Shutdown means no one is charging for entry at Yosemite National Park
Shutdown means no one is charging for entry at Yosemite National Park
YOSEMITE, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – Yosemite National Park remains open during the government shutdown – and the lapse in federal funding means entry fees are not being collected because there are no staff members at the gates.
The federal government shutdown essentially allows free entry to Yosemite National Park while the gates are unstaffed. Reservations are also no longer required for entry into the park.
YourCentralValley.com was told by Yosemite Mariposa County Tourism Bureau and other officials on Wednesday that entry fees will not be collected, adding that the acting superintendent at Yosemite National Park confirmed it with the tourism bureau earlier that morning.
Official information from Yosemite National Park online is limited due to the federal government shutdown. A message on the park’s website reveals that national parks “remain as accessible as possible” during the federal government shutdown, adding that “some services may be limited or unavailable.”
A contingency plan published by the federal Department of the Interior (which manages the National Park System) restricts the amount of information that can be posted on social media and on park websites to allow only “emergency communications.” A Yosemite park ranger YourCentralValley.com contacted on Wednesday said they were unable to provide official information to the media.
FILE – This Oct. 2, 2013, file photo, shows a view seen on the way to Glacier Point trail in the Yosemite National Park, Calif. (AP Photo/Tammy Webber, File)
Inside Yosemite National Park, park concessioner Yosemite Hospitality has said that all of their operations within the park will remain open. This includes lodging, dining and booked activities. Reservations at The Ahwahnee, Yosemite Valley Lodge, Curry Village or Housekeeping Camp will also remain unchanged.
The Yosemite Mariposa County Tourism Bureau states that roads, trails, campgrounds and sanitation facilities are accessible – but services operated by the National Park Service, such as visitor centers, will be closed. This includes the National Park Service’s “Yosemite Welcome Center” located in Yosemite Valley.
According to “Visit Yosemite Madera County,” services inside Yosemite National Park are limited, adding that “details are still emerging” about the impact of the federal government shutdown. Meanwhile, both Yosemite Mariposa County Tourism Bureau and “Visit Yosemite Madera County” ask Yosemite National Park visitors to recreate responsibly and practice Leave No Trace principles.
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