Planning is getting underway on a Visitor Use Access Plan For Yosemite National Park/Rebecca Latson file

Yosemite National Park is one of the most popular parks in the United States, and it also can be one of the most crowded at times, at least in the iconic Yosemite Valley. Because of that congestion, the park has embarked on a path to develop a management plan for handling the crowds.

For the next eight weeks the park staff will be collecting public comment on what should be considered in a Visitor Access Management Plan. A series of public meetings, both virtual and in-person, will begin in January 2023. 

"Yosemite's primary focus is to ensure visitors are not only fully welcomed into the park, but they get a world-class experience," said Yosemite Superintendent Cicely Muldoon. "This is a bustling park and providing for and managing visitation has become increasingly complex due to growth in day-use visitation and changes in how visitors enjoy the park." 

Muldoon said she hopes the public will weigh in, virtually and in-person, to provide input on how the park can improve visitor experiences, reduce impacts to park resources, and protect wildlife and other valuable natural resources.

Yosemite has piloted reservation systems for the last three summers. In 2020 and 2021, the park piloted a reservation system due to the pandemic. Earlier this year, the park implemented a “peak hours” reservation system due to extensive construction that was going on throughout the park. Data gathered during this three-year period will help inform park management on a range of alternatives to provide for the highest quality visitor access in the future. 

"Now is the time to address the park's future, and we are looking forward to beginning the process," Muldoon said in a release sent out this past Friday. “We want to conduct a fully transparent planning process where the public will have an opportunity to contribute every step of the way.”  

As was announced last month, Yosemite will not implement a reservation system for the summer of 2023. However, the park will require reservations for the last three weekends of February 2023. During that time of year, thousands of visitors visit Horsetail Fall, a waterfall that creates the illusion that the water is on fire. The surge in visitation has led to full parking lots, parking overflowing into traffic lanes, pedestrian-vehicle conflicts causing safety issues, and damage to natural and cultural resources. Reservations will go on sale for that event at Recreation.gov on January 13. Each reservation will be valid for seven days. 

Public meetings for the planning process will begin in January. Dates and times for these meetings will be posted on the project website. Specific details about these gatherings can be viewed on the project website.

The meetings will provide information on the planning process. Attendees will work with park management and planners to brainstorm and discuss concrete ideas. Comments gathered during this period will help the park identify issues important to managing Yosemite visitor access in the future.

Current information about the public comment period for the Visitor Access Management Plan and the Horsetail Fall event can be found on the park's website and social media channels.