Under construction: Yosemite National Park may limit summer visitors to avoid gridlock
A word of warning if you're planning a family trip to Yosemite National Park this summer: Have a backup plan.
Officials are reportedly considering limiting the number of visitors to Yosemite this summer because of concerns of massive gridlock in the park. The fears over traffic stem from the fact that a half-dozen major construction projects will be underway as the peak summer travel season gets going. Park leaders are planning to require reservations for day visits as a way to cap the number of visitors and avoid huge traffic jams.
It's something that has become increasingly common with national parks struggling to manage the crowds to protect the park and ensure that people visiting enjoy their time at America's parks. Glacier National Park is using timed tickets for guests wanting to drive its legendary Going-to-the-Sun road this summer. TPG has written before that the surging popularity of the national parks means the best way to enjoy them might mean waking up before the sun rises to beat the crowds.
In recent years, day-use reservations have been put in place to curb overcrowding at Zion, Rocky Mountain and Glacier national parks, along with the famous Kalalau Trail in Kauai and Muir Woods in Marin County.
“This summer is going to be a crazy construction season in Yosemite like you have never seen before,” Yosemite Superintendent Cicely Muldoon told local elected officials and tourism leaders, according to the Mercury News. “Bring your hard hats.”
And don't forget your patience.
“People will notice it for sure,” said Frank Dean, president of the non-profit Yosemite Conservancy that is paying half the costs of the renovation projects for Mariposa Grove, Bridalveil Fall and the park's new welcome center. “They should try to avoid weekends and holidays if they can. Plan ahead. Go to a less-used part of the park. It’s beautiful to get on a trail away from the crowds.”
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The projects include major road repairs and upgrades to aging campgrounds that the park has had on its to-do list for decades. The funding finally became available because Congress passed the Great American Outdoors Act in 2020, which provided billions of dollars for repairs and upgrades to America’s national park system.
Muldoon told the Yosemite Gateway Partnership that the details of a new reservation system will be sorted out in a few weeks. “What we want to do is accommodate as many people as we can without causing any gridlock in the valley and other places in the park,” she said.
Related: A beginner's guide to Yosemite National Park
Park officials are studying how many visitors should be allowed to visit on a daily basis, and also examining traffic and parking needs in the iconic Sierra Nevada park. On top of that, they still have to consider COVID-19 protocols in the event of another surge.
The pandemic forced the park to make drastic changes. Day visitors had to make online reservations for the first time in Yosemite’s 157-year-history. That led to some guests being turned away at the gates on days when all reservation slots were filled.
In 2020, visitor numbers were limited to about 50% of historic averages. In 2021, it ranged from 50% to 80% depending on the month and the severity of COVID-19 cases. Since October, reservations have not been required to enter the park.
This summer's renovations are short-term headaches with long-term benefits. Some of the construction that is forcing a limit on visitors include a new welcome center in Yosemite Valley, which will cause the temporary removal of 300 parking spaces. The $10 million project also includes an outdoor plaza with new restrooms, paths and signs. The welcome center will have rangers available to answer questions, new information kiosks, touchscreens, maps, guidebooks and other information for park visitors.
Also, several major campgrounds including Crane Flat, Tuolumne Meadows and Bridalveil Creek will be closed for much needed renovations. This will include installing modernized water systems and restrooms. Some of the current facilities haven't been updated since the 1950s, so replacements are long overdue.
The trails and other facilities around Bridalveil Fall in Yosemite Valley are also being rebuilt, in addition to road repairs on Tioga Pass Road.
Local tourism officials wonder why, after two years of major disruptions for the Mariposa County community because of COVID-19 and wildfires, some of the repairs couldn't be delayed until after summer.
“Our residents and businesses have really been impacted, and they need to recover,” said Jonathan Farrington, executive director of the Yosemite Mariposa County Tourism Bureau. “We had hoped that we could finally have a season again that was normal. We have a lot of businesses that are really well managed but which are on the brink. We need to be able to breathe.”
More than half of the people employed in Mariposa County reportedly work in the tourism industry in some capacity, so Yosemite is incredibly important to the local economy.
However, officials say that the way federal funding is structured, Yosemite's renovations need to stay on schedule.
Local tourism leaders also aren’t excited about a new reservation system, which limits the overall number of park visitors.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.