"This summer, Yosemite national park has been rife with traffic jams and throngs of visitors. Can these popular national treasures withstand a future of strained resources?"
"On a crisp, sunny morning at the end of June, dappled light filtered through the canopy of an ancient grove of giant sequoias, casting a tranquil backdrop for a mule deer as it ambled across the trail. Families from around the world gazed up at the towering trees in awe, speaking in hushed tones and different languages.
Experiences like these draw more than 4 million people to Yosemite national park each year. But as an increasing number of visitors come to take in the dramatic vistas, camp under the stars or feel the mist cascading off its thundering waterfalls, Yosemite’s landscapes are being pushed to their limits.
“This is the calm before the storm,” a ranger at Yosemite’s entrance said with a sigh, bracing for a surge in crowds expected for the Fourth of July weekend.
The signs of strain have been visible this summer, after the park withdrew a pilot reservation system during peak summer months to manage heavy crowds. Videos shared online from Yosemite Valley over Memorial Day weekend showed traffic jams, filled parking lots and throngs of people waiting in long lines for bathrooms and buses. Vehicles were left illegally parked on delicate areas as a limited number of staff and rangers tried to cite offenders and clear the narrow roadways."
