A pilot program should make visits to Yosemite in August a bit easier

Ever had trouble finding a place to park in Yosemite Valley?

That’s a rhetorical question. If you drive even rarely into the heart of the park, of course you have.

On Saturdays and Sundays in August, fast-acting park visitors may be able to avoid that problem. On Wednesday, the first day of summer, Yosemite National Park began a pilot program in which people can reserve some of the day-use spots in the Yosemite Falls parking area. The lot is directly west of Yosemite Valley Lodge and south of Camp 4.

Visitors can have a space reserved until 4 p.m., so they’re able to arrive anytime during the day and have it waiting. The reservations apply to 150 parking spaces and can be made at www.recreation.gov or by calling 1-877-444-6777. All remaining spaces in the Yosemite Falls parking area will continue to remain available on a first-come basis, according to a news release from the park.

Reservations are available for passenger vehicles up to 20 feet in length. At this time, they can’t be made for RVs or trailers.

There is no charge for the day-use parking reservations, the park says, but a reservation fee of $1.50 will be required per transaction. All transactions are final; no refunds or cancellations will be accepted.

The Yosemite Falls parking area is one of two main lots in Yosemite Valley. The park encourages visitors to park once and utilize the free shuttle system to get to the Valley Visitor Center and all major attractions in Yosemite Valley.

Park staff also encourage an alternative to driving into Yosemite Valley: Park at stops in the gateway communities and ride the Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System (YARTS) buses into Yosemite Valley. Visit www.yarts.com for more information.

This pilot program will let park staff see if there is public demand for day parking reservations. Other traffic management tools the park has implemented include designated bus lanes, a new traffic roundabout, improved parking facilities and improved signs and “wayfinding” tools.

This story was originally published June 21, 2017 at 1:56 PM with the headline "A pilot program should make visits to Yosemite in August a bit easier."