Do I Need a Reservation to Visit Yosemite?

The Yosemite National Park entry reservation system has changed for 2023. You will no longer need a Day Use Pass in summer but you will need a Ticketed Entry reservation if visiting the park on weekends in February.

February Weekend Reservations During Firefall

If you’re planning to visit Yosemite in February 2023, you make need a reservation. Because of the spectacular “firefall” phenomenon that occurs when the sunset hits Horsetail Fall each February, visitors flock to the park. If you’re planning to visit during the three weekends in February when this occurs, you’ll need a reservation, regardless of whether or not you plan to visit the waterfall.

February 10-12, 17-19 and 24-26, 2023, visitors must make a day-use reservation to visit Yosemite National Park. Half of available reservations will become available on recreation.gov at 8 a.m. PT on January 13, 2023. These reservations are expected to fill up immediately, so for your best chance of snagging one, make an account in advance and log on as soon as reservations open.

The remaining 50% of reservations will be available two days prior to your desired visit date at 8 a.m.Yosemite National Park will not have a reservation system in 2023. PT.

Reservations are not timed and allow unlimited entry for seven consecutive days. There is a non-refundable $2 reservation fee, in addition to your park entrance fee.

If you have camping or lodging reservations in the park or are on a park-authorized commercial tour, you don’t need an additional reservation to enter the park in February. If you have a reservation to ride the YARTS bus into the park, you don’t need an additional reservation either.

No Reservation System in Summer 2023

Reservations will not be required to visit Yosemite National Park during the summer of 2023.

During the summer months, Yosemite National Park had a reservation system for visitors wanting to enter the park during peak hours. Reservations were required in the summers of 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic and in summer 2022 when numerous key visitor attractions were closed for critical infrastructure repairs.

Yosemite has been grappling with congestion—even gridlock—for decades. Park staff wants to build from the lessons learned from the last three summers of managed access. Look for an announcement in December, when Yosemite will start seeking your help to design an approach that provides a great visitor experience while protecting Yosemite’s natural and cultural resources.

For more information, visit www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/reservations.htm

How do you feel about national park reservations? Leave on comment on the below Facebook post at www.facebook.com/YosemiteNPS/posts/5666060976775471.