High Sierra Topix

A reservation will be required to drive into Yosemite National Park from May 20 through September 30, 2022, for those driving into the park between 6 am and 4 pm.

Do I need a reservation to visit Yosemite?

Yes, if you are driving a vehicle into Yosemite National Park between 6 am and 4 pm (peak hours), you must have one of the following with matching photo ID:

Peak-hours reservation (valid for three consecutive days for unlimited re-entries)
A reservation for a campground in Yosemite National Park: Upper Pines, Lower Pines, North Pines, Camp 4, Wawona, Hodgdon Meadow, Tamarack Flat, White Wolf, or Yosemite Creek
(Reservations for campgrounds outside the park do not provide access to Yosemite during peak hours.)
A reservation for Curry Village, Housekeeping Camp, Yosemite Valley Lodge, The Ahwahnee, White Wolf Lodge, Tuolumne Meadows Lodge, or Wawona Hotel
A reservation for private lodging or vacation rental in Wawona, Yosemite West, or Foresta
(Reservations for lodging or vacation rentals outside the park and in communities other than these three do not provide access to Yosemite during peak hours.)
A reservation for a Yosemite wilderness permit
Half Dome permit
Commercial use authorization
Special use permit

Driving through the park without stopping requires a reservation if entering the park between 6 am and 4 pm.

The vehicle entrance fee, which is valid for three days, still applies. For those with an overnight reservation, the fee is valid for three days or the duration of the overnight reservation (whichever is longer). Credit cards are the only form of payment accepted for entrance fees.If you enter the park via YARTS (Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System) buses, bicycle, on foot, or on horseback, or if you visit Hetch Hetchy, you do not need a peak-hours reservation to enter the park. Park entrance fees still apply.
Do I need a reservation to drive into the park during non-peak hours (before 6 am or after 4 pm)?

No. If you enter Yosemite before 6 am or after 4 pm, you do not need a reservation. You can remain in the park during peak hours if you arrive during these non-peak hours.The $35/car entrance fee applies and is valid for three consecutive days for visiting Hetch Hetchy during open hours and driving into the park only during non-peak hours. Paying the entrance fee does not allow entry during peak hours without a reservation.Camping or sleeping in a vehicle is only allowed in a campsite you have reserved via Recreation.gov.
If I arrive without a reservation and pay the entrance fee to enter the park during non-peak hours, can I arrive during peak hours on the same or following days?

No. The $35-per-car entrance fee is valid for three consecutive days for visiting Hetch Hetchy and driving into the park only during non-peak hours. Paying the entrance fee does not allow entry during peak hours (6 am to 4 pm) if you don’t have a valid reservation.
I want to drive through the park without stopping. Do I need a peak-hours reservation? How can you limit access to a state highway?

Yes, you still need a peak-hours reservation to drive into the park between 6 am and 4 pm, even if you’re just passing through. If you enter the park before 6 am or after 4 pm, you can continue driving through the park (or stay and recreate) during peak hours on the day you enter the park.Tioga Road, which connects with Highway 120 at the park boundaries near Big Oak Flat and Tioga Pass, is not and has never been a state highway. Originally a private mining road, private citizens purchased the road and donated it to the National Park Service, which has improved and maintained the road ever since. The National Park Service is solely responsible for providing road maintenance, as well as law enforcement and emergency services, along all roads within Yosemite National Park.
I have an annual or lifetime pass that gives me free entrance. Do I need a reservation to drive in during peak hours?

Yes. These passes cover the park entrance fee. A $2 non-refundable reservation fee still applies to peak-hours reservations.
Do I need a reservation to drive into the park if I have a reservation for a campground or lodging accommodation located outside of Yosemite National Park?

Yes. You must have a peak-hours reservation to drive a vehicle into the park unless you arrive before 6 am or after 4 pm.

Wandering Daisy wrote: ↑Thu Feb 17, 2022 10:17 pm If you look at a map, Sonora Pass is a big "U" and much longer than Tioga Pass.

c9h13no3 wrote: ↑Fri Feb 18, 2022 9:25 am When you count delays at the entrance stations to Yosemite, Sonora is faster unless you're driving through Tioga super early or late, even though it is 19 miles longer.