Looking to visit Yosemite National Park but don’t have a park reservation? No worries! This guide has all the tips and tricks you need to visit without having reservations for entrance to Yosemite National Park.
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The breathtaking waterfalls, rivers, and granite dome formations make Yosemite National Park a favorite destination for outdoor lovers.
Since our family began traveling the US full-time over 8 years ago in a quest to see all the national parks, we quickly realized that Yosemite is our favorite.
The incredible hiking opportunities, waterfalls, and granite formations found in this park are like no other. However, our time in the park has also been challenging at times due to crowds and reservation requirements.
During our park adventures, we have discovered a few hacks to get in the park without needing reservations. Read on to find ways to skip the reservations and still enjoy this beautiful national park.
When Do You Need Reservations For Yosemite National Park Entrance In 2024?
For 2024, Yosemite National Park has increased their reservation requirements and dates versus the 2023 season.
Reservations are needed for weekends in February during the Firefall Event. They are also needed during the peak summer park season. Here is what you need to know.
1) February 2024 Horsetail Fall Or Yosemite Firefall Event Reservations
Yosemite National Park reservation requirements begin weekends in February during the annual Yosemite Firefalls event. A reservation is needed to drive into the park 24 hours a day during this event.
2024 Yosemite Reservation Dates For The Firefall Event
The three weekends in February 2024 when Yosemite reservations are required for the Horsetail Falls Festival are: 2/10-2/11, 2/17-2/19, and 2/24-2/25.
Reservations are required for entrance to Yosemite National Park 24 hours a day on these weekend dates, including Monday, February 19th, for Washington’s Birthday.
No reservations are required to enter the park on the weekdays. Didn’t get a reservation? Keep reading to learn hacks to enter without one.
How To Get Yosemite Reservations For Park Entrance To See The Firefall Event
Yosemite National Park reservations for the Firefall Event are available at Recreation.gov. The first half of the event reservations go on sale December 1, 2023 at 8 am PT.
The other half of the Horsetail Fall ticketed entry reservations go on sale 2 days in advance of your visit date at 8 am PT. So if you are arriving on 2/24, you would reserve the morning of 2/22.
Only one reservation is needed per vehicle and you will need to show the ID of the person who made the reservation.
If you don’t get a reservation, check often for cancellations.
Still didn’t grab the Yosemite reservation? See below for how to get into Yosemite without a reservation.
2) Peak Season Weekend Yosemite National Park Reservations Required
New 2024 Yosemite National Park Reservation requirements are in place for weekends in the spring and fall park seasons.
Vehicles entering Yosemite between the hours of 5 am and 4 pm on Saturdays, Sundays, or Holidays (5/27 and 6/19) will need a park reservation.
Weekend shoulder season park reservations are required from April 13th through June 30th and from August 17th through October 27th.
Weekend advanced park reservations for this year are released on January 5th, 2024, at 8 am PST on Recreation.gov. Additional reservations are released 7 days before the visit date.
Yosemite entrance permit cancellations are also released as they happen, so check the website frequently.
Your park reservation is good for 3 consecutive days. Only one reservation is needed per vehicle.
3) Peak Season Daily Yosemite Reservation Requirements
During the peak summer season, Yosemite Park Entrance Reservations are required daily from July 1st through August 16th from 5 am to 4 pm.
Peak season Yosemite daily park reservations for 2024 are released on January 5th, 2024, at 8 am PST on Recreation.gov. Additional reservations are released 7 days before the visit date.
How To Enter Yosemite National Park Via A Reservation Cancellation
Cancellations are also released as they happen, so check the Recreation.gov website frequently to search for your visit dates. A park reservation is good for 3 days.
4) What Dates In 2024 Can You Enter Yosemite National Park Without Reservations?
Do you need reservation for Yosemite even in the off-season? No, you can enter Yosemite anytime without park reservations from January 1 through February 9th and October 28th through December 31st 2024.
Consider visiting the park during this quiet off-season for a truly unique and peaceful experience.
Get your National Park
America The Beautiful Annual Pass HERE!
