NEWS: Schiff, Padilla Demand Answers on Elimination of Yosemite Reservation System

Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla (both D-Calif.) urged Department of the Interior (DOI) officials to reconsider the elimination of Yosemite National Park's reservation system.

In a letter to Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum and Acting Director of the National Park Service (NPS) Jessica Bowron, the Senators expressed concern over upcoming peak summertime visitation coupled with reductions in staff and funding.

"The increased visitation we have seen without the reservation system, mixed with the reduction in staff and resources over the past year, leaves us deeply concerned about how the Park will be able to manage visitation safely and effectively protect park resources during the peak summer months," wrote the Senators. "Yosemite National Park is the crown jewel of the National Park System, yet overcrowding, vehicle congestion, limited parking, and long lines have long been issues that diminish what should be a world class experience."

"In response to these challenges, Yosemite implemented a reservation system during the summers of 2020-2022 and 2024, which both greatly improved visitor experiences and supported visitation to the Park by spreading visitation across the peak summer months," continued the Senators. "However, in February 2026, NPS decided to cancel this successful reservation system without providing any scientific justification or evidence of public stakeholder engagement."

The Senators questioned the decision to eliminate the reservation system and how NPS officials plan to mitigate its impacts during the upcoming peak visitation months.

"According to widespread reporting and testimony from our constituents, the Park has seen bumper-to-bumper traffic around the valley floor, hiking trails backed up with people, and parking lots full in the early mornings causing visitors to illegally park off-road on vegetation and in meadows," concluded the Senators. "This situation is further complicated by the Administration's reductions in staff, which has created critical gaps in park operations. Key science and park safety staff have been rerouted and stretched thin to handle traffic monitoring and park maintenance, which hinders Yosemite's ability to manage wildfire risk, ensure visitor safety, and conserve the treasured natural resources throughout the Park."

Yosemite is California's most visited national park, with 4.3 million visitors in 2025. In February, the Trump Administration announced that Yosemite's timed reservation system would be eliminated for 2026 without justification. This decision has had significant impacts on businesses in the Yosemite area, with conservation organizations and Yosemite's employees also expressing strong opposition.

"As a small business owner serving Yosemite's visitors, my team and I have seen firsthand that removing the reservation system has led to the park being functionally inaccessible for many families," said Elisabeth Barton, CEO of Echo Adventure Cooperative. "Visitors shouldn't have to spend hours sitting in entrance lines, searching for parking, or abandoning plans altogether. Access to a national park should be measured by the quality of the visitor experience, not just whether someone eventually makes it through the gate. The reservation system successfully spread visitation throughout the weeks and months providing economic stability throughout the year, but the removal has caused volatility that makes it harder for local businesses to retain employees, invest in their communities, and provide the level of service visitors expect. The reservation system doesn't restrict access; it preserves the quality, predictability, and sustainability of access for visitors, gateway communities, and the park itself."

"This Administration's actions are harming natural resources and creating pure chaos for visitors and the incredible employees who care deeply for the park," said Mark Rose, Sierra Nevada program manager of the National Parks Conservation Association. "Yosemite's reservation system was a massive success, backed by years of expert analysis and public input. Yosemite Superintendent McPadden's decision to scrap the reservation system does nothing to benefit the American people who own this park. The crisis unfolding in Yosemite will only end when park leadership listens to the public and its own staff and brings the reservation system back online."

"Superintendent McPadden's decision to discontinue the reservation system undermines the hardworking Yosemite staff," said NFFE Local 475, representing Yosemite National Park NPS employees. "The National Park Service is consistently ranked by Americans as the most beloved, trusted federal agency, and our polling of Yosemite staff shows overwhelming agreement that working conditions and visitors' experiences have been negatively impacted because there is no reservation system. Staff have reported increased wait times during their commutes, challenges to fulfill their work duties due to standstill traffic, and a heightened strain on all facilities and infrastructures throughout the park. The decision to dismiss the very real concerns of the dedicated park staff who build trails, protect wildlife, restore meadows, and maintain and clean the facilities of this globally significant park is both disheartening and disappointing to the NPS workforce."

The full text of the letter is available here.