Yosemite National Park Was Busy in 2009 - Make Your Reservations Early!
Business boomed inside Yosemite National Park in 2009, with the highest number of visitors since a decade-long slump began amid the floods of 1997.
Park officials report that about 3.9 million people came to the park last year, about a half million more than in 2006, which marked the bottom of the slump. The number of people coming to see Half Dome, Yosemite Falls and other park landmarks has risen in each of the past three years, at exactly the same time the U.S. economy has been in a tailspin.
Park officials said they have some ideas why more people are visiting.
“With the economy being so bad, people are staying closer to home,” park spokeswoman Kari Cobb said. “Another thing we attribute it to is the Ken Burns film. That has reached a lot of people we haven’t necessarily been able to reach.”
“The National Parks: America’s Best Idea,” which documents the history of the parks, aired on PBS in the fall.
More people may be visiting, but they likely are not the same folks who came in years past. The floods of 1997 as well as policy decisions eliminated 353 of 828 camping sites in Yosemite Valley. The number of hotel and lodge rooms inside Yosemite Valley also has been reduced. Yosemite Valley receives 90 percent of park visitors.
With increased visitation and reduced lodging availability inside Yosemite National Park, it’s more important than ever to plan your Yosemite vacation as early as possible. Reservations are accepted up to one year in advance. For more information about Yosemite lodging, activities, weather, and more, visit www.nationalparktravel.com/yosemite.htm. You can also access videos of the national park by visiting the National Park Video Library. For information about other national parks, visit National Park Travel.
