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After Delays, Yosemite Camping Reservations Are Finally Opening. What Should You Know?

Sarah Mohamad
Planning to visit Yosemite this year? After recent delays, campground reservations for summer 2025 will now begin opening on Monday.
A National Park Service employee guides tourists at the welcome center during snowy weather in Yosemite National Park, California, on March 6, 2025.  (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Update, 4:25 p.m. Friday: SF Gate reports that President Donald Trump’s administration has approved a pilot day reservation program for spring and summer visitors to Yosemite National Park, according to a version of a National Parks Service press release provided by an anonymous source within the federal government. 

After several months of uncertainty and delays, Yosemite National Park has now begun accepting reservations for summer camping in several of the park’s most popular campgrounds.

The campgrounds, which include the Upper Pines, Wawona and Hodgdon Meadow sites, will begin accepting camping reservations for stays July 15–Aug. 14 on Recreation.gov at 7 a.m. PDT on Monday, March 31. (Reservations for stays June 15–July 14 have already been released as of March 24.)

Jump straight to:

Several other Yosemite campgrounds, including Lower Pines and North Pines, will remain closed until further notice, with no advance reservations possible at the moment.

Camping reservations for Yosemite tend to sell out within minutes, so campers hoping to snag a spot are encouraged to act quickly when this next round of reservations are released on Monday.

Why were Yosemite reservations delayed this year?

On Feb. 14, President Donald Trump’s administration fired over a thousand National Park Service staff nationwide as part of a broader plan to cut federal spending.

The firings, including those at Yosemite, affected biologists, rangers, search and rescue personnel, custodians, locksmiths and wildlife specialists who had not completed their probationary periods, raising concerns about park maintenance and visitor safety. The NPS was also forced to temporarily freeze hiring for crucial seasonal workers.

A view of a welcome sign as hundreds of tourists and photographers flock in Yosemite National Park, California, United States on Feb. 19, 2025. (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)

That same day, Yosemite officials announced on social media that summer camping reservations for the park would be delayed. While the announcement did not attribute the delay directly to the layoffs, it noted, “We understand the impact this has on visitors who are planning camping trips to the park.” In addition, Yosemite’s 2025 separate day-use entry reservation system, intended to limit traffic in the park at peak times, was already delayed by the time layoffs hit. (Jump straight to more on the delay on day-use reservations.)

On March 20, the National Parks Conservation Association announced that NPS was authorized to reinstate all probationary park staff who were fired in February. In a statement, a Yosemite National Parks spokesperson said all reinstated employees would receive back pay and “individual notifications are underway, and while the process takes time, affected employees can expect to receive notification soon, if they have not already.”

Many national park workers, however, say they remain anxious about the longer-term future of their jobs, and Yosemite National Park did not comment on how the reinstatements might affect the park’s plan for limited campground reservations this summer.

Mark Rose, NPCA’s Sierra Nevada and Clean Air Program Manager, attributed Yosemite’s decision not to open reservations for all its campgrounds, in part, to the post-firing shortage of park staff, as well the park’s forced delay in hiring seasonal workers.

“Even with the new reservations finally going online for some campgrounds, Yosemite is still holding back over 250 sites from reservations,” Rose told KQED by email. Rose supports NPCA’s conservation efforts in Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, as well as in the surrounding Central Valley and Sierra Foothill communities.

Yosemite officials say the park may release further sites if operational capacity allows and will “provide at least seven days advance notice via the park’s website and social media if additional reservations are released.” The new reservations, once released, will not impact any reservations made beforehand.

NPS reported a record 331.9 million visits to its lands nationwide in 2024, with Yosemite accounting for over 4% of all visits to national parks that same year.

Tourists visiting Yosemite National Park on Aug. 3, 2022. (Michael Ho Wai Lee/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

How to increase your chances of snagging a coveted Yosemite camping reservation

Reservations will be released at Recreation.gov for Yosemite campgrounds, including the Upper Pines, Wawona and Hodgdon Meadow sites on:

  • 7 a.m. PDT on March 24 for stays June 15–July 14.
  • 7 a.m. PDT on March 31 for stays July 15–Aug. 14.

Some tips from our guide to successfully making a reservation for a popular campground, since bookings go fast:

  • Create a Recreation.gov account if you don’t already have one…
  • … and make sure you’re logged into it before bookings open
  • Have all your information you might need on hand, including credit card details and even your vehicle license plate
  • If you want a weekend spot, try making a booking that starts a few days before.

For the latest updates, be sure to check the official Yosemite National Park website or follow the park on social media.

What to expect at Yosemite when visiting this summer

NPCA’s Rose warned that visitors and campers should prepare for a potentially different Yosemite experience this summer as a result of the federal personnel cuts, which have reduced staffing across various departments.

One major impact could be increased traffic in Yosemite, Rose said. With reduced staffing and no reservation system to manage the number of vehicles entering the park, Rose said visitors should expect traffic jams, not just when traveling into the park but also around it.

