Washington, DC — Congressman Tom McClintock raised concerns on the US House floor that there is a “full court press” being waged in the media to bring back Yosemite’s reservation system.
He referenced viral videos of crowds on Memorial Day and a recent series of articles in the San Francisco Chronicle.
McClintock pushed back, “Those complaining of crowds during peak weekends, of course, envision that they should be able to enter the park, but not all of those ‘pesky other people.’ Well, here’s a helpful tip: If you don’t like crowds, don’t go to the beach on Memorial Day and don’t go to Yosemite on Memorial Day.”
McClintock stated that the earlier experimental reservation system in 2024 inconvenienced park visitors and led to, on average, 700 cars per day being turned away, and many parking lots sitting half empty.
He added, “Hotel reservations fell thousands short, and many tourists who booked a room outside the park were refused entry at the gates for want of a coveted reservation. Frustrated would be visitors also reported continuing problems trying to obtain reservations on a glitchy website.”
He acknowledged that crowding in Yosemite Valley has been a problem, but feels the solution is “better management and more capacity, not restricting access.”
He stated, “Before the 1997 flood, there were about twice as many parking places, rooms, and campsites as there are today. Although Congress appropriated funds to restore this capacity, it never was.”
McClintock praised the work of new Yosemite Superintendent Ray McPadden on implementing digitized entry passes and additional wifi, encouraging visitors to go to overlooked spots (like Tuolumne Meadows, Mariposa Grove, Glacier Point, and Tenaya Lake), and increasing parking.
McClintock said that McPadden has also been reaching out to and working with leaders in the gateway communities, who he stated overwhelmingly opposed the earlier reservation system.
