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.

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?

Horsetail Fall Or Yosemite Firefall Event

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.

2023 Yosemite Reservations

The three weekends in February 2023 when Yosemite reservations are required for the Horsetail Falls Festival are: 2/10-2/12, 2/17-2/19, and 2/24-2/26.

How To Get Yosemite Reservations For Park Entrance?

Yosemite National Park reservations for the Firefall Event are available at Recreation.gov. Half of the event reservations go on sale January 13, 2023 at 8 am PT.

The other half of the event 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.

Tips To Snag A Reservation For Yosemite National Park Ticketed Entry

Use these tips to grab the 50 percent of park reservations still available 2 days prior to your visit.

• Create an account on the website Recreation.gov
• Find the date that is 2 days before your first visit date 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

Additional Tips: The cost of making the park entrance reservation is $2 on top of the $35 park entrance fee. The reservation and fee are good for 7 days.

If you didn’t get the park reservation, read on to learn how to enter Yosemite without a reservation. 

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 you can still enjoy your trip.

1) Camping or Lodging

You don’t need a park entrance reservation if you have either a camping reservation or lodging reservation within the park.

Camping Reservation 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.

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.

2) Wilderness Permit or Half Dome Permit 

You don’t need an entrance reservation if you have a permit for hiking. 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.

3) 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.

4) Change Your Arrival Date

Reservations are only required Friday-Sunday. Consider arriving Monday-Thursday instead when an entrance reservation is not needed.

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!