California towns near Yosemite call on National Park Service to manage torrential crowds better

The push for change comes as the NPS released a 224-page Draft Plan in mid-August, aiming to finalize a permanent visitor control systemPhoto byJordi Vich NavarroonUnsplash

Key stakeholders from communities surrounding Yosemite National Park are urging the National Park Service (NPS) to rethink its approach to visitor access and management. These gateway communities, which have experienced economic hardship due to current visitor restrictions, are advocating for more innovative and collaborative solutions that balance public access with preservation.

Currently, Yosemite's visitor control system is in a pilot phase, with "Peak Hours Plus" reservations limiting access during certain times. However, photos from peak hours show empty parking lots in Yosemite Valley, even as the park turns away an estimated 2,000 visitors daily. The gateway communities argue that instead of restricting access, NPS should focus on encouraging visitors to explore less crowded areas of the park and improve visitor services across Yosemite.

"Instead of restricting visitation, NPS should focus on creative solutions that allow visitors to explore the many less crowded areas of Yosemite," said Rhonda Salisbury, CEO of Visit Yosemite | Madera County. Lisa Mayo, President & CEO of Visit Tuolumne County, echoed this sentiment, stressing the importance of collaboration with NPS to "balance preservation and access without turning people away."

The push for change comes as the NPS released a 224-page Draft Plan in mid-August, aiming to finalize a permanent visitor control system by 2025. However, stakeholders argue that the data informing the plan is skewed by the last three years—impacted by COVID-19, staffing shortages, and severe weather—leading to non-representative conditions for visitor behavior.

Local businesses have been hit hard by the visitor limits, losing millions of dollars in revenue during peak seasons. The uncertainty has even led international tour operators to remove Yosemite from their itineraries.