World Heritage since 1984
UNESCO added Yosemite to the World Heritage List in 1984. The listing names the granite walls, the waterfalls, the clear streams, the giant sequoia groves and the biological diversity.
01 · Opening · California, Sierra Nevada
Yosemite National Park
A granite valley with walls 1,400 metres (4,600 ft) high, surrounded by a wilderness that makes up 95 per cent of the park.
First momentTunnel View on Wawona Road, where almost every tour begins: El Capitan on the left, Bridalveil Fall on the right, Half Dome deep in the valley.
95per cent
of the park is designated wilderness
747,956acres
of land, from about 600 to more than 3,900 metres (2,000 to 12,800 ft) high
2rivers
the Tuolumne and the Merced, both Wild & Scenic
1984since
UNESCO World Heritage
Today in the park
What the National Park Service is reporting right now
- 1 Closure
Alerts and road conditions on nps.gov ↗
Fetched automatically: 03 Oct 2026 14:06 UTC.
Original National Park Service alerts. The date is the last update of the alert, not a validity period. Closures can change within hours.
Crowds through the year
August is the busiest month, February the quietest
About 4.9 times as many people visit in August as in February.
Tap a month for the number
Visits per month, median of 2023–2025. In 2025 the park recorded 4.28 million visits.
Granite, water, elevation
Two Wild & Scenic Rivers begin here
The Tuolumne and the Merced rise in the park and flow west into the Central Valley. Both are federally protected as Wild & Scenic Rivers.
The elevation range makes the weather
The park ranges from about 600 to more than 3,900 metres (2,000 to 12,800 ft). While the lower slopes are in spring, the high country is still in winter. The snow line moves from about 1,500 metres (4,900 ft) in March to 2,100 metres (6,900 ft) in April and 2,400 to 2,700 metres (7,900 to 8,900 ft) in June.
How to plan your visit
The park is always open
Yosemite is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The exception is the Hetch Hetchy entrance, which is open only in daylight. It is not the park that closes but individual roads: Tioga Road, Glacier Point Road and Mariposa Grove Road are under snow every winter.
No entry reservation in 2026
On 18 February 2026 the park announced that it will not use a timed-entry reservation system in 2026. Its review of the 2025 season showed that parking spaces stayed free on most weekdays and traffic stayed within capacity. Instead of requiring reservations, the park now manages visitors with real-time traffic monitoring, active parking management in the valley and extra staff at busy junctions.
Almost everything is wilderness
Of the park's 747,956 acres, almost 95 per cent are designated wilderness. Yosemite Valley, where the photos, the roads and the overnight stays are concentrated, is only a narrow strip of it. To see the park beyond the valley, you need either Tioga Road or your own two feet.
The park does not take cash
No entrance station accepts cash, only cards or mobile payment. This also applies to fees you might expect to pay in cash.
Best Bay Area Tours · GetYourGuide
From San Francisco: Yosemite day trip with hotel pickup
Fourteen hours from San Francisco by minibus: Tunnel View, Bridalveil Fall, views of Half Dome and Yosemite Falls, free time in the valley, then El Capitan and a short walk to the giant sequoias of Tuolumne Grove.
- 14 hours
- Small group, up to 14
- Guide in English
- Non-resident fee not included
Departure Selected hotels in San Francisco, pickup included.
The provider states that the included park entrance applies to US citizens with valid ID; the $100 non-resident fee for visitors aged 16 or over comes on top. As an alternative, it names the $250 America the Beautiful pass, which covers up to four people travelling together. The sequoia walk may be dropped in winter.
View tour ↗Ad · partner link · checked 20 Sep 2026
Provider's product photo · GetYourGuide
Discover Yosemite · GetYourGuide
From Oakhurst: Yosemite full-day tour with lunch and hotel pickup
Full-day tour from the towns outside the South Entrance: by bus with a guide into Yosemite Valley to Half Dome, El Capitan, Three Brothers and Cathedral Spires, and depending on the season also to Yosemite Falls, Bridalveil Fall, Glacier Point and Mariposa Grove. Lunch is a sandwich with crisps, fruit and drinks; pickup is from hotels in Oakhurst, Coarsegold, Bass Lake or Fish Camp.
- 9 hours
- Guide in English
- Pickup included
- Lunch included
Departure Pickup at hotels in Oakhurst, Coarsegold, Bass Lake and Fish Camp. If you stay elsewhere, park for free at Oakhurst Library (49044 Civic Circle) and board there. According to the provider, there is no refund if your accommodation is too far from the pickup points.
