COVID: Yosemite National Park Day-Use Reservations Required Starting February 8
YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK (CBS SF) – Day-use reservations will again be required to visit Yosemite National Park starting next month amid ongoing COVID-19 concerns.
Park officials said that all visitors who drive in, including annual and senior pass holders, will need to obtain a reservation for visits starting on February 8. People entering the park via Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System buses, on bicycle, foot or horseback are exempt, but park entrance fees still apply.
"The temporary day-use reservation system will allow the park to manage visitation levels to reduce risks associated with exposure to COVID-19," park officials said in a statement on Friday.
Yosemite initially required day-use reservations when it opened for the first time during the pandemic in June of last year, but had lifted the requirement in November.
Visitors with overnight reservations in the park, including the Ahwahnee Hotel, Yosemite Valley Lodge or Upper Pines Campground, have day-use reservations included with their lodging.
Officials said the reservation system would be in effect "until local public health conditions improve."
Reservations for the month of February can be obtained through the recreation.gov website starting at 8 a.m. Pacific Time on February 1. Additional details about the reservation system can be found on the park's website.
The park, which is currently closed due to recent winter storms, is slated to reopen on Monday. While the park will be accessible via Highways 120 and 140 and Hetch Hetchy Road, officials said areas south of Yosemite Valley would remain closed.
