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Mono County joins regional talks with Yosemite officials as park tightens reservations for 2025
Summary
County officials and tourism partners said Yosemite National Park introduced a reservation requirement for some travel windows in 2025 and released far fewer passes than in prior years. Local leaders and gateway counties are pursuing a Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) model to secure more structured communication with the park.
County economic development staff and supervisors reported active regional coordination with Yosemite National Park as the park implemented a reservation system for parts of the 2025 season and released fewer reservations than in prior years.
What county staff said: Liz Brands, Mono County economic development director, said the park notified staff that a reservation system was likely and that reservations were launched in late April or early May. She and partners reported that the number of passes released appears significantly lower than in prior seasons and that reservation windows now typically end earlier in the afternoon (2 p.m. versus 4 p.m. in prior years), a change the park communicates to visitors.
Gateway coordination and next steps: Supervisors from several gateway counties, regional tourism organizations and select congressional staff have met to discuss a possible Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) structure to formalize county‑park relations and to provide an organized forum for park management decisions that have large impacts on gateway communities. Supervisor remarks indicated discussions with U.S. Representative offices and that the White House and Department of the Interior may be receptive to a collaborative advisory approach.
Outreach and public information: Staff said they will host a Zoom briefing with Yosemite public‑information staff and the park chief of staff on May 14 for local businesses and residents. The county and regional DMOs are also evaluating a simple, county‑level infographic that businesses could share explaining the reservation process, and Visit Yosemite (Madera County) told the board that reservations released for some dates sold out within minutes when issued.
Ending: County leaders said they will continue regional coordination, press for clearer park communications for gateway residents and businesses, and pursue formalized collaborative mechanisms if those appear feasible to Interior and park leadership.
