Planning a trip to Yosemite National Park could one day become a little easier.

Yosemite National Park has been awarded a Conceptual Grant from the National Park Foundation to explore new technologies aimed at improving how visitors receive information before and during their visit.

The proposed Integrated Visitor Information (IVI) Project would evaluate ways to automatically provide real-time updates across multiple platforms, including the park’s website, mobile apps, digital maps, visitor center displays, electronic signs, and visitor alerts.

If eventually implemented, the system could provide visitors with up-to-date information such as parking availability, road conditions, traffic delays, and entrance wait times. The park is also exploring the use of sensors, smart devices, and AI-driven automation to help deliver those updates more efficiently.

For visitors traveling through Oakhurst, Fish Camp, and other Yosemite gateway communities, access to more accurate, real-time information could make planning a day in the park easier. Knowing that parking areas are already full, an entrance station has a long wait, or a road is temporarily delayed could help visitors adjust their plans before they arrive.

Park officials emphasized that the grant is intended to explore and test different technologies before deciding which tools would be most beneficial to visitors. The project remains in the conceptual phase, meaning no final system has been selected or approved.

The funding is part of a new National Park Foundation innovation program that awarded more than $10 million to projects at 21 national park sites across the country. The initiative encourages parks to test new ideas that improve visitor experiences, park operations, and resource management.

While many details remain to be determined, Yosemite’s goal is straightforward: help visitors spend less time wondering where to park, how long they’ll wait, or whether a road is open—and more time enjoying one of America’s most visited national parks.