Changes to Yosemite's reservation system lead to 'chaos' in park over holiday weekend

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, Calif. -- Yosemite National Park is seeing heavy congestion at the start of its first summer without a timed reservation system, with visitors reporting long lines, limited parking and crowded conditions throughout the park.

So far this year, Yosemite has recorded nearly 100,000 more visitors than at the same point last year, contributing to what many describe as chaotic conditions.

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They said the biggest issue was long wait times to get inside the park. "People were waiting for at least hour and a half," said visitor Andranik Arakelyan.

The waiting didn't stop there.

"I would say by 7:30, the entire park, it was impossible to park there. There's nowhere to park for anybody," said visitor John Leerskov.

Visitors waiting to find parking, board shuttles and access popular viewpoints.

"It was a lot of shoulder to shoulder, a lot of chaos, a lot of angry people, a lot of oblivious people," Leerskov said.

It looks like some grew impatient, with videos showing dozens of cars illegally parked.

"People pulling onto meadows, pulling off pavement, going off-road. The lines to get even shuttles around the park, I mean, from the videos were just horrendous," said conservationist and author Beth Pratt.

This is the first summer visitors can enter Yosemite without a reservation requirement, following what park officials described as a "comprehensive evaluation."

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"We are committed to visitor access, safety, and resource protection, and will continue active traffic management strategies to ensure a great visitor experience," said Yosemite Superintendent Ray McPadden back in February.

"While reservation systems are one valuable management tool, our data demonstrates that a season-wide reservation requirement is not the most effective approach for the coming season."

Still, some environmental advocates say the previous system better controlled crowds.

"Without any limits on the amount of vehicles, the amount of people, it becomes overwhelmed," said John Buckley, Central Sierra Environmental Resource Center Executive Director.

Buckley argues the decision may benefit tourism revenue but harm the park's environment.

"The best accessibility is when there's managed park conditions so that the number of vehicles is balanced with the amount of parking and the capacity of the roads," he said.

Even some visitors like Arakelyan, who opposed reservations in the past, say they now see their value. He used to get frustrated with having to reserve weeks in advance.

"There's just not enough capacity, like infrastructure and the employees to handle all of this traffic," Arakelyan said.

With peak summer season approaching, some are calling for changes.

"These are the best protected places on the planet, and we cannot be managing them like an amusement park," Pratt said.

For those hoping to avoid the crowds, the Yosemite Conservancy recommends arriving early, visiting during the week or using bus transportation. To get updates on current traffic conditions in the park, text ynptraffic to 3331.