The list of inclusions shows park entrance as included. It also lists the $100 fee for people aged 16 or over without US residency with a green tick under “Included”; but the text of the same line says that the park service collects it at the park entrance on the day of the tour. Both are on the same page, so check with the provider before booking whether and how the fee is paid. The tour runs only with at least four adults; seniors must manage the steps into the bus without help, and folding walkers and wheelchairs are possible on request. Guide in English, tips not included, cancellation up to 2 days before. Check dates and prices with the provider.
View tour ↗Ad · partner link · checked 26 Sep 2026
Provider's product photo · GetYourGuide
02 · Yosemite Valley at about 1,200 metres (3,900 ft)
Yosemite Valley: shuttle, lodging and bears
Almost everything people know about Yosemite lies in one narrow valley. The photos, the roads and the overnight stays are concentrated here, and a free shuttle links every stop.
The wall at the valley entrance
El Capitan
The wall at the valley entrance where modern climbing came of age.
- Coordinates
- 37.734219, −119.637614
- Location
- north side of the valley, just past the valley entrance
- What you see
- climbers as dots on the wall, often best with binoculars
- Permit
- needed for nights on the wall
- Closures
- some routes closed from 1 March to 15 July for peregrine falcons
Getting around the valley
A free shuttle runs in the valley
The Valleywide Shuttle serves every stop in the valley (lodges, restaurants, campgrounds and trailheads) every 12 to 22 minutes from 7:00 to 22:00. The East Valley Shuttle covers the eastern part of the valley every 8 to 12 minutes. Both are free.
Train and bus really work
Amtrak runs a combined train and bus service all the way to Yosemite Valley; from Merced, YARTS takes over. YARTS runs all year on Highway 140 from Merced, Mariposa and El Portal, and in summer also from Lee Vining and Mammoth Lakes, from Sonora and from Fresno. There is currently no luggage storage in the park.
Plan early
The park is full in summer, and says so itself
For 2026 the park explicitly recommends visiting on weekdays, planning early for weekends and holidays, and choosing destinations outside Yosemite Valley: Tuolumne Meadows, Wawona, Hetch Hetchy. This is not a courtesy phrase; it replaces the abolished reservation requirement.
Hotels up to 366 days ahead
The lodging in the park is run by Yosemite Hospitality; you can book up to 366 days in advance, and the park explicitly recommends it. This also includes Housekeeping Camp and the High Sierra Camps.
Bears are part of everyday life here
Food belongs in the bear box, not in the car
The food storage regulations are legally binding: if you ignore them, you risk having your food or vehicle impounded, a fine of up to 5,000 dollars or being evicted from your campsite. During the day, food may stay out of sight in a closed car, but not after dark, not even in the boot. Food lockers stand at the Curry Village car parks and at almost all trailheads.
“Food” means anything with a scent
The park explicitly includes things you might not think of as food: packaging, crumbs in a child seat, wet wipes, tins, drink cans. Bears break into cars if something merely looks like food.
Keep your distance, and make noise
The park counts its black bears in the hundreds and requires you to keep 50 yards (46 m) away in forests and meadows. If a bear approaches or is in a developed area, the opposite of keeping still applies: make noise, make yourself look big, scare it away, but never surround it.
Incredible Adventures · GetYourGuide
From San Francisco: 2-day Yosemite tour with lodging
Two days instead of fourteen hours: guided valley tour, Glacier Point, giant sequoias, with a night at the Yosemite View Lodge in between. Transport by biodiesel minibus.
- 2 days
- Small group, up to 13
- Guide in English
- Overnight stay included
Departure Hotel pickup in San Francisco.
According to the provider, the standard entrance fee for all participants, guiding, transport and the hotel night are included. The list of inclusions explicitly marks the $100 fee for people without US residency as not included. Free cancellation up to 7 days before; only one small bag per person is allowed. The park service explicitly charges the fee to people on commercial tours as well, so check before booking whether the provider covers it.
View tour ↗Ad · partner link · checked 20 Sep 2026
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Wild Yosemite · GetYourGuide
Yosemite: private sunset tour with s’mores
Private tour with a local guide: first El Capitan, Yosemite Falls and Tunnel View, then a viewpoint for sunset over Yosemite Valley at the end of the day, and finally s’mores by the fire. The provider agrees the route and meeting point with the group after booking via a questionnaire.
