Yosemite
Granite cliffs, giant sequoias and some of the tallest waterfalls in North America.
- Hours
- Open 24 hours, all year
- Entry
- $35 per car
- Reservations
- Not required
- Size
- 759,620 acres
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Few landscapes have shaped the idea of a national park as much as Yosemite Valley. Abraham Lincoln protected the Valley and the Mariposa Grove in 1864, and John Muir's writing helped turn the surrounding high country into a national park in 1890. Glaciers carved the granite into its famous forms: the 3,000-foot face of El Capitan, the sheared dome of Half Dome, and hanging valleys that pour waterfalls over the rim each spring.
Most visitors spend their time in the seven-mile Valley, but nearly 95 percent of the park is designated wilderness. Drive up Tioga Road in summer and you reach Tuolumne Meadows, a subalpine world of granite domes and wildflowers at 8,600 feet. In the south, the Mariposa Grove holds more than 500 giant sequoias, some over 2,000 years old.
The park and surrounding area
- Park boundary
- Other parks
- Major highway
- Road
- Rivers and lakes
- Town
Plan your trip
- Best time to go
- May and June for waterfalls at full roar. September and October for calm weather and thinner crowds. Mid-February for the Horsetail Fall "firefall" at sunset.
- How long to stay
- 2 days for the Valley; 3 to 4 to add Tuolumne and the sequoias.
- Getting there
- Fresno (FAT) is about 1.5 to 2 hours from the South Entrance. San Francisco, Oakland and Sacramento are about 4 hours. YARTS buses run from nearby towns.
- Wildlife
- Black bears, mule deer, coyotes, Steller's jays and peregrine falcons on the cliffs.
Plan and book
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Where to stay
- Hotels in Mariposa (opens in a new tab)California
- Hotels in Oakhurst (opens in a new tab)California
- Hotels in Groveland (opens in a new tab)California
- Lodges inside the park (opens in a new tab)Official NPS list
Tours and activities
- Guided tours on Viator (opens in a new tab)Day trips, wildlife, photography
- Tours on GetYourGuide (opens in a new tab)Compare options and reviews
- Campsites on Recreation.gov (opens in a new tab)Official federal booking site
What to pack for Yosemite
- Rain shellYou will get soaked on the Mist Trail in spring.
- Hiking bootsGranite trails are steep and rocky.
- HeadlampFor pre-dawn starts on long hikes.
- Trekking polesSaves your knees on big descents.
- Bear-resistant canisterRequired for overnight trips in the wilderness.
A first day, start to finish
- Tunnel View at sunrise
- Lower Yosemite Fall loop
- Mist Trail to Vernal Fall (wear rain gear in spring)
- Picnic in El Capitan Meadow and spot climbers
- Glacier Point at sunset (road open in summer and fall)
Don't miss
- Yosemite ValleyEl Capitan, Half Dome and Bridalveil Fall in a single 7-mile valley.
- Yosemite FallsPeaks in May and June and can be nearly dry by late summer.
- Glacier PointValley-wide view at 7,214 feet; road open roughly late May to November.
- Mariposa GroveOver 500 mature giant sequoias near the South Entrance.
- Tuolumne MeadowsHigh-country meadows along Tioga Road with far smaller crowds.
Know before you go
Do
- Store all food and scented items in the provided bear lockers.
- Arrive before 8 a.m. on summer weekends to get Valley parking.
- Use the free Valley shuttle once you park.
Don't
- Leave food in your car overnight; bears break in.
- Wade above waterfalls or swim in fast spring runoff.
- Feed squirrels or other wildlife.
Open 24 hours, all year, except the Hetch Hetchy entrance, which keeps daytime hours. Tioga Road and Glacier Point Road close for winter, usually November to late May or June.
Pay by card or phone. Yosemite entrance stations do not accept cash.Trekker's tip