There will be no reservations required for Yosemite Firefall/Horsetail Fall in February, Yosemite National Park Superintendent Ray McPadden announced to a group of tourism officials on Thursday.
“A bunch of boots on the ground is going to be our principal strategy,” McPadden said.
What exactly that means is not entirely clear, according to the Mariposa Gazette.
As McPadden explained, there are various choke points for traffic around the park that could be mitigated with personnel.
“In the past, the gateways always encouraged carpooling. Anything we can do to shave the edge off that kind of thing,” McPadden encouraged.
The news was initially greeted with applause from members of the tourism industry. But during a question-and-answer session, some tourism operators expressed deep concern about safety and the destruction of meadow areas due to massive crowds for Firefall.
Firefall, when the sun illuminates Horsetail Falls with an incandescent orange glow, peaks between Feb. 12-20. It brings thousands of additional tourists to the park, clogging roadways and parking areas.
No decision has been made yet on the vehicle reservation system this summer.
But McPadden said after a careful evaluation, he doesn’t believe it is a good strategy.
“Our conclusion, based on a few pilot years, is that a park-wide, season-wide reservation system is not the most effective tool for this coming summer.”
McPadden said the ultimate decision rests with the Department of the Interior. But he is “mindful that timing matters.” He said he hopes the decision is made soon.
“Hang in a little longer; still working on it,” McPadden said.
Tourism officials have grown frustrated in recent weeks that a decision on vehicle reservations has yet to be made, hampering the planning for foreign travelers who often book months in advance.
About 25 percent of the visitors to Yosemite during peak season are foreign travelers who generally stay longer and spend more money.
Beginning Jan. 1, foreign visitors to the park must pay a $100 surcharge in addition to the entrance fee. Park officials are encouraging foreign travelers to buy the $250 “America the Beautiful” annual pass, which covers four people, and to purchase it before they arrive at the park.
Several tourism operators expressed dismay that it is still not clear how the new fee structure will apply to tourism buses. One operator said the additional cost could put him out of business.
McPadden said there will be more free days this summer, including July 4, which will fall this year on a Saturday.