Tips To Snag A Reservation For Yosemite National Park Ticketed Entry
Use these tips to grab a Yosemite National Park reservation.
- Create an account on the website Recreation.gov
- Find the date the advance park reservations will be released and set a reminder
- Log into your account and navigate to the page with all the details entered
- As soon as the clock rolls onto 8 am Pacific/11 am Eastern, hit the button
- Consider having a friend also try at the same time to increase your chances
- If you don’t get an advance park reservation set a calendar reminder to try again for the last minute release (2 days in advance for February Firefall Weekends and 7 days in advance for peak season weekends and weekdays from April 13th through October 27th)
- Also check the website frequently for cancellations
How Much Does It Cost To Get Into Yosemite National Park?
The cost of making the park entrance reservation is $2 on top of the $35 Yosemite entrance fee. The $2 reservation fee is non-refundable.
A Yosemite park reservation is good for 3 days and another reservation can be made for longer park stays. The park entrance fee is good for 7 days. Both fees are per vehicle.
Can I go to Yosemite without a reservation? Yes! If you didn’t get the Yosemite entrance permit, read on to learn how to enter Yosemite without a reservation.
Our daughter hiking in the Hetch Hetchy section of Yosemite.
How To Visit Without Yosemite National Park Reservations
Planning a last-minute Yosemite trip? Or missed your chance at getting park reservations? Here is how to get into Yosemite without a reservation.
Camping or Lodging
Do you need Yosemite park reservations if you have a lodging reservation? No, you don’t need Yosemite park reservations if you have either a Yosemite camping reservation or lodging reservation within the park.
Yosemite Camping Reservations Tip: It is extremely tough to get a Yosemite campsite. Check out my FREE GUIDE where I reveal tips and tricks for How To Score Sold-Out National Park Campsites.
Advance camping reservations are required for all camping during the festival.
Get your National Park Reservation Secrets
FREE GUIDE HERE!
Another secret trick we use to score sold-out national park campsites is Arvie.
Arvie not only finds campsite cancellations but also books them for us. It’s been a game changer for getting the toughest campsites.
Get your Arvie FREE TRIAL HERE + 10% off to check it out for yourself!
Visit Hetch Hetchy
No entrance reservation is required to enter and explore the Hetch Hetchy section of Yosemite National Park. You can enter anytime from sunrise to sunset.
If you have never seen this section of the park, you are really in for a treat. Our family quickly fell in love with hiking and exploring this quiet unknown area of Yosemite.
Hetch Hetchy has all of the splendor of the granite domes and waterfalls that the popular Yosemite Valley offers, but without the crowds. This area of the park was flooded long ago to create a dam providing water for the San Francisco area.
Give Hetch Hetchy a visit and you will be glad you did.
Adventure Tip: Hetch Hetchy is a separate park entance and it doesn’t connect to any other park of Yosemite National Park. The road to Hetch Hetchy is extremely narrow and winding. Don’t take it in a dually truck, RV, or oversized vehicle.
Wilderness Permit or Half Dome Permit
You don’t need an entrance reservation for Yosemite if you have a permit for hiking or Half Dome reservations. See the park permit website for more information.
YARTS Bus
If you ride the YARTS Bus into the park you don’t need a park entrance reservation. The bus fee also includes the park entrance fee.
Bus Tips: The bus is a great workaround to the park entrance reservation. It picks up at most of the nearby campgrounds and hotels which makes it super convenient.
However, this year the bus will become a really popular option. Make sure to reserve your bus tickets in advance if you plan to take the bus.
Arrive With A Tour Group
Authorized tour groups do not need an entrance reservation. So consider booking a tour if you need an additional option to visit.
Not only is taking a Yosemite park tour a great way to get up close and personal with the park while learning more from a guide, but it is the ultimate hack to get in without a park reservation.
Consider taking this Full-Day Small Group Yosemite Glacier Point Tour Including Hotel Pickup which includes your park entrance fees.
Prefer to take a private tour and hike with a guide? Check out this Full-Day Private Tour and Hike In Yosemite National Park.
