New developments have
just been announced at two of the National Park Service’s (NPS) most popular protected
lands—California’s Yosemite National Park and a 200-mile section of the
469-mile-long Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia.
Yosemite Ends
Reservations Early
Firstly, Yosemite
National Park just announced an early end to its reservation system, which was
originally set to continue through late October. But, after this weekend, visitors
will no longer need a reservation to enter or pass through Yosemite, park officials
announced via an Instagram post
on Thursday. The San
Francisco Chronicle surmised that this change will likely remain in effect until
Spring 2025.
The decision to
shut down the system for the year two weeks ahead of schedule was based on the
park’s systematic surveillance of park attendance and environmental factors. “The
reservation requirement was planned to extend through October 27, but based on
our monitoring of visitor use patterns and impacts, we are ending a few weeks
early,” the announcement reads.
Anyone who had
already booked a reservation beyond October 13 will automatically be issued a
refund, according to the social media post. In addition to the regular admission
fee that’s charged at entry stations, the park also charges a $2 service fee
for reservations.
Implemented to
manage overcrowding and protect the natural surroundings, Yosemite’s
reservation system has been in place intermittently since 2020. In 2024,
reservations have been required for those driving into or through the park
during peak hours, between 5:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., for much of the year. For
most of the summer, the system was enforced seven days a week, as well as on
weekends and holidays in spring, early summer and fall.
The system, while
helpful in reducing congestion and mitigating environmental impacts, has faced
criticism from both tourists and local communities that rely on park visitors.
Despite this, park officials maintain that it’s necessary to prevent overcrowding
and avoid queues at park entry stations that, in the past, have been up to four
hours long.
Although the park’s
plan for 2025 has yet to be disclosed, officials hope to make the reservation
system a permanent part of its long-term visitor management plan, which is set
to be unveiled by year’s end, according to Yosemite’s website.
Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina. (Photo Credit: Adobe Stock/David Sichi)
Virginia's Blue Ridge
Parkway Reopens
Meanwhile, a nearly
200-mile stretch of Virginia's Blue Ridge Parkway has reopened after for scenic
drives and fall foliage viewing following damage from Hurricane Helen that had
forced a full closure. The Blue Ridge Parkway is renowned for its picturesque
views of the Appalachian wilderness and is particularly popular during the fall
season when tourists flock to see the spectacular array of colors that comes
with the changes of the leaves.
In a news release
Thursday, the NPS announced the reopening of the section of that scenic byway
that runs between milepost 0 and milepost 198, spanning the stretch from Shenandoah National Park south
to Virginia Route 685-Skyview Drive/Turkey Ridge Road near the town of
Fancy Gap.
"Due to the
hard work of the Blue Ridge Parkway crews, we are able to open nearly 200 miles
of the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia, a vital and scenic route that both
embodies the natural beauty and cultural heritage of our region,” Tracy
Swartout, superintendent of the Blue Ridge Parkway, said in the release.
“While we
celebrate this achievement, we also recognize that significant and, in some
areas, long-term work remains in North Carolina. We are committed to restoring
all sections of the parkway to the highest standards of safety and
accessibility for our visitors,” she added.
Visitors are
encouraged to be cautious, especially if they plan to hike, as trail
assessments are still underway. The entirety of the North Carolina section
remains closed, as it was more severely affected by the recent hurricane. Virginia's Blue Ridge visitors may find some services aren't open, as
many workers have been diverted to help out in that area.
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