Starting on November 1, travellers will no longer need a reservation to make a day-trip to Yosemite National Park in California.
The park, located in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains, is a Unesco World Heritage site, and it normally welcomes over four million visitors annually. After its closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a phased reopening began in June, initially only giving access to those with existing wilderness permit reservations, and those with existing permits to climb Half Dome. A required reservation for day-use was instituted back in June of this year to cope with guest numbers as the park reopened.
Due to the latest guidance from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) and local and state authorities, the park is able to modify its operations and offer reservation-free visits. If you’re planning to go in October.
Around the US, the National Park Service is using a phased approach to increase access on a park-by-park basis. Guests at Yosemite are still urged to follow CDC guidance by maintaining a safe distance between groups, wearing a cloth face covering when social distancing cannot be maintained, and staying home if they feel sick.