The new “Peaks Hours Plus” pilot program, which carries a $2 reservation fee, is intended to ease traffic and help protect natural resources in the national park.
Many business owners located in communities around California’s nine national parks, including Yosemite, fear that a potentially long shutdown would turn off tourists who are the lifeblood of nearby towns.
Less crowded than Yosemite Valley, whose roads have been choked with visitors, Hetch Hetchy Valley is a half-forgotten realm filled with granite walls, tall falls and wildflowers.
The beloved scenic roadway, which also serves as the national park's eastern entry point, will open Saturday after months of being smothered with snow and ice.