Yosemite National Park Faces Traffic and Overcrowding After Ending Reservation System

Wed, 06 May 2026 16:45:00 +0200

Yosemite National Park, California’s most visited national park, is experiencing unprecedented crowds, with numbers reaching the highest in a decade. Over the past weekend, visitors reported waiting up to 1.5 hours just to enter the park, while parking lots and popular hiking trails, including Half Dome, became congested. Critics attribute this surge to the Trump administration’s decision to end the reservation system, previously implemented in 2020 to manage visitor flow and preserve tranquility in the park. The system had allowed visitors to enjoy Yosemite Valley without the long waits and congestion that were once common, especially during weekends and events like the annual 'Firefall.' Without the reservation requirement, Yosemite staff now rely on 'targeted management' strategies, which have been met with frustration from visitors encountering gridlock, lack of parking, and crowded hiking routes. Attendance continues to rise, with Yosemite accounting for a significant portion of C