- 6 hours
- Private group
- Guide in English
- Meeting point in the park
Departure In the park; the meeting point depends on the season, trail conditions and the group's wishes and is set after booking via a questionnaire. Travel to the park and to the meeting point is not included.
The page gives the duration as 6 hours, while the list of inclusions mentions the option of exploring for up to 8 hours or staying shorter. The description does not say which viewpoint is used for the sunset. Park entrance is not in the list of inclusions; for the same product on Viator, the provider explicitly lists entrance fees as not included. For people without US residency, the $100 fee per person aged 16 or over comes on top; according to the park service it also applies on commercial tours. The list of inclusions also mentions a “Yosemite reservation on the day of the activity”; the park does not require an entry reservation in 2026. Bring your own water (about 2 litres per person), weather-appropriate clothing and a backpack. Guide in English, cancellation up to 24 hours before. Check dates and prices with the provider.
View tour ↗Ad · partner link · checked 26 Sep 2026
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Yosemite Alpine Quest · Viator
Yosemite Nights: 90-minute stargazing and stories in the valley
Ninety minutes of night sky in Yosemite Valley with a guide: constellations, planets and, at the right time of year, the Milky Way, plus stories about the sky. El Capitan and Half Dome stand as dark silhouettes in the picture. Telescope, binoculars, camp chairs, propane heaters, hand warmers and hot chocolate are included.
- 90 minutes
- Meeting point in the valley
- Live telescope
- Hot chocolate
Departure Meeting point in Yosemite Valley; the provider sends the exact spot as a pin after booking. It names Cook’s Meadow Loop as the programme location. No pickup.
According to the list of inclusions, entrance and parking pass are not included. The provider itself points out that national park fees may apply to international visitors and are collected on site; according to the park service, the $100 fee per person aged 16 or over also applies on commercial tours. What you see depends on the weather and the moon phase; the description describes a clear, moonless night. Cancellation up to 24 hours before. Check dates and prices with the provider.
View tour ↗Ad · partner link · checked 27 Sep 2026
Provider's product photo · Viator
03 · Full in May, a trickle in August
Yosemite Falls: best time for the waterfalls
Snowmelt decides everything. Yosemite Falls carries water from about November to July, peaking in May; Bridalveil Fall at the valley entrance is the only large waterfall that flows all year.
Three falls stacked on top of each other
Yosemite Falls
Three falls stacked on top of each other, and a window of just a few months.
- Coordinates
- 37.756971, −119.596769
- Height
- 1,430 feet upper fall, 675 feet middle cascades, 320 feet lower fall
- Water
- about November to July, peak in May
- In August
- often just a trickle or completely dry
- Accessible
- east side of the loop to the base of the lower fall
When the water comes
The waterfalls peak in May
Snowmelt decides everything: runoff typically peaks in May or June. Yosemite Falls carries water from about November to July and in August is often just a trickle or completely dry. Bridalveil Fall is the only large waterfall that flows all year, also peaking in May.
Emerald Pool is closed
Entering Emerald Pool and the Silver Apron above Vernal Fall is banned, and the park justifies this with the number of injuries and deaths. Rock next to flowing water is slippery even when dry.
Yosemite Alpine Quest · GetYourGuide
Guided hike: how Yosemite Valley was formed
Three hours on foot in a group of no more than eight: the guide talks about glaciers, geology, wildlife and the park's history, with views of El Capitan, Half Dome and Yosemite Falls. For the same product on Viator, the provider gives the route: start at the Yosemite Valley Welcome Center, across Cook’s Meadow to the foot of Lower Yosemite Fall and back.
- 3 hours
- No more than 8 people
- Guide in English
- Park entrance not included
Departure In the park. According to GetYourGuide, the meeting point changes with the season and is announced before the tour; for the same product on Viator, the provider names the steps in front of the Yosemite Valley Welcome Center. Hotel pickup is not included.
Not included: park entrance (given by the provider as $35 per vehicle), pickup, and food and drink. For people aged 16 or over without US residency, the $100 fee comes on top; the page does not mention it. The list of inclusions names a vehicle reservation as included; the park does not require an entry reservation in 2026. Besides Yosemite Valley, the description also mentions Mariposa Grove, so ask the provider where the hike takes place on your chosen day. Not suitable during pregnancy or for people with back problems, fear of heights or balance problems; trekking poles are provided. Cancellation up to 24 hours before. Check dates and prices with the provider.
