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Yosemite Reservations, Events, Updates & More

Published

By Nina Harada

As we enter spring, families are planning their road trips and summer vacations, which often include our beloved national parks. Yosemite National Park is welcoming visitors for its spring and summer seasons with a few updates, changes, new and returning events.

The park will once again require vehicle reservations from May 20 to Sept. 30. Reservations cost $2 per vehicle and are only required during the peak hours of 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. The park is limiting visitation to help manage congestion while several visitor attractions are still closed for repairs this year.

Reservations open March 23 with additional reservations released at 8 a.m., seven days in advance throughout the summer. Make sure to plan and book your reservation through Recreation.gov or call (877) 444-6777. Reservations are not required for in-park overnight guests, wilderness permit holders, regional transit riders, authorized tour companies and anyone entering after 4 p.m. or before 6 a.m.

Know before you go

Yosemite and its over 800 miles of trails remain largely open. However, there are some closures and changes this season.

  • Glacier Point Road and Bridalveil Falls are closed for the Bridalveil Fall Rehabilitation Project
  • No public transportation to or from Glacier Point in 2022; access by foot only, weather permitting
  • Descending the Mist Trail Steps from the top of Vernal Fall is prohibited from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • The Mariposa Grove Shuttle is out of service this season with the expectation to be back in service for summer
  • The Mariposa Grove Arrival Area will have portable toilets and no drinking water

Things to do

There is still plenty to do and see at Yosemite from winter fun to nature-inspired art and more.

  • The Sierra Nevadas often have snow through April for plenty of winter fun like snowshoe hikes, snow play, cross-country skiing, sledding and snowman building
  • Yosemite’s many waterfalls truly wow the senses in springtime, like popular Yosemite Falls and lesser known waterfalls like Ribbon Fall, which is the highest free-leaping fall in North America.
  • Yosemite Renaissance 37 exhibition opens March 18 at Yosemite Gateway Art Center and features art inspired by the park and Sierra Nevada region
  • The Jazz Train returns this spring with appetizers, local libations and a ride on an antique steam train. The Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad opens April and Jazz Train events begin May 1.

L.A. in Full Bloom

Published

Wake up to the color of spring – and hope

By Elena Epstein

There is something so restorative about spring. Every new flower bud, every new bloom sparks a deep sense of renewal and hope within us. Nature is where I find peace, where I go to pause, to breath, to reflect, to just be.

Last spring, the pandemic shut down all of our spectacular gardens. But this year we can once again experience some of L.A.’s most spectacular must-see blooms on display now.

Per COVID-19 guidelines, masks and physical distancing are currently required, and tickets must be reserved in advance. Check individual websites for the most up-to-date information.

The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens

PHOTO COURTESY OF The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens

Show-stoppers: The “Pink Cloud” cherry trees are planted in the Japanese Garden, near the entrance to the Zen Courtyard. Early March is the best time to take a walk along the path under the delicate pink blossoms. And later in the month, don’t miss the wisteria, popping with purple blossoms in several locations, including the Chinese Garden and Japanese Garden. You’ll find the most dramatic display is a massive vine of Wisteria floribunda (“Macrobotrys”) covering a long faux bois trellis overlooking the historic Japanese Garden.

Tickets and info: huntington.org

Descanso Gardens

PHOTO COURTESY OF Descanso Gardens

Show-stoppers: More than 30,000 tulip bulbs that are planted each year in the Promenade area will produce a breathtaking assortment of tulips in different colors and varieties. The theme for March will is “Birds & Nests.” Art displays throughout the gardens and in the Center Circle will celebrate both. And the popular “Tomatomania!” will be back this year from March 26-28 with a COVID-19 safe format, but still full of tomato and pepper seedlings.

Tickets and info: descansogardens.org. 

L.A. County Arboretum & Botanic Garden

PHOTO COURTESY L.A. County Arboretum & Botanic Garden

Show-stoppers: Trumpet trees producing brilliant hot-pink blooms provide a spectacular canopy display. As you stroll these grounds, you’ll most likely also see the added flare of color from the resident peacocks. During your visit, don’t miss the orange poppies in the Crescent Farm, where a variety of drought tolerant plants, shrubs and orchard trees are planted.

Tickets and info: arboretum.org

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