Yosemite National Park will not require reservations next summer

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK -- Yosemite National Park announced Tuesday it will no longer require reservations for visitors starting in the summer of 2023.

The park began using a reservation system in the summer of 2020 to manage the number of visitors during the pandemic. Officials say they continued the system this summer because many attractions were closed for repairs.

But reservations could eventually return.

In December, the park will ask for the public's help to design "an approach that provides a great visitor experience while protecting Yosemite's natural and cultural resources."

Officials say Yosemite has been grappling with congestion for decades, and they want to build on the lessons learned over the past three years when it comes to managed access