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Provider's product photo · GetYourGuide
04 · The summit that needs a lottery win
Half Dome: permits, lottery and the cables
14 to 16 miles (23 to 26 km), 4,800 feet (1,460 m) of climbing, ten to twelve hours. While the cables are up, the only way to the top is with a permit from the lottery.
Photo: Eric Kilby from Somerville, MA, USA ↗ · CC BY-SA 2.0 ↗
Up the cables
Half Dome
The summit that needs a lottery win, and ten to twelve hours.
- Coordinates
- 37.746001, −119.533253
- Distance
- 14 to 16 miles (23 to 26 km) round trip
- Elevation gain
- 4,800 feet (1,460 m)
- Permit
- required while the cables are up
- Quota
- no more than 300 people a day
- Cables
- Friday before the last Monday in May until after the second Monday in October
How to get the permit
Half Dome: permit, lottery, 14 to 16 miles
The hike is 14 to 16 miles (23 to 26 km) long, climbs 4,800 feet (1,460 m) and takes most people ten to twelve hours. While the cables are up, it is allowed only with a permit: no more than 300 people a day beyond the Subdome, about 225 of them day hikers. The park recommends a non-negotiable turnaround time: if you are not at the top by 15:30, turn back.
How to get a permit
The preseason lottery runs on recreation.gov from 1 to 31 March, with results in mid-April. There are also daily lotteries during the season: you apply two days before your hike, between midnight and 16:00 Pacific Time. Applying costs ten dollars, and the permit itself another ten per person; the permit fee is refunded if you cancel by the day before or the cables are not up.
The cables are up only in summer
They usually go up on the Friday before the last Monday in May and come down on the day after the second Monday in October. The park names the most dangerous situation plainly: almost all fatal falls on the cables happened on wet rock.
The climb needs four litres of water
For Half Dome the park names one gallon, about four litres, per person. Drinking water is available only in summer at the Vernal Fall Footbridge, less than a mile (1.6 km) from the trailhead. River water must be boiled or filtered.
With an overnight stay
Wilderness only with a permit
To stay overnight in the backcountry, you need a wilderness permit. It is also a way to get a Half Dome permit: backpackers apply for it together with the wilderness permit, not through the daily lottery.
05 · The view from above, usually only from late May
Glacier Point: road opening and viewpoint
About 980 metres (3,214 ft) above the valley floor, reached from the car park on a short, wheelchair-accessible path. The road usually opens in late May or early June: if you come in May for the waterfalls, you may find the gate still closed.
„Almost 95 per cent of the park is designated wilderness. Almost all visitors stay in the valley, which is only a narrow strip of it.“
Yosemite National Park · view from Glacier Point to Yosemite Falls
At the top
Glacier Point without effort
From the car park, a short, paved, wheelchair-accessible path leads to the viewpoint 3,214 feet (980 m) above Curry Village. From mid-May to September, a free shuttle from Badger Pass may be mandatory between 10:00 and 16:30 when the car park is full; if you arrive before or after, you can drive through.
When the road is open
The high roads open late
Tioga Road and Glacier Point Road are closed every winter from about early November to late May. Glacier Point Road usually opens in late May or early June, Tioga Road in late May or in June. If you come in May, you see the waterfalls at their peak, and find the gates to the high country still closed.
No overnight parking from 15 October
On Tioga Road between Tuolumne Grove and Tioga Pass, and on Glacier Point Road, overnight parking is banned from 15 October, including at trailheads and in pullouts. The park points out that there is no public transport there to pick you up again.
06 · Tioga Road and Tuolumne Meadows
Tioga Road & Tuolumne Meadows: the high country
Along Tioga Road up to the pass at 3,031 metres (9,944 ft): Tenaya Lake, Olmsted Point and the Tuolumne meadows at about 2,600 metres (8,500 ft). The part of the park most visitors never see, usually open from late May or June to October.
The wide meadows
Tuolumne Meadows
The wide high valley on Tioga Road, and the part of the park most visitors never see.
- Coordinates
- 37.874140, −119.356780
- Elevation
- about 2,600 metres (8,500 ft)
- Access
- only while Tioga Road is open
- Open
- usually late May or June to October
- Shuttle
- about mid-June to early September
- Campground
- about July to late September
Over the pass
Tioga Road is the way in from the east
Highway 120 crosses the park over Tioga Pass at 3,031 metres (9,944 ft), the link to the eastern side of the Sierra, to Lee Vining and Mammoth Lakes. This is the road that stays closed for months in winter.
