.gov account ahead of time, so they can be “logged in and ready to get a reservation” promptly at 8 a.m.
If you don’t have access to a computer, you can call 877-444-6777 to make a reservation.
How much do Yosemite reservation and entrance fees cost?
Yosemite National Park charges a non-refundable reservation fee of $2.
In addition, all visitors must pay the regular park entrance fee, which costs $35 per car or $30 per motorcycle.
“The reservation holder must be in the arriving vehicle and show photo ID at the entrance station” in order to go inside the park, Yosemite National Park said.
What if I have a camping or lodging reservation?
If you already have a reservation to camp or stay at Yosemite National Park this summer, you don’t need an additional reservation, the park said.
However, you’ll still need to pay the $35-per-car entrance fee unless you have an annual or lifetime pass.
“Your reservation for in-park lodging or camping, a Half Dome permit or a Yosemite wilderness permit allows you to enter the park 24 hours per day for the duration of your reservation or for three consecutive days whichever is longer,” the park said.
The following reservations will get you into Yosemite without additional fees or reservations:
Curry Village, Housekeeping Camp, Yosemite Valley Lodge, The Ahwahnee, Tuolumne Meadows Lodge and High Sierra Camps
Private lodging or vacation rental in Wawona, Yosemite West or Foresta
Yosemite wilderness permit reservation or Half Dome permit
“Reservations for lodging or vacation rentals outside the park ... do not provide access to Yosemite,” the park said on its website.
Can I still book a campsite at Yosemite in 2025?
“Reservations are required at all campgrounds” at Yosemite National Park from April through October, the national park said, and they’re “extremely difficult to get.”
If you’re hoping to book a campsite at Wawona, Hodgdon Meadow and Upper Pines campgrounds, however, you might be in luck.
On Thursday, May 15, Yosemite National Park will release campground reservations for Wawona, Hodgdon Meadow and select sites at Upper Pines for Aug. 15 through Sept. 14, via Recreation.gov.
Starting Sunday, June 15, you can book stays at those campgrounds for Sept. 15 through Oct. 14, and campground reservations for Oct. 15 through Nov. 15 will be available as early as Tuesday, July 15.
Campground reservations will be released at 7 a.m. on those dates, Yosemite National Park said.
You can check the park’s website and social media to see if additional reservations are released.
This story was originally published May 3, 2025 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Yosemite National Park adds new reservation system. How to snag a spot this summer."
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