"In his later years, Wayburn fought what he believed to be the "over commercialization" of Yosemite National Park."

Details here.

Yosemite's overcommercializated? Wow - when I was there last August, I don't think I saw even 100 people. Oh wait - that was on the Mono Pass trail on the eastern park boundry. Been about 3 years since I've been down in the valley. I'm guessing it's still a madhouse.

Bulldog,
Please don't confuse 'madhouse' with 'zoo'.

Point taken. Being in the zoo long enough will lead to the madhouse. The last time I was in the valley was 4th of July week 2007. I've seen Times Square less crowded on a Saturday night.

So what is the answer? Don't let people into Yosemite? It is a worldwide destination. People fly in from all over the world just to go to Yosemite.
While I would like to keep it for my own personal playground I guess we have no other choice than to let as many people that want to see it and enjoy its magnificent grandeur do so.

Hey, I got it - LOTTERY!

Meet in the big open field on 120 by Hells Hollow Road, draw, shoot, and the last 300 standing get in that day complete with a Half Dome permit to boot except for midweek when a permit isn't needed.

Sounds like the time I was at Tunnel view when it got hit with 3 tour buses and 2 valley tour trolleys at the same time. Twenty minutes later when they had all left it was much more enjoyable!

This ain't my cup tea but these folk...the taxpayers, are paying the freight for these parks and if that what they want I will not complain all that much.

We did Half Dome a few years ago in mid-September starting in Toulumne and ending the flipping zoo. We decided the only time we'll venture into the valley is the dead of winter. Hmmm...kind of like going up the MMWT...that too, has become a winter only trip.

I cannot remember which major holiday (or weekend) it was, but I remember sitting atop Eagle Peak and looking down at the Vally loop drive and seeing all of the cars just gridlocked the whole way. It was amazing. The last time we drove thru there, Steve C. was driving at light speed and Wagga and I were stuffing ourselves with pizza....it was like some sort of back to the future movie, but I have to say that I don't remember anything in the way of traffic...or much else..(Lone Pine to Fresno in like 3 hours???!!?!)

B

Ha! You exaggerate, Bee. But then you've not crossed Yosemite Valley like that before -- we didn't venture into the crowded part.

I hiked the Half Dome trail in November once and saw a total of 12 people all day on the trail. But then I stood at the top of Vernal Fall and could almost hop across the entire width of the Merced River, too:

Okay, but just a little bit!

Has there been any real discussion on banning private autos in the valley and using only the shuttle system? Zion and Grand Canyon (south rim) have done this for years. To do that, though, I suppose there'd have to be one helluva big parking lot located somewhere.

I'm also curious to see if Ken Burns' National Parks series that aired on PBS late last year will impact visitation this summer. Some select parks see heavy visitation, but the trend nationwide per capita has been declining for years. While places like Yosemite, the Smokies, Grand Canyon South, Rocky Mountain and Yellowstone may seem like Grand Central Station in the summer, other parks - just as stunning in their own right - are virtual ghost towns. People flock to Mount Rushmore in South Dakota (with a huge multi-level parking garage), but not that far away you can cruise through Badlands or Roosevelt NPs and barely see another soul.

I suppose the parks that offer an all-in-one day visit (big gift shops, eateries, an easy auto tour and short nature trails) will continue to see huge crowds. Personally, I won't complain loudly since that gives me the opportunity to hike their trails in relative solitude, but it does not bode well for the future of the park system.

> Has there been any real discussion on banning private autos in the valley and using only the shuttle system? Zion and Grand Canyon (south rim) have done this for years. To do that, though, I suppose there'd have to be one helluva big parking lot located somewhere.

I haven't seen any talk for some years, but a parking structure was proposed at one time, in the western section of the valley. But of course that idea was killed. Environmentalists would like to bus everyone in from many miles away -- from outside the park. But so many people don't want to be separated from their cars for so long, or have to pile into buses for an hour-long ride.

It would probably be prohibitively expensive, but I think an underground parking facility would be cool.

As an Eastsider, am fortunate in that there are big chunks of Yosemite I can visit without having to brave the crowds.