Yosemite National Park to reopen this week with modifications

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, CA - APRIL 11: Yosemite Valley seen from the Tunnel View overlook on April 11, 2020. Yosemite National Park is closed to visitors due to the coronavirus, Covid 19. Animals roam the park without having to worry about crowds of

 California’s Yosemite National Park will reopen with restrictions this week after being closed for more than 2 1/2 months because of the coronavirus outbreak, officials announced Monday.

The number of visitors admitted starting Thursday will be restricted to about half those that normally visit this time of year, the National Park Service said.

In addition, some park facilities including campgrounds and visitor centers will remain closed or have limited access to help prevent the spread of the virus.

RELATED: Stay up to date on all coronavirus-related information

“It’s going to be a different kind of summer, and we will continue to work hand in hand with our gateway communities to protect community health and restore access to Yosemite National Park,” Acting Superintendent Cicely Muldoon said in a statement.

Yosemite had about 4.6 million visitors in 2019. The park known for gushing waterfalls, granite peaks and giant sequoias was shut down March 20.

Get breaking news alerts in the FOX 11 News app. Download for iOS or Android.