Yosemite is one of the crown jewels of the national park system — so it’s no surprise it attracts millions of visitors annually. For several years, the National Park Service (NPS) used a timed-entry system to control the crowds at this popular park.
In 2026, the Department of the Interior (DOI) ditched this method, sparking controversy and concerns of overcrowding. Now, as Yosemite reaches its peak summer tourist season, California legislators are calling for the return of timed entry.
The state’s senators, Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla, sent an open letter to the DOI, and it has already garnered broad public support.
History of Timed Entry
In 2020, the NPS instituted the timed-entry system. Essentially, to enter the park via car, you make an online reservation for a 2-hour window on a specific day for a nonrefundable fee of $2.
Once you enter the park, you can stay as long as you’d like. Reentry is typically allowed if you decide to leave and come back. Visitors still must pay the entry fee or show a valid park pass.
This system, which was also in use at Glacier and Arches national parks until recently, capped the number of people entering the park at any one time. This helped minimize long lines at entrance gates — a perennial problem.
In February, the NPS announced that, based on a comprehensive review of park data from 2025, it was scrapping this reservation system.
“Park analysis found that most weekdays maintained available parking, stable traffic flow, and visitation levels within the park’s operational capacity. These findings indicate that a season-wide reservation requirement is not the most effective approach for 2026,” an NPS press release explained. Since then, parking and entering at Yosemite have thus become first-come, first-served.
The Effects
The NPS releases preliminary visitor data at the end of each month, and so far in 2026, the numbers are booming.
May and June 2026 saw a jump in visitors of 12.5% and 4.6%, respectively, compared to those same months last year. Overall, Yosemite had already reached 2 million visitors by the end of June. That’s up 10%, or 200,000 visitors, from last year at this time. Based on these trends, it is highly likely that the park will see more than 600,000 visitors a month for the rest of the summer.
The data only tells half the story. On social media, visitors have widely reported trouble finding parking spots as well as long lines of traffic and huge crowds on popular hikes like the Mist Trail. Illegal parking in sensitive natural areas has also been an issue. Some have compared Yosemite to “L.A. at rush hour” or “Disney World.”
The Response
On July 1, California Democratic Senators Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla sent an open letter to Interior Department Secretary Doug Burgum and Acting Director of the NPS Jessica Bowron.
The senators cited the overcrowding issues at Yosemite and its potential effects on the natural landscape. They also posed several questions to White House officials, including:
- What scientific evaluations and public stakeholder engagement processes were conducted that led the park to conclude that a reservation system was not necessary in 2026?
- What current studies are being done to monitor visitor impacts to wildlife, meadows, air quality, and the Yosemite Valley ecosystem?
- It has been reported to our offices that multiple bears have already been hit by vehicles this summer. Increased visitation, picnicking in areas of the park with no trash receptacles, and continued staff shortages in the campgrounds are all factors that contribute to more bear and other wildlife conflicts with visitors. How does the park’s leadership plan to mitigate these factors to preserve wildlife in the park?
- Should the 2026 peak season become too burdensome for the park, will you commit to re-instituting a reservation system similar to the system put in place in 2024 that reflected a multiyear public and scientific process?
As a whole, the senators believe that the decision to end the timed-entry system in 2026 was not transparent and did not offer convincing evidence or enough opportunities for public input. They also wondered how the crowds were impacting park staff’s ability to do their jobs, citing examples of visitor traffic impeding staff from responding to emergency situations.
The senators also maintained that these overcrowding issues are exacerbated by last year’s cuts to NPS staff.
“This situation is further complicated by the Administration’s reductions in staff, which has created critical gaps in park operations. Key science and park safety staff have been rerouted and stretched thin to handle traffic monitoring and park maintenance, which hinders Yosemite’s ability to manage wildfire risk, ensure visitor safety, and conserve the treasured natural resources throughout the park,” the California senators wrote in the letter.
Broader Support for Timed Entry
In a press release, several organizations supported the senators’ efforts. “This Administration’s actions are harming natural resources and creating pure chaos for visitors and the incredible employees who care deeply for the park,” Mark Rose, Sierra Nevada program manager of the National Parks Conservation Association, said. “Yosemite’s reservation system was a massive success, backed by years of expert analysis and public input.”
The local union that represents employees of Yosemite National Park also endorsed the return of the timed-entry system.
“Our polling of Yosemite staff shows overwhelming agreement that working conditions and visitors’ experiences have been negatively impacted because there is no reservation system. Staff have reported increased wait times during their commutes, challenges to fulfill their work duties due to standstill traffic, and a heightened strain on all facilities and infrastructures throughout the park,” union leaders said in the press release.
GearJunkie reached out to the Interior Department for a response to the open letter. The federal officials disputed that there are any major issues with traffic at Yosemite.
“America’s national parks are open and accessible, and Yosemite National Park continues to welcome visitors while improving access and traffic flow. During the July 4 holiday, one of the park’s busiest periods, traffic remained free-flowing, entrance waits at major entrances were less than 10 minutes, and Yosemite Valley shuttle wait times remained short,” an Interior Department spokesperson said.
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