Yosemite National Park has been overwhelmed by visitors over the Memorial Day weekend after the National Park Service (NPS) ended its reservation system, with reports of 'Disneyland-level' crowding and hours-long queues to enter the park.
Visitors described chaotic conditions, with one person telling ABC7 that some waited 'for at least an hour and a half' just to get in. Another visitor, John Leerskov, said that by 7:30 a.m., no parking spots were available, and inside the park it was 'a lot of shoulder to shoulder, a lot of chaos, a lot of angry people'.
Conservationist Beth Pratt told ABC7 she saw videos of people parking in meadows and driving off marked roads, calling it 'horrendous'. By March, Yosemite had already recorded nearly 100,000 more visitors than the same period last year, with 225,817 visitors in March 2024 compared to 155,758 in 2023.
The NPS responded that 'temporary traffic delays during high-interest events are not evidence of operational failure', but rather reflect the reality of managing one of the nation's most visited parks during peak demand. The service said it continues to manage visitation through traffic operations, shuttle services, and real-time communications, urging visitors to plan ahead.
Yosemite Superintendent Ray McPadden said in February that a review showed the reservation system was not the most effective approach for the coming season. The system was eliminated to support strong visitation in 2026, but the resulting crowds have led to criticism and calls for better management.
