Cars wait in line to enter Yosemite Valley / NPS file

At least temporarily, Yosemite National Park has put a temporary hold on its plan to make a timed-entry reservation system permanent. 

With the new Trump Administration's insistence on having a say in every proposal for anything related to the federal government, no matter how small, and a new Interior Secretary in Doug Burgum, it seems park officials are pausing the plan to wait for federal guidance. 

Yosemite has dealt with traffic and overcrowding frustrations for decades, and has been running an entry reservation system for the past few years. Initially, the reservation system was put in place during the height of the COVID pandemic, to reduce crowding. Administrators soon realized the reservation system was alleviating overcrowding issues, and last year, they voted to make the system permanent.

As the Traveler reported in August of last year, park officals were largely pleased with the system and in a draft plan circulated for public comments, explained the rationale:

The draft plan says a reservation system is needed to address issues associated with persistently high summer visitation, specifically, the following:

• high-intensity crowding and congestion at parking lots and park entrances and along roadways that limit visitors’ ability to access and enjoy meaningful experiences

• traffic congestion that slows or prevents emergency vehicle access/egress and endangers pedestrians in roadways, affecting visitor and staff safety 

• growing and concentrated visitor use that has an increasing impact on natural and cultural resources 

• heavy strain on the park’s services and facilities and staff’s ability to access facilities and perform daily operations 

Controversy has followed the system from the beginning, however, with many people arguing the system is unfair for those who can't make plans in advance to enter the park. Some local business owners also grew wary about a potential for lost traffic among people who prefer not to make reservations and made plans to go elsewhere instead. While others praised the reduced congestion and heightened visitor experience with fewer vehicles in Yosemite Valley and driving over Tioga Pass. 

The reservation system was expected to begin in April and and last through October. 

We anticipate sharing details about this year's spring–fall reservation system early in 2025," Yosemite officials said in a statement posted to Facebook. "We recognize the importance of providing clarity on that system as soon as possible to accommodate peak summer season travel planning. We are grateful for the robust public engagement in this process to shape an improved and sustainable visitor experience."