Long lines of cars have been trying to enter the park, with many stuck in traffic for hours and vehicles parked illegally in traffic lanes, on grass, and between rocks.
Yosemite National Park is one the most well-known national parks in the United States. The park, which covers an area of 759,620 acres and was designated a World Heritage Site in 1984, is internationally recognized for its granite cliffs, waterfalls, clear streams, giant sequoia groves, lakes, mountains, meadows, and glaciers.
Unfortunately, too many people are trying to visit the park this summer. As reported by Cari Spencer, lines out of the park have often been at a standstill this season, which is the first summer without a reservation system since before the pandemic. Visitors who arrive after 8 a.m. on weekends and some weekdays should be ready for a long wait. Those who arrive later probably will not find parking and can expect to turn around if they try to enter eastern Yosemite Valley.
In addition to traffic and parking issues, there are also concerns about how increased and intense visitation will affect the park’s wildlife. After all, Yosemite is known for its biodiversity and is one of the largest and least fragmented habitat blocks in the Sierra Nevada, supporting a wide variety of plants and animals.
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