Snow above about 1,800 metres
More than 70 per cent of the annual precipitation falls between November and March, mostly as snow. From mid-November it usually stays on the ground, and above about 1,800 metres (5,900 ft) it lies continuously; the snowpack is deepest in March. The valley itself lies at about 1,200 metres (3,900 ft) and is not always snow-covered.
The eastern side of the Sierra
Beyond Tioga Pass you reach Lee Vining on Mono Lake and then Mammoth Lakes. YARTS serves this route daily from July to September, but only while the road is open.
Without a car, you cannot reach everything
The park names the limits itself: by public transport you can reach Yosemite Valley with its shuttle, Glacier Point on the paid tour that requires a reservation, and in summer Wawona and Mariposa Grove by YARTS. In high summer, Tuolumne Meadows can be reached by the hikers' bus and YARTS.
07 · Mariposa Grove at the South Entrance
Mariposa Grove: giant sequoias and the shuttle
The grove has been protected since 1864, earlier than any national park. You do not drive in yourself; you take the free shuttle from the Welcome Plaza at the South Entrance.
Protected since 1864
Mariposa Grove
The grove where the national park idea took root, protected since 1864.
- Coordinates
- 37.506616, −119.630287 (Welcome Plaza)
- Protected since
- 1864
- Access
- only with a disability placard, otherwise by shuttle
- Shuttle
- from 15 April at the earliest, until 30 November at the latest
- Best-known tree
- Grizzly Giant
- Reopened
- in June 2018 after three years of restoration
Scaled back, not built up
The national park idea began in a sequoia grove
Mariposa Grove has been protected since 1864, earlier than any national park. The park writes that the national park idea is rooted in this grove.
The grove was scaled back, not built up
Between 2015 and 2018, Mariposa Grove was closed for three years. Car parks and roads that sat on the trees' roots were removed, the natural water flow was restored, and parking was moved two miles (3.2 km) away. It was the largest restoration project in the park's history.
Mariposa Grove: by shuttle, not by car
You do not drive into the sequoia grove yourself: the road is reserved for vehicles with a disability placard, and everyone else takes the free shuttle from the Welcome Plaza. It runs from 15 April at the earliest to 30 November at the latest; the exact dates vary with the weather.
Incredible Adventures · GetYourGuide
Yosemite day trip with a walk among the giant sequoias
Day trip from San Francisco with a 3.2 km (2 mi) walk to Tuolumne Grove and its giant sequoias, plus time in Yosemite Valley.
- 14 hours
- Guide in English
- Entrance included for all participants
- Group of up to 26
Departure Hotel pickup in San Francisco.
The title speaks of a small group, while the notes give a group size of up to 26 participants; both are on the same page. The standard entrance fee is included for all participants; the $100 non-resident fee is not mentioned. The sequoia walk may be dropped in winter because of snow. The park service explicitly charges the fee to people on commercial tours as well, so check before booking whether the provider covers it.
View tour ↗Ad · partner link · checked 20 Sep 2026
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Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad · GetYourGuide
Narrow-gauge railway in Fish Camp near the South Entrance
One hour on a historic logging steam train along the line that once carried timber to Madera. Choose between a covered carriage and an open log car, with commentary from the conductor.
- 1 hour
- Commentary in English
- Wheelchair accessible
- Outside the national park
Departure Fish Camp on Highway 41, south of the South Entrance.
The railway lies outside the park boundary and is not part of the national park; a park ticket is neither needed nor included. It is conveniently on the way to Mariposa Grove, but it does not replace a visit.
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Provider's product photo · GetYourGuide
08 · Before you go
Before you go: film, Hetch Hetchy and directions
Just over six minutes from the park itself through a summer day in Yosemite, plus the second valley in the north-west and why satnav does not help here.
Film by the park authority
One Day in Yosemite (Summer)
Just over six minutes through a summer day in the park, filmed and published by the park itself. The film follows the order in which most visitors experience Yosemite (valley, waterfalls, high country) and doubles as the park's own suggestion for making good use of a single day. In English.
Source: National Park Service · Yosemite · View channel ↗
Around the park
Hetch Hetchy: the other valley
In the north-west lies a second granite valley, flooded since 1923 to supply San Francisco with drinking water. According to the park it has one of the longest hiking seasons in Yosemite; swimming and boating are banned, and so are dogs on the dam and the trails.
Wapama Falls and Rancheria Falls
From the reservoir, trails lead along the waterfalls: to Wapama Falls across the dam and through the tunnel, and on to Rancheria Falls as a long day hike of 6.5 miles (10.5 km) or an overnight trip.
