Yosemite Overcrowds After 2026 Reservation End, With 1.8 Miles of Illegal Parking
Updated
Updated · Outside · May 22
Yosemite Overcrowds After 2026 Reservation End, With 1.8 Miles of Illegal Parking
7 articles · Updated · Outside · May 22
May 2 brought gridlocked lots, tow trucks and a 1.8-mile line of illegally parked cars from Camp 4 to the El Cap picnic area in Yosemite Valley.
The crush followed Yosemite's 2026 decision to scrap entry reservations after Interior Secretary Doug Burgam ordered national parks to remain open and accessible.
Park officials had spent five years testing timed-entry systems, and a 224-page draft plan in 2024 concluded peak-hours reservations were the best way to manage crowds.
Past data already pointed to strain: in 2023, 51% of visitors said parking shortages hurt their trip, while 85% of 135 surveyed employees opposed ending reservations and 300-plus staff have called for reversal.
With visitation having reached 4.27 million in 2025 and typically rising sharply into summer, workers expect Saturday-style congestion to spread across more days.
Beyond the gridlock, how is the surge in visitors silently damaging Yosemite's delicate ecosystem?
With new fees but no reservations, what is the true cost of an 'accessible' national park experience?