(CNN) — Sometimes it’s hard to be popular. Just look at the National Park Service. Record numbers of pandemic-weary visitors showed up at many national parks during the pandemic.
California’s Yosemite National Park is so popular during the peak summer season that it is currently testing a pilot program for campers: a winter raffle in which winners have the opportunity to book in advance.
They try this at only one particularly coveted campground in the park – the North Pines Campground. The lottery started on January 18 and lasts until February 6, so there is still plenty of time to participate. They will publish the lottery results on February 10.
Summer camping dates for the lottery are July 21 through September 14. There is a $10 non-refundable fee to enter the lottery.
Early Access will be offered before the traditional on-sale dates. If there are places left, they will be available on the usual dates of sale, five months in advance on the 15th of the month, indicates the park.
Why a lottery system?
Visitors admire the view of Yosemite Falls in the distance.
Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
One economic phrase can sum up why they are doing this pilot program: supply and demand.
Spots can sell out in minutes online, the park said.
Yosemite said it wants to “create a better experience that reduces confusion and frustration for the highly competitive booking process” and “offer a new method of booking campsites in this high-demand location for a fairer experience.”
How to register for the lottery
Recreation.gov will randomly select about 640 applicants, Yosemite says.
Successful lottery applicants will receive an early access date and time on February 10. The early access period during which they can make a camping reservation will be from February 18 to March 10.
You can only apply once and winners will be notified by email.
Record number of visitors to national parks
Big Bend National Park is in Texas along the Rio Grande with Mexico.
Joe Yogerst
Large crowds aren’t just a problem for Yosemite.
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