The park has no single address
For route planning, the park gives no address, only the three highways. It explicitly advises against relying on satnav around the park.
00My visit
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01Best time to visit: waterfalls in May, high roads in July
The two questions your plans depend on have opposite answers.
Climate through the year
Weather and climate in Yosemite National Park
Best months by the climate data: June to October. Average daytime highs of 17 to 27 °C, lows of 2 to 12 °C, 6 to 39 mm of precipitation a month. The wettest month is December (125 mm), the driest August (6 mm).
All monthly values as a table
| Month | High °C | Low °C | Precipitation mm |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 3.9 | −6.3 | 116 |
| February | 3.9 | −6.5 | 111 |
| March | 6.2 | −4.8 | 98 |
| April | 10.0 | −2.1 | 61 |
| May | 15.6 | 2.0 | 35 |
| June | 22.2 | 6.7 | 8 |
| July | 27.0 | 11.6 | 8 |
| August | 26.4 | 10.7 | 6 |
| September | 23.0 | 7.2 | 6 |
| October | 17.0 | 2.5 | 39 |
| November | 10.0 | −1.8 | 61 |
| December | 3.8 | −6.3 | 125 |
| Year | 674 |
Modelled values, not a weather station: NASA POWER (MERRA-2) for a grid cell of about 55 × 55 km around the map point Yosemite Valley Visitor Center (37.75° N, 119.59° W), with an average cell elevation of about 2,130 m. Averages for 2001–2020. Higher ground and valleys can differ markedly.
Source: NASA POWER, climatology 2001–2020 ↗ · retrieved 3 Oct 2026
02How to get there: five entrances and a bus that really runs
Yosemite has no single address, and the park explicitly advises against relying on satnav.
The three roads from the west
Highway 140 from Merced becomes El Portal Road inside the park, Highway 120 from Manteca becomes Big Oak Flat Road, and Highway 41 from Fresno becomes Wawona Road. All three are open all year. The park advises against relying on GPS navigation in the surrounding area.
Parking in Yosemite Valley: arrive before 8:00
From spring to autumn, parking in the valley is usually full after 8:00. Parking is at Yosemite Village, Curry Village and near Yosemite Falls; once you have a space, leave the car there and use the free shuttle or a bike. When everything is full, cars are turned back out of the valley at El Capitan. Parking on the roadside risks a ticket and towing.
Parking at Mariposa Grove, Glacier Point and Tuolumne
The Mariposa Grove Welcome Plaza has about 300 spaces, may fill by midday and then closes periodically for 30 to 60 minutes. At Glacier Point, plan to arrive by 9:00, otherwise delays of up to two hours are possible. For Tuolumne Meadows the park also advises arriving by 9:00; roadside parking is prohibited there.
Best Bay Area Tours · offer
From San Francisco: Yosemite day trip with hotel pickup
Fourteen hours from San Francisco by minibus: Tunnel View, Bridalveil Fall, views of Half Dome and Yosemite Falls, free time in the valley, then El Capitan and a short walk to the giant sequoias of Tuolumne Grove.
Departure Selected hotels in San Francisco, pickup included.
The provider states that the included park entrance applies to US citizens with valid ID; the $100 non-resident fee for visitors aged 16 or over comes on top. As an alternative, it names the $250 America the Beautiful pass, which covers up to four people travelling together. The sequoia walk may be dropped in winter.
View tour ↗Ad · partner link · checked 20 Sep 2026
Incredible Adventures · offer
From San Francisco: 2-day Yosemite tour with lodging
Two days instead of fourteen hours: guided valley tour, Glacier Point, giant sequoias, with a night at the Yosemite View Lodge in between. Transport by biodiesel minibus.
Departure Hotel pickup in San Francisco.
According to the provider, the standard entrance fee for all participants, guiding, transport and the hotel night are included. The list of inclusions explicitly marks the $100 fee for people without US residency as not included. Free cancellation up to 7 days before; only one small bag per person is allowed. The park service explicitly charges the fee to people on commercial tours as well, so check before booking whether the provider covers it.
View tour ↗Ad · partner link · checked 20 Sep 2026
Discover Yosemite · offer
From Oakhurst: Yosemite full-day tour with lunch and hotel pickup
Full-day tour from the towns outside the South Entrance: by bus with a guide into Yosemite Valley to Half Dome, El Capitan, Three Brothers and Cathedral Spires, and depending on the season also to Yosemite Falls, Bridalveil Fall, Glacier Point and Mariposa Grove. Lunch is a sandwich with crisps, fruit and drinks; pickup is from hotels in Oakhurst, Coarsegold, Bass Lake or Fish Camp.
