Dear Lodging & Business Partners,

We are working hard to provide you with the information and resources that you need to plan for this summer season and act as a liaison with the National Park Service on your behalf. We know many of you have questions and we hope this page will provide answers. As always, the Yosemite Mariposa County Tourism Bureau is also working to promote Mariposa County as a destination separate from Yosemite. We’ll be providing resources to share with visitors of things to do outside of the park for those that can’t get a day-use reservation to enter Yosemite and need things to do between the hours of 6 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Links to more information on summer park operations

Find in-depth resources on what to expect this summer in Yosemite on:

  • Yosemite.com page which provides info on the temporary reservation system as well as what is open in Yosemite and Mariposa County.
  • NPS.gov page on the new temporary reservation system.

Alternate ways to get into the park without a reservation

  • Take YARTS, the Yosemite Area Transportation System, which includes the cost to enter Yosemite. With the free national park shuttle system operating in Yosemite Valley, YARTS is a great way to visit the park.
  • Reserve a private tour with Discover Yosemite, Incredible Adventures or Tenaya Lodge Yosemite Tours.
  • Ride into Mariposa Grove on Horseback with Yosemite Trails Horseback Adventures.
  • Walk, hike or ride a bicycle in. The Day-Use Reservation system only applies to vehicles and those on foot or bicycle can enter without a reservation.
  • Sign up for an Outdoor Adventure or art class with Yosemite Conservancy.
  • Sign up for a photography class with the Ansel Adams Gallery.
  • Visit Hetch Hetchy. There is no reservation required to enter this area of the park.

Sample letters to send to guests/customers on the temporary day-use reservation

Feel free to use these suggestions as they are or as a basis for your own personalized messages.

For Out-of-Park Lodging Guests:

Hello, we’re excited to have you as our guest for your upcoming Yosemite visit! We want to let you know that Yosemite National Park has instituted a temporary peak-hours reservation system for vehicles to enter Yosemite National Park between 5 a.m. and 4 p.m. from on weekends from April 13 to June 30, 7 days a week from July 1 to August 16 and on weekends from August 17 to October 27. We know that this may be inconvenient, but we’re here to reassure you that you’ll be able to enter Yosemite each day!

First, we recommend that you go to recreation.gov to seek a peak-hours reservation for the dates you plan to visit. All passes are good for three days from the start date and allow for one vehicle to enter the park.

Second, if you are unable to get a peak-hours reservation for the dates of your stay, know that more passes will open up on recreation.gov seven days in advance of your planned trip dates. There is also a new half-day reservation option, which allows visitors to enter Yosemite afternoon each day. These passes also become available 7 days before your planned visit.

Third, if you are still unable to get a peak-hours reservation seven days in advance, there are other options for entering the park without a reservation.

  • Take YARTS, the Yosemite Area Transportation System, which includes the cost to enter Yosemite. With the free national park shuttle system operating in Yosemite Valley, YARTS is a great way to visit the park.
  • Reserve a private tour with Discover Yosemite, Incredible Adventures or Tenaya Lodge Yosemite Tours.
  • Ride into Mariposa Grove on Horseback with Yosemite Trails Horseback Adventures.
  • Walk, hike or ride a bicycle in. The Day-Use Reservation system only applies to vehicles and those on foot or bicycle can enter without a reservation.
  • Sign up for an Outdoor Adventure or art class with Yosemite Conservancy.
  • Sign up for a photography class with the Ansel Adams Gallery.
  • Visit Hetch Hetchy. There is no reservation required to enter this area of the park.

Regardless of whether you get a peak-hours reservation, you’ll still be able to access the park any day given you arrive before 5 a.m. or after 4 p.m. Early morning in Yosemite can be some of the best times to start hikes, see wildlife or experience the park at sunrise or enjoy breakfast at The Ahwahnee dining room, Curry Village Pavilion, Yosemite Lodge Base Camp Eatery or historic Wawona Hotel dining room.

There are also many great options for fun and recreation outside of Yosemite National Park before 4 p.m. in the historic Gold Rush towns of Mariposa, Coulterville, Fish Camp, Hornitos and more! For more ideas, click here to view a list of Things to do In Mariposa County.

For In-park Lodging:

Hello! We’re excited to host you on your visit to Yosemite this summer. You may have seen that there is a temporary peak-hours reservation system in place for Yosemite National Park this summer. We’re here to let you know that because our vacation rental is situated inside of Yosemite National Park, you do not need to acquire a reservation to enter Yosemite National Park or to get to your lodging.

We will issue you a letter ahead of time that you can present at the gates to Yosemite that will get you into the park when you arrive. You’ll just need to pay the usual fee for a vehicle park pass.

We can’t wait to host you!

Provide special offers to be featured on Yosemite.com

This is a great and free way to advertise your property, and better yet, a special offer can be anything you want.

If you’re a lodging-based business, something like 10% off when a person books five nights or more is an example. For a restaurant, consider providing a free appetizer or dessert when a group spends $100 or more. For retail, 10% off total purchase when someone mentions the word “Yosemite” would be a potential special offer.

Think of this as a way to promote your business in a way that has a marginal impact on your bottom line. By posting a special offer on Yosemite.com’s special offers page, you’re getting your business seen by as many as 20,000 people in a month. We spend money to advertise these special offers so you don’t have to.

Benefits include:

  • Free advertising for your business
  • Opportunities to increase length of stay
  • Control over the offer – dates of stay, days of week, etc.
  • Offer value-added or discount offers
  • Opportunity to highlight Summer offers and/or Fall offers
submit a special offer