Yosemite Entrance Reservations
May 2023 Update: Entrance reservations are not needed for Yosemite anymore. However, I still recommend getting there early as the line can be significant to get in. Check out my more recent blog post on avoiding crowds (here)
I always get so nervous when I hear I need a permit for something, but the Yosemite permits are nothing to get nervous about! Reservations are meant to manage the increased congestion inside the park and the park does a good job of making it clear how to get them!
The entrance reservation permits are for peak hour entrance and are required if you are entering the park anytime between 6AM and 4PM between May 20 and September 30. If you are going before May 20 or after September 30, you do NOT need to get entrance permits. You will still need to pay the entrance fee ($35—see below)
The southside entrance (photo taken from NPS)
There are a few times that you do not need a permit to enter:
You already have camping / lodging / vacation rental reservations inside the park
You are walking, biking or taking YARTS (Yosemite Area Regional Transportation Service—a public bus service)
You have a different permit (such as a Half Dome permit or a wilderness permit)
You can learn about all of the specifics around Yosemite permits here
Campers, hikers and climbers alike love Camp 4! (Photo from Recreation.gov)
Getting the permit is relatively easy logistically, but they sell out very fast so pay attention.
You will need to have a recreation.gov account (I recommend having this app on your phone as it will come in handy for future adventures too!). Here are the main things you need to know about getting the permit:
70% of all permits go live on March 23 for that summer. If you know your dates, try to get them in March
If you don’t plan that far ahead (like me) then that is okay, your next chance will be when the rest of the tickets go live 1 week before (so if you are going Friday the 9th, you will need to try to get a permit on Friday the 2)
Tickets all go live at 8AM PST. I recommend logging on right at 8 (or even a little early so all you have to do is press refresh) because the permits will sell out very fast
If you do not manage to get a permit, don’t fret! You have a few options: You can continue to check the availability, as sometimes people will cancel their reservations, OR you can get into the park before 6AM. Before 6AM may not sound ideal, but it’s what I usually do. Some positives include: barely any traffic to get to where you are going, it’s free, you can nap once you are in the park, you can watch the sunrise!
Reservations will cost $2.00
Beautiful sunrise shot of the iconic tunnel view!
Here are some helpful and handy tips for when you are getting your reservation:
If you are going with more people, have more than one person try to get the reservation. This will increase your odds
Make sure the people who are helping you get the reservation are either going with you or can write out your information because the entrance office will check licenses to confirm the purchaser of the ticket is the one using the ticket
Reservations are good for 3 days, so if you are only going on Friday, you should try to get a permit on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday to maximize chances
Even though they are good for three days, they are tied to your vehicle, so if you don’t go the first two or last two days, you won’t be able to share the permit with someone else
They will print out a tag that goes on your card and the tag has the last three characters of your license
One person cannot have overlapping permits (if you are going on Friday and Saturday and get your ticket on Wednesday, you won’t be able to get a ticket to cover Saturday on Thursday or Friday because Thursday and Friday would be overlapping with the Wednesday permit)
The National Park Pass! (Photo from a trip to North Cascades (NOT Yosemite)
Keep in mind, the reservation and the entrance fee are NOT the same. The reservation is $2.00 and for a vehicle driving in, the entrance free is $35.00. If you have a national park pass, then the entrance fee is covered (Yosemite is a bit more strict than other locations and will check the name and photo ID for the National Parks pass). If you are going before 6AM or after 4PM (either peak or off-peak season) there will not be anyone at the kiosk and you will not need to pay the entrance fee
