Yosemite Considering June Partial Reopening
Yosemite, CA — The Mariposa County Supervisors sent a letter to Yosemite officials yesterday supporting a plan being floated to partially reopen the park next month.
Yosemite leaders have been working with gateway communities to discuss ways that the park could reopen in the near future. The letter sent by the Mariposa board states, “Noting the challenges presented by reduced employee housing capacity and the inability to safely operate the Yosemite Valley shuttle system within reasonable Covid-19 guidelines, your proposal to open with target daily visitor access at approximately 50% of normal levels for June seems prudent. Obviously our local hotels, restaurants and retail businesses will continue to be fiscally devastated until we return to some semblance of normalcy; but gridlock and COVID outbreak in Yosemite would be an even greater long-term collapse.”
The letter goes on to add, “We understand you are designing a temporary entrance pass reservation system and implore that the details for that plan and an expected opening date be communicated broadly as soon as possible. We don’t envy your challenge. We look forward to a full slate of public meetings as soon as possible in the counties and with the Gateway Partners organization to explain the visitation game plan and how we can help ensure its success for Yosemite and the gateway businesses which provide services for over 70% of the visitors who stay overnight outside the park.”
The letter approved by the Mariposa Supervisors was sent to park superintendent Cicely Muldoon and signed by the chairman of the board, Kevin Cann.
Yosemite officials have not publicly commented about their reopening plans.
