Yosemite National Park Reopened Today With Some Modifications Due To The Coronavirus, Other Parks Are Also Opening
by Heather Cassell
Summer vacation might not be quite canceled, that is if you are a camper, a glamper, or a cottage in the woods type, that is if you are one of the lucky few who are able to snag a camping spot at Yosemite National Park.
“It’s going to be a different kind of summer, and we will continue to work hand in hand with our gateway communities to protect community health and restore access to Yosemite National Park,” said Acting Superintendent Cicely Muldoon in a statement from the park announcing its reopening.
Yosemite partially reopened today, June 11, to tourists for the first time in nearly three months following the outbreak of the novel coronavirus pandemic in the United States in March.
The park will remain at about half its average attendance for June. Reservations will have to be made for each car at $2 each.
The situation is still tentative, visitors shouldn’t be surprised by sudden changes depending on pandemic conditions and any outbreaks inside the park. Park rangers are monitoring the pandemic and visitors closely.
“We’re going to be monitoring conditions daily,” Jamie Richards, a spokesperson for the park, told NPR. “We’re going to make adjustments as needed. And we’re going to work to maintain safe conditions for visitors.”
Annual pass holders and people with senior, military, or 4th Grade passes will also need to have a reservation to enter the park.
People who already possess a camping or a concession-operated lodging reservation or a Half Dome or wilderness permit won’t need a day-use reservation.
Park goers started making reservations June 9.
Visitors should be warned, don’t think you can drive up and try to talk your way into the park. No reservation, no getting into the park. You will be turned away at the gate.
Also, the situation is still tentative, visitors shouldn’t be surprised by sudden changes depending on pandemic conditions and any outbreaks inside or surrounding the park. Park rangers are monitoring the pandemic and visitors closely.
“We’re going to be monitoring conditions daily,” Jamie Richards, a spokesperson for the park, told NPR. “We’re going to make adjustments as needed. And we’re going to work to maintain safe conditions for visitors.”
The park wasn’t the only entity affected by the statewide shutdown. Surrounding towns and counties filled with many small businesses also suffered.
Visitors spent an average of $1.7 billion in the four California counties surrounding the park last year, according to Visit California data, but this year, Brooke estimates the tourism and business losses could be as much as 50% this year.
Some locals aren’t open to the masses engulfing their small towns again just yet. They are happy the park is slowly reopening with safety protocols in place despite lost business.
“We don’t want to attract huge groups of people,” Scott McGhee, who runs Yosemite Sugar Pine Mountain Railroad. “We hope that in those cities and surrounding communities they come and rediscover us this summer.”
Other locals whose businesses are on life support are hoping to rebound.
“It’s been harsh,” Colette Goga, owner and tour guide of Yosemite Wine Tails, a dog-friendly wine tour company, told NPR tallying up the three months of unpaid rent and bills because she didn’t qualify for the federal small business loans. “It’s been eye opening, gut wrenching.”
“To only be open for four or five months will pretty much catch me up,” she said. “But you shut me down again for three more months and I’m going to be toast.”
Booking Your Yosemite Getaway
Campsites and hotel reservations will be limited to 1,900 passes daily. Currently, there are only two campsites open due to limited staff and capacity, one is Upper Pines but its limited to 50% capacity and Wawona Horse Camp, which requires a horse to be able to book accommodations here.
High Sierra Camps and Housekeeping Camp are closed for 2020.
Curry Village and Yosemite Valley Lodge are accepting reservations too.
Upscale lodging with a view of Bridalvail from the lodge, The Ahwahnee, is also accepting reservations.
Any private lodging or vacation rentals in Wawona, Yosemite West or Foresta also require reservations.
Outside of the park, vacation rentals are already selling out, Brooke Smith of Visit Yosemite Madera County told NPR. Autocamps’ Yosemite camp’s Airstream trailers and canvas tents are already booked into July, according to its website.
Visiting The Park
Visitors only going to the park for the day will be limited to 1,700-day passes.
People won’t be able to arrive by bus at backpackers campgrounds. Backpackers holding wilderness permits who do arrive by bus will be allowed to stay at the backpackers campgrounds, according to the park’s website.
Those who are participants in the Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System and do arrive by bus, on horseback, or on foot won’t need a day-use reservation. However, annual pass holders will still need to obtain a day-use reservation in advance.
Those aren’t the only modifications and restrictions, there are limitations within the park too in order to maintain safety, according to the Yosemite’s website.
Certain areas of the park are operating with limited hours or access points, one-way only trails, or are off limits completely. Then there’s those friendly reminders to maintain a six-foot distance between other park guests posted everywhere, according to photos taken by photographer Ezra Shaw published by the San Francisco Chronicle.
Visitors won’t be able to venture out to Lower Yosemite Fall boulders located between the footbridge and viewing area and the waterfall.
Bridalveil Fall area is closed not only due to the virus but also scheduled maintenance work.
Tioga Road is closed this weekend but is scheduled to open June 15.
Hetch Hetchy Road access will be limited to only between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Crane Flat Helibase and Chowchilla Mountain Road remain closed with no known opening date.
Additionally, park shuttles aren’t operating, reported NPR.
What Is Open
So, what can you do at Yosemite in June and possibly the rest of the summer?
There are about 800 miles of hiking trails and wilderness access that are open. Half Dome is available for climbers and hikers.
There’s limited access and hours to enjoy the Mist Trail. Hikers won’t be able to enjoy downhill hiking from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily from the top of Vernal Fall to the John Muir Trail junction near the Vernal Fall footbridge is close. Trekkers can however access the trailhead at the Clark Point cutoff trail and John Muir Trail.
Staying Even Safer Out In The Wild
Animals have taken over the parks again since humans sheltered at home during the pandemic.
“We’ve seen a lot of bears out and active,” Jamie told NPR. “We will see when the park reopens how the animals continue to react and adapt to visitors coming back.”
Keeping an eye out for bears and other wildlife aren’t the only ways Yosemite’s rangers are on guard for to keep visitors safe. Staff and visitors should also remain vigilant with keeping their distance, wearing facemasks when encountering strangers or groups of people, and wash or sanitize hands regularly.
Other Parks That Are Opening
Can’t get into Yosemite? What about other national parks? National Park Traveler is maintaining an updated list of what parks are opening.
Book your next vacation with Girls That Roam Travel. Contact Heather Cassell at Girls That Roam Travel at 415-517-7239 or at .
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