YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK — The National Park Service has purchased Flock cameras and installed them at parks including Yosemite. The agency also plans to install cameras from Verkada.

DeFlock data indicates Flock cameras are installed inside Yosemite National Park. DeFlock data also indicates a Flock camera is located on a road towards the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

Flock cameras scan the license plate, color, model, make, and other identifying features of every vehicle that drives past, creating a timestamped record. Many Flock cameras are part of a national network that allows law enforcement officials to query cameras across the country. Data from Flock cameras is available to law enforcement customers and is usually queried by police without a warrant.

"Some parks have USPP [United States Park Police] Flock cameras for license plate recognition, but for parks that don’t, the Verkada cameras will provide LPR," Michael Donato, Acting Deputy Superintendent of National Capital Parks - East, said in an official statement.

"Yosemite National Park uses a traffic-monitoring system to measure vehicle counts, travel times and entrance-station wait times. The system helps the park better understand traffic conditions and provide visitors with information to help them make informed decisions about when to visit and where parking is available. The cameras are not connected to law enforcement or DMV databases," the National Park Service said in an official statement.

Why It Matters

The expansion of license plate recognition technology within the National Park Service intersects with broader legislative efforts to regulate such surveillance. On August 12, 2026, PureSource News reported that the California Senate passed a bill to limit license plate data collection.

Law enforcement agencies utilize the national network to query camera data across jurisdictions, typically without a warrant. As the National Park Service adds Verkada cameras to fill gaps in coverage, the distinction between traffic management tools and law enforcement instruments becomes relevant to visitors and policymakers.