Note: Make sure to verify that the tour you are interested in includes park admission/park reservation.
Change Your Arrival Date
Reservations are only required during the peak season. Consider arriving Monday-Thursday during the spring and fall shoulder seasons instead when an entrance reservation is not needed.
Tweak Your Arrival Time
With the exception of weekends in February during the Firefall event (park reservations are required 24 hours a day for this event), you can enter the park before 5 am or after 4 pm even on days you need a park reservation.
While these times may not be the most ideal for your trip plans, by coming into the park in the evening hours, you can ditch the crowds and enjoy the sunset over the valley.
Park Sunset Tip: The best place to watch the sunset in the park is Glacier Point. Check the road conditions as Glacier Point opens for the season normally in late May. Also get there early as the parking lot fills.
FAQs For Park Entrance Reservation Yosemite Tickets
Do you need a reservation to get into Yosemite National Park?
If you are wondering, do I need a reservation for Yosemite, the answer depends on your visit date. A reservation is needed to enter Yosemite during the annual Horsetail Fall Festival or Firefall on weekends in February 2024. Yosemite entrance reservations are required 24 hours a day on 2/10-2/11, 2/17-2/19, and 2/24-2/25.
Reservations are also required during spring and fall weekends and holidays 4/13-6/30 and 8/17-10/27 from 5 am to 4 pm. Daily park reservations are required from 7/1-8/16 from 5 am to 4 pm.
Is it hard to get a reservation for Yosemite?
Yes it can be difficult to get a Yosemite park entrance reservation. In fact, reservations are often gone within seconds of the window opening. Be sure to create a Recreation.gov account and log in early on the date the window opens for your visit date.
Can I drive through Yosemite without a reservation? Can I drive through Yosemite right now?
You can only drive through Yosemite without a reservation if it’s on a date that reservations aren’t required. Depending on when you visit the park, you may be able to come into the park before 5 am or after 4 pm without a park reservation. The exception is during the Firefall event where weekend reservations are required 24 hours a day.
How far in advance can you make Yosemite reservations?
Yosemite park entrance reservations for Firefall Event weekends can be made on December 1, 2023 or 2 days in advance of your arrival date at 8 am Pacific. All other Yosemite reservation dates for 2024 can be reserved on January 5, 2024 at 8 am or 7 days in advance.
How much does it cost to get into Yosemite?
The Yosemite National Park entrance fee is $35. During times when a park entrance reservation is required, the reservation costs $2. The park reservation is good for 3 days while the entrance fee is good for 7 days.
Is Yosemite Still Taking Reservations?
Yes, Yosemite entrance reservations are required throughout specific dates in 2024. Yosemite park entrance reservations are needed for weekends in February during the Firefall Festival, peak weekends in the spring and fall, and daily from 7/1-8/16.
Do You Need A Reservation To Enter Yosemite in 2024?
While there are many dates this year when park entrance reservations are required, there are many ways to work around not getting one. I hope this article inspires you to get creative and salvage your trip even if you don’t have a Yosemite entry permit. Getting into Yosemite is worth the effort!
Get your National Park
America The Beautiful Annual Pass HERE!
Our daughter exploring Mirror Lake during the spring season in Yosemite.
I hope these tips are helpful to enjoy your trip to Yosemite National Park. If you enjoyed this, please be sure to PIN this and share it on social media. Don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter so you never miss out on our latest tips.
Want to know my secrets for booking hard to get national park campsites? Check out: How To Score Sold-Out National Park Campsites.
Looking for more national park inspiration? Check these out:
3 Most Unusual National Park Hikes
6 Worst National Parks And Where To Go Instead
Enjoy your adventure detour!
Scott and Van of The Adventure Detour are travel writers focusing on RV travel, family outdoor travel, national parks travel, and hiking. They have been full-time RV living and traveling across the US since 2015. In 8 years of full-time RVing, they have visited 38 national parks so far with the ultimate goal to see them all. They work as digital nomads while roadschooling their daughter nicknamed Sissy. On the way to all 50 states, they have visited and hiked through 42 states so far. The travel bucket list is forever growing!
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