If you were hoping to lock in your summer camping spot at Yosemite, you might have to hold off a little longer. The park just announced a delay in reservations for sites at Upper Pines, Lower Pines, North Pines, Wawona, and Hodgdon Meadow, affecting bookings from June 15 to July 14.
Yosemite officials haven’t given a direct reason, but the timing is raising some eyebrows. The delay comes right as the National Park Service (NPS) is dealing with a wave of job cuts—around 1,000 newly hired employees have been let go under the Trump administration. These cuts, driven by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), have hit areas like park maintenance, visitor education, and cleaning services, leaving many wondering how park operations might be affected.
Despite the speculation, Jonathan Farrington, CEO of the Yosemite Mariposa County Tourism Bureau, is keeping things in perspective, saying there’s “a lot of conjecture but few facts” about how these staffing changes might impact Yosemite.
Meanwhile, the park is gearing up for one of its biggest annual spectacles—the Firefall at Horsetail Fall. Every February, crowds of photographers and nature lovers gather to catch the breathtaking moment when the sunset transforms the waterfall into a fiery cascade of molten orange. With interest in the event growing, reservations are now required for key dates like February 22 and 23. Park officials are also warning visitors about heavy traffic and safety concerns, so if you’re planning to go, be prepared.
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