Departure Pickup at hotels in Oakhurst, Coarsegold, Bass Lake and Fish Camp. If you stay elsewhere, park for free at Oakhurst Library (49044 Civic Circle) and board there. According to the provider, there is no refund if your accommodation is too far from the pickup points.
The list of inclusions shows park entrance as included. It also lists the $100 fee for people aged 16 or over without US residency with a green tick under “Included”; but the text of the same line says that the park service collects it at the park entrance on the day of the tour. Both are on the same page, so check with the provider before booking whether and how the fee is paid. The tour runs only with at least four adults; seniors must manage the steps into the bus without help, and folding walkers and wheelchairs are possible on request. Guide in English, tips not included, cancellation up to 2 days before. Check dates and prices with the provider.
View tour ↗Ad · partner link · checked 26 Sep 2026
Ad · we may earn a commission if you book through this partner link. Offer details checked 26 Sep 2026. See official ticket information.
03Tickets & entrance fees: $35 per car, $100 per non-resident
All amounts in US dollars, taken from the National Park Service on 20 September 2026.
| Area | 747,956 acres · about 3,028 km² (1,169 sq mi) |
|---|---|
| Wilderness | almost 95 per cent of the area |
| Elevation | about 600 to more than 3,900 metres (2,000 to 12,800 ft) |
| World Heritage | since 1984 |
| Earliest protection | Mariposa Grove since 1864 |
| Yosemite Falls | 1,430 · 675 · 320 feet in three tiers |
Der Yosemite National Park
Yosemite is a park of granite and ice. Glaciers scoured a river valley into a trough with sheer walls; what stands above the valley today is what the ice left behind.
The figures are simple: 747,956 acres, almost 95 per cent of it designated wilderness, elevations from about 600 to more than 3,900 metres (2,000 to 12,800 ft). Across this range, oak woodland, sequoia groves, granite domes and high meadows sit one above the other, which is why spring and winter can reign in the same park at the same time.
The waterfalls are not a permanent state but a window in time. They depend on snowmelt and peak in May or June; Yosemite Falls, with three tiers of 1,430, 675 and 320 feet (436, 206 and 98 m) one of the highest waterfalls in the world, is often completely dry in August. If you want to see the brochure pictures, you have to come in spring, and accept that the high country is still under snow.
Protection here goes back further than the oldest national park: Mariposa Grove has been protected since 1864, eight years before Yellowstone. UNESCO added the park to the World Heritage List in 1984. And the park's most recent major project was a removal: in the sequoia grove, roads and car parks that sat on the trees' roots were taken out.
$100 extra for every visitor without US residency
Every person aged 16 or over who does not live in the United States pays $100 on top of the standard entrance fee, unless they enter with an annual pass or an America the Beautiful pass. The fee explicitly applies to people on commercial tours as well. For two adults in a hire car, $35 therefore becomes $235.
The standard entrance fee
A private vehicle with all its occupants costs $35 for seven consecutive days, a motorcycle $30. If you arrive on foot, by bike or on horseback and are 16 or older, you pay $20. Children under 16 pay nothing.
America the Beautiful: $250 for non-residents, and still worth it
For non-residents, the nationwide annual pass costs $250 instead of $80. It covers entry to all federal parks and replaces the $100 non-resident fee. For a family of four, that is $250 against $435, and the pass then keeps working in Zion, the Grand Canyon and everywhere else.
Also due on a booked tour
The non-resident fee explicitly also applies to people without US residency who enter as part of a commercial tour group. Operators are expected to know how many non-resident guests they have before entry and declare them at the booth; since June 2026 they can prepay entrance and non-resident fees with a Commercial Site Pass on Recreation.gov. Whether an operator does so rarely appears in its list of inclusions, so ask before you book.
The $250 pass also works in a tour group
The non-resident America the Beautiful pass does not only waive the fee in your own vehicle: in a commercial tour group it covers the pass holder and three other people aged 16 or over. The same applies to the entrance fee, which is charged per person on commercial tours. As proof of US residency, the park service accepts a US passport, a state driver's licence or state ID, and a Green Card; anyone aged 15 or under pays neither entrance nor non-resident fee.
