Fate Of Yosemite’s Reservation System Uncertain
Yosemite, CA — Yosemite National Park’s plans to implement a permanent reservation system later this year are now temporarily on hold.
The San Francisco Chronicle reports that the delay is to give the Trump Administration time to review the planned changes.
We reported earlier that the National Park Service’s plan to implement the changes permanently, in an effort to help alleviate traffic congestion, has been criticized by many local government leaders and businesses in the gateway communities because of the negative impact it would have on the local economy. It has also been criticized by Mother Lode Republican Congressman Tom McClintock. It was one of the issues that he and Democratic Congressional candidate Mike Barkley starkly differed on during KVML radio’s candidate debate leading up to the November General Election. Reservations have been required at times in recent years as pilot projects, and the plan has been to make it permanent this summer, during peak travel times.
Reservations are still needed for Horstail Fall this month.
There is a leadership change at the Department of Interior, which oversees the National Park Service, following President Trump’s election. Former North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum was appointed to be Interior Secretary last week, replacing Deb Haaland.
