Yosemite Seeks New Round Of Input On Crowd Management
Yosemite, CA — As visitation has been spiking this summer in Yosemite National Park, there is revived discussion about whether attendance caps would be beneficial.
Yosemite capped peak season attendance during the COVID pandemic, as well as last summer due to ongoing traffic projects.
This year, things are back to normal, with no attendance cap. It has been a contentious issue with passionate people on both sides, as there are definite economic benefits to increased tourism in the region, but visitor experience concerns are also being raised, as during recent weekends the Yosemite parking lots have been completely full by the eight o’clock hour in the morning.
A new 8-week public comment period on a park management plan begins today and will last through September 6, 2023. Click here for more information on how to comment.
Yosemite Superintendent Cicely Muldoon says in a prepared statement, “The plan will address the intense congestion visitors are experiencing this summer and will serve as a guide to protecting Yosemite’s resources and ensuring a high-quality visitor experience. This is the opportunity to help shape Yosemite’s future.”
A virtual online public meeting is also scheduled for July 19 at 4 pm.
Yosemite collected public feedback on this same topic between December 9, 2022, and February 3, 2023. During the last go-around, nearly 7,000 comments were submitted. We reported last October that the issue spurred a lively debate at the Tuolumne County Supervisors meeting, and you can click here to view the story.