The park's annual pass is not available to you
According to the fees page, the $70 Yosemite annual pass is only available to US citizens and residents. The same goes for the fee-free days of 2026: they explicitly apply only to US citizens and residents.
Where to pay
At the South Entrance, Arch Rock, Big Oak Flat, Hetch Hetchy and Tioga Pass stations, by card only. You can get the digital America the Beautiful pass instantly on recreation.gov; the physical card by post takes up to three weeks, and a purchase receipt does not replace the pass.
Best Bay Area Tours · offer
From San Francisco: Yosemite day trip with hotel pickup
Fourteen hours from San Francisco by minibus: Tunnel View, Bridalveil Fall, views of Half Dome and Yosemite Falls, free time in the valley, then El Capitan and a short walk to the giant sequoias of Tuolumne Grove.
Departure Selected hotels in San Francisco, pickup included.
The provider states that the included park entrance applies to US citizens with valid ID; the $100 non-resident fee for visitors aged 16 or over comes on top. As an alternative, it names the $250 America the Beautiful pass, which covers up to four people travelling together. The sequoia walk may be dropped in winter.
View tour ↗Ad · partner link · checked 20 Sep 2026
Incredible Adventures · offer
Yosemite day trip with a walk among the giant sequoias
Day trip from San Francisco with a 3.2 km (2 mi) walk to Tuolumne Grove and its giant sequoias, plus time in Yosemite Valley.
Departure Hotel pickup in San Francisco.
The title speaks of a small group, while the notes give a group size of up to 26 participants; both are on the same page. The standard entrance fee is included for all participants; the $100 non-resident fee is not mentioned. The sequoia walk may be dropped in winter because of snow. The park service explicitly charges the fee to people on commercial tours as well, so check before booking whether the provider covers it.
View tour ↗Ad · partner link · checked 20 Sep 2026
Discover Yosemite · offer
From Oakhurst: Yosemite full-day tour with lunch and hotel pickup
Full-day tour from the towns outside the South Entrance: by bus with a guide into Yosemite Valley to Half Dome, El Capitan, Three Brothers and Cathedral Spires, and depending on the season also to Yosemite Falls, Bridalveil Fall, Glacier Point and Mariposa Grove. Lunch is a sandwich with crisps, fruit and drinks; pickup is from hotels in Oakhurst, Coarsegold, Bass Lake or Fish Camp.
Departure Pickup at hotels in Oakhurst, Coarsegold, Bass Lake and Fish Camp. If you stay elsewhere, park for free at Oakhurst Library (49044 Civic Circle) and board there. According to the provider, there is no refund if your accommodation is too far from the pickup points.
The list of inclusions shows park entrance as included. It also lists the $100 fee for people aged 16 or over without US residency with a green tick under “Included”; but the text of the same line says that the park service collects it at the park entrance on the day of the tour. Both are on the same page, so check with the provider before booking whether and how the fee is paid. The tour runs only with at least four adults; seniors must manage the steps into the bus without help, and folding walkers and wheelchairs are possible on request. Guide in English, tips not included, cancellation up to 2 days before. Check dates and prices with the provider.
View tour ↗Ad · partner link · checked 26 Sep 2026
Wild Yosemite · offer
Yosemite: private sunset tour with s’mores
Private tour with a local guide: first El Capitan, Yosemite Falls and Tunnel View, then a viewpoint for sunset over Yosemite Valley at the end of the day, and finally s’mores by the fire. The provider agrees the route and meeting point with the group after booking via a questionnaire.
Departure In the park; the meeting point depends on the season, trail conditions and the group's wishes and is set after booking via a questionnaire. Travel to the park and to the meeting point is not included.
The page gives the duration as 6 hours, while the list of inclusions mentions the option of exploring for up to 8 hours or staying shorter. The description does not say which viewpoint is used for the sunset. Park entrance is not in the list of inclusions; for the same product on Viator, the provider explicitly lists entrance fees as not included. For people without US residency, the $100 fee per person aged 16 or over comes on top; according to the park service it also applies on commercial tours. The list of inclusions also mentions a “Yosemite reservation on the day of the activity”; the park does not require an entry reservation in 2026. Bring your own water (about 2 litres per person), weather-appropriate clothing and a backpack. Guide in English, cancellation up to 24 hours before. Check dates and prices with the provider.
View tour ↗Ad · partner link · checked 26 Sep 2026
Yosemite Alpine Quest · offer
Guided hike: how Yosemite Valley was formed
Three hours on foot in