Yosemite National Park Seeks Input on Visitor Access Management Plan

Last week, Yosemite National Park opened a public comment period to seek input on its plan to improve visitors’ access to and experience in the busy park during its peak season. The public comment period ends Sept. 30. 

A virtual public meeting will be held on Thursday, August 22, at 4 PM. PDT. 

Yosemite has been working on its access management plan for years, and input from three prior public comment periods has helped shape the current thinking. This comment period is the third and final opportunity to provide input on the plan. 

IITA previously submitted comments on the impact Yosemite’s plan would have on international visitors (FITs) and commercial group tours, offering suggestions for the park’s consideration. Industry respondents are encouraged to send comments and ideas to IITA and submit them to Yosemite directly so they may be included in IITA’s comments. 

From the National Park Service: The visitor access management plan and environmental assessment (EA) includes three approaches, called alternatives, for proactively managing visitor access to help meet long-term resource protection, visitor experience, and park operational management goals. The park’s preferred alternative is to implement a parkwide daily reservation system during peak hours.   

"This is an opportunity to help shape Yosemite's future," said Park Superintendent Cicely Muldoon. “We know that the best time for many visitors to come to the park is during the summer season when the weather is optimal for outdoor adventures. We want to ensure that everyone can enjoy the park and stay safe, and not suffer through endless traffic jams and long waits."

The draft management plan and EA were prepared to provide analysis and an opportunity for public comment to support informed decision-making. The draft plan and environmental assessment, as well as other plan information, are available on the NPS Planning, Environment and Public Comment (PEPC) website here. Click “Open for Comment” to submit a response.

From 2014 to 2019, the park piloted different management strategies, including restricting access to East Yosemite Valley when parking lots reached capacity and actively managing parking at other popular locations. From 2020 to 2022 and again in 2024, the park piloted day-use reservation systems for the entire park. 

During the first two rounds of public engagement for this plan during the winter of 2022/2023 and summer 2023, the park received around 6,000 letters. The comments helped inform the development of management concepts and refine issue statements, strategies, and concepts under consideration. 

Data gathered during these periods helped inform a range of alternatives to alleviate the chronic congestion that has affected Yosemite for more than 50 years and to provide quality visitor access in the future.