On February 16, the National Park Service announced that beginning Friday, May 20, 2022, Yosemite National Park will implement a peak hours reservation system. Building on lessons learned during the summer reservation systems in 2020 and 2021, the peak hours reservation system is designed to spread visitation out and reduce chronic congestion in the park.
Park visitors will need a reservation to enter the park between 6 a.m. and 4 p.m. seven days a week. Visitors entering the park outside of these peak hours are not required to have a reservation. You can remain in the park during peak hours if you arrive during non-peak hours. The peak hours reservation system will be in effect through September 30, 2022, and reservations will be required for all users, including annual and lifetime pass holders. Each reservation is valid for three days.
Reservations are available on www.recreation.gov beginning at 8 a.m. on March 23, 2022. Each peak hours reservation is valid for one vehicle and the occupants of that vehicle. Visitors who enter the park outside of the peak hours system will be required to pay the park entrance fee and that pass is valid for three days outside of the peak hours system.
At a glance, here’s what to know:
If you are driving a vehicle into or through Yosemite National Park between 6 am and 4 pm (peak hours) from May 20 – September 30, 2022, you must have a peak hours reservation (valid for three consecutive days for unlimited re-entries). The vehicle entrance fee, which is valid for three days, still applies. Reservations are required daily between 6 am and 4 pm (peak hours) from May 20 through September 30, 2022.
If you were planning to drive through Yosemite National Park between May 20 and September 30 and you do not have a peak hours reservation:
- First, see if any are available for your trip on recreation.gov.
- If not, you’ll either need to consider an alternate route or plan to drive before 6 am or after 4 pm. A Tioga Pass alternative is CA Highway 108 or Sonora Pass, which is directly north of Yosemite. You will not be permitted to drive into the park between 6 am and 4 pm without a peak hours reservation, even if you’re just passing through.
People who don’t need a peak hours reservation:
You will not need a peak hours reservation for the duration of your program or lodging reservation or while your permit is valid.
- Those registered for:
- A Conservancy outdoor adventure, custom adventure, or art program (excluding our one- to two-hour Naturalist Walks). You’ll have park access for the duration of your program.
- Those with reservations at:
- An in-park campground (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.
- In-park lodging (Curry Village, Housekeeping Camp, Yosemite Valley Lodge, The Ahwahnee, White Wolf Lodge, Tuolumne Meadows Lodge, or Wawona Hotel)
- Private lodging or vacation rentals 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.
- An in-park campground (Upper Pines, Lower Pines, North Pines, Camp 4, Wawona, Hodgdon Meadow, Tamarack Flat, White Wolf, or Yosemite Creek)
- Those with permits:
- Yosemite Wilderness permit
- Half Dome permit
- Special use permit
- Commercial use authorization
- Those entering via YARTS (Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System) buses, bicycle, on foot, or on horseback
- Those visiting Hetch Hetchy
Please note:
- Those with an annual/lifetime pass DO need a peak hours reservation. The pass covers the park entrance fee but does not cover reservations.
- Peak hours reservations go “on sale” for the full covered season (May 20-September 30) on March 23, 2022.
- After the initial lottery, a limited number of peak hours reservations will be available one week out from the visit date. (For example, you could get a peak hours reservation for June 27, if available, on June 20.)
Why is this reservation policy in place?
To quote Yosemite National Park superintendent Cicely Muldoon, “A visit to Yosemite should be about enjoying the beautiful granite-lined landscape, not sitting in gridlock. Yosemite visitors deserve a high-quality experience in this magnificent place. Our goal with the Peak Hours system is to ease overcrowding during the busiest times this summer while still offering access for all.”
Where can I find more information?
The National Park Service is your go-to for questions about the 2022 peak hours reservation system. Find their FAQ page here.
