March 20, 2020

Yosemite NP, California – Yosemite National Park is announcing modifications to operations at the request of the local health department. As of 3:00 pm today, Friday, March 20, 2020, Yosemite National Park is closed to all park visitors until further notice. This closure will be enforced 24-hours a day/7-days a week and there will be no access permitted to Yosemite National Park.

Park visitors are encouraged to take advantage of the many digital tools already available to explore Yosemite National Park. Visitors are encouraged to learn about park resources and stories through the many multimedia presentations currently available on the park’s website. In place of traveling to Yosemite National Park in person, visitors are encouraged to download the park’s free App and continue to enjoy Yosemite National Park through the park’s webcams. There are many wonderful resources available for all ages to remotely explore Yosemite National Park.

The health and safety of our visitors, employees, volunteers, and partners at Yosemite National Park is our number one priority. The National Park Service (NPS) is working with the federal, state, and local authorities to closely monitor the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) situation. We will notify the public when we resume full operations and provide updates on our website and social media channels.

The NPS urges visitors to do their part when visiting a park and to follow CDC guidance to prevent the spread of infectious diseases by maintaining a safe distance between yourself and other groups; washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds; avoiding touching your eyes, nose, and mouth; covering your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze; and most importantly, staying home if you feel sick.

For high-risk populations, such as the elderly and people with underlying conditions, we ask that they take extra caution and follow CDC guidance for those at higher risk of serious illness.

Updates about NPS operations will be posted on www.nps.gov/coronavirus. Please check with www.nps.gov/yose for specific details about park operations.