“Popular destinations like Eastern Yosemite Valley may start turning vehicles around early in the morning on numerous days throughout the summer when parking lots fill up,” Rose said. “While these impacts have been seen in past years when day-use reservations were not in place, with less staff, we can expect overcrowding to be even more severe.”

A line of cars creeps slowly from Fish Camp toward the western Highway 41 entrance of Yosemite National Park as viewed on June 18, 2024, just outside Yosemite National Park. (George Rose/Getty Images)

Some of the other impacts visitors should anticipate:

  • Limited campground services: Expect fewer rangers available for assistance and possible delays in maintenance.
  • Longer lines: There may be longer lines at park entrances and visitor centers due to fewer staff managing traffic and services.
  • Reduced ranger programs: Some programs, such as ranger-led talks and guided hikes, may be scaled back.

Park officials encourage visitors to be patient and plan ahead, as the reduced workforce could impact everything from check-in times to restroom maintenance at campgrounds.

Jonathan Farrington, executive director of the Yosemite Mariposa County Tourism Bureau, remained optimistic about the upcoming visitor season despite recent staffing reductions at Yosemite National Park. He also pushed back against advocates and media speculation that essential services would be severely disrupted.

“There are actually more employees in Yosemite who don’t work for the government than do,” Farrington said, highlighting that hotels, restaurants, shuttle services and retail shops operate under private concessions unaffected by federal staffing changes.

Camas and western bistort bloom in Crane Flat, one of Yosemite National Park’s 3,000 meadows. (Brian Whitehead/NPS)

Day-use reservations still in limbo

Separately from campground reservations, Yosemite officials had intended to implement a permanent policy this year requiring all visitors without camping or lodging reservations to make a separate day-use reservation before driving into the park. The measure was designed to help manage high visitor volume, especially during peak season.

The San Francisco Chronicle reported that the day-use reservation system, which was first tried in 2020 and was scheduled to become permanent this year, was placed on hold amid uncertainty about its approval by the Trump administration. The park still has not announced further plans for day-use reservations, saying only that officials “[anticipate] sharing details about this year’s reservation system in the near future.”

Farrington said that since a permanent system has never existed, it’s hard to tell if implementing it now would help with overcrowding in the summer.

“If a reservation system was implemented tomorrow, the confusion that it would create at the entrance stations would be debilitating,” he said. “More than half of the reservations in hotels for people that are coming, especially internationally, to Yosemite this summer are already made.”

Rose noted that last year, over 700 vehicles — about 2,000 visitors — a day arrived unaware of the reservation requirement. “That created two-hour backups and a lot of disappointed visitors,” he said.

El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. (Craig Miller/KQED)

Can’t get a Yosemite campground reservation? You still have alternatives

For those who miss out on a campground reservation due to this year’s reduced inventory and Yosemite’s overall popularity, there are still other options to stay inside or near the park:

Inside the park:

  • Yosemite’s first-come, first-served campgrounds: for example Camp 4, a popular walk-in campground, may have limited availability.
  • Lodging in Yosemite: The Ahwahnee, Yosemite Valley Lodge and Curry Village provide hotel and cabin options within the park, albeit at a premium.

Outside the park:

  • Private campgrounds and RV parks: Spots like Yosemite Pines RV Resort, High Sierra RV Park and other private campgrounds near Groveland, Mariposa and El Portal offer alternatives.
  • National Forest Land: Nearby areas in Stanislaus, Sierra and Inyo National Forests offer dispersed camping, which can be a good alternative for those comfortable with camping without basic amenities like toilets and potable water.

Farrington urged visitors to plan ahead and to arrive early or late to avoid peak congestion around popular scenic viewpoints between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. He said visitors could also consider biking through Yosemite Valley rather than driving.

“Sunrise is the best time to visit Tunnel View,” he advised. “And renting a bike is one of the best ways to explore the park at your own pace.”

Many of the bear-proofing designs you see in parks with bears were invented in Yosemite. (Marissa Ortega Welch/KQED)

Useful reminders for visiting Yosemite in 2025

Here’s a list of essential tips if you’re hoping to visit Yosemite this summer:

Book early and check for cancellations

If reservations are full, check Recreation.gov frequently for cancellations, as spots may open up unexpectedly.

Prepare for self-sufficiency 

With reduced staffing, expect to handle basic campsite upkeep and pack out all trash. Bring extra supplies, including toilet paper, trash bags and hand sanitizer.

Arrive early 

Due to staffing cuts, campgrounds and entrances may be more congested than usual. Arriving early in the day can help avoid long waits.

Follow fire safety rules

Summer wildfires are a growing concern and fire restrictions may be in place. Check for updates before lighting campfires.

Respect wildlife 

With fewer rangers patrolling the park, bear activity could increase. Always store food in bear-proof containers and never leave food unattended.

Plan for limited cell service

Yosemite’s remote areas have little to no phone reception. Download maps, bring a GPS and let someone know your itinerary before heading into the backcountry.

KQED’s Carly Severn contributed to this story.

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