For the first time since 2019, all 13 people at Yosemite campsites will be open to visitors this summer, the National Park Service announced.
Additional openings mean that more than 500 campsites can be added than in recent years. The park was one of the most visited in America in 2024, with over 4 million visitors.
“As we enter the busy summer season, we are very excited to see these campsites open to the public,” said Yosemite National Park Superintendent Ray McPaden in a news release. “Camping at this park is truly a magical experience and we want to provide opportunities for as many visitors as possible.”
Due to maintenance and staffing challenges, several campsites have been closed every year since 2020 at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Summer is Yosemite’s peak season, with many of the park’s campsites opening in the coming weeks.
The White Wolf Campground will open on June 20th, while the Tamarack Flat Campground will be open on June 23rd, Parks Service said. The Yosemite Creek Campground is scheduled to open on July 1st.
The opening dates for Bridalveil Creek, Porcupine Flat and Tuolumne Meadows Campgrounds have not yet been announced.
Reservations for Yosemite are available at Recreation.gov.
But you’re better off acting faster.
Finding campsites in famous parks is competitive and often fills up a few minutes after bookings open. Reservations are now available at both White Wolf and Tamarak flat campsites, with Yosemite Creek reservations open on Tuesday mornings.
As of 3:30pm on Monday, the campsite had no weekend campers available Friday to Saturday until at least the end of August, but White Wolf had Sundays.
Visitors can access the park using their day pass when the campsite is unavailable.
Yosemite’s booking system was introduced in 2020 amid the pandemic and was stopped earlier this year after a Trump administration review.
Simultaneous National Park Service cuts have resulted in layoffs of 10% of agency staff, raising questions about when the reservation system will resume. The system finally returned online in late March.
Source link
