Not just a great valley, but a shrine to human foresight, the strength of granite, the power of glaciers, the persistence of life, and the tranquility of the High Sierra. First protected in 1864, Yosemite National Park is best known for its waterfalls, but within its nearly 1,200 square miles, you can find deep valleys, grand meadows, ancient giant sequoias, a vast wilderness area, and much more.
This fee is valid for three consecutive days for a non-commercial car, pickup truck, RV, or van with 15 or fewer passenger seats. This fee covers the vehicle and everyone inside of it.
This fee is valid for three consecutive days for a non-commercial motorcycle (cost is per motorcycle, not person).
This fee is valid for three consecutive days for people entering on foot, a bicycle, a horse, or a non-commercial bus or van. People 15 years and younger are free.
The fee is $25 plus $20 per person, not to exceed $105. This fee is valid for three consecutive days. A commercial use authorization is required.
This fee is valid for three consecutive days. A commercial use authorization is required.
This fee is valid for three consecutive days. A commercial use authorization is required.
This fee is valid for seven consecutive days. A commercial use authorization is required.
The per-person fee is $20 to a maximum of $300 per vehicle. People 15 years and younger are free
An educational fee waiver is available for educational and scientific groups that are accredited or tax-exempt for educational purposes planning a trip for educational or scientific purposes related to Yosemite that is not primarily recreational.
The fee is $25 plus $20 per person, not to exceed $105. This fee is valid for seven consecutive days. A commercial use authorization is required.
A reservation is required to drive into or through Yosemite National Park between 5 am and 4 pm on weekends and holidays.
Snowy or icy road conditions are common in the mountains of California, including Yosemite, from fall through spring. When these conditions exist, federal regulations (in Yosemite) and state law (outside Yosemite) require that you use chains or cables in order to reduce the chances of accidents. Chain requirements are strictly enforced.
Kids can become a Yosemite Junior Ranger by taking a self-guided handbook with them as they travel around the park and complete the activities that are the best fit for them. The Yosemite Junior Ranger handbook is available for free at visitor centers. When you are done, share your booklet with a park ranger at any Yosemite visitor center during operating hours to receive your badge.
Cycling is a great way to experience the park and allows you to cover more ground during your time here. You can rent a bike, bring your own, or borrow one through the bike share program (2-hour limit). Hand-crank and tandem bicycles are also available for rent. Over 12 miles of paved bike paths are available in Yosemite Valley (speed limit is 15 mph). In addition, bicyclists can ride on regular roads (if they obey traffic laws).
There is a fee associated with this activity if you choose to rent a bike.
The Badger Pass Ski Area is open from mid-December through March (weather and conditions permitting). You can downhill ski, cross-country ski, go tubing, or snowshoeing all from this historic winter resort.
A fee is required to rent skis or snowshoes. A fee is required for a lift ticket.
Yosemite is one of the world's greatest climbing areas. Climbers here can enjoy an endless variety of challenges--from the sustained crack climbs of the Merced River Canyon to pinching crystals on sun-drenched Tuolumne Meadows domes to multi-day aid climbs on the big walls of the Valley. Yosemite is not just a climber's playground, however: its walls and crags are an integral part of a larger ecosystem, protected as Wilderness.
Open year-round, the Yosemite Museum has displays that interpret the cultural history of Yosemite's native Miwok and Paiute people from 1850 to the present, demonstrations of stone tool making, basket-weaving, beadwork, and traditional games. In front of the museum is a cross-section of a giant sequoia tree that visitors can touch and a re-creation of an umacha, a Miwok and Paiute cedar bark house. The gallery inside the museum is open periodically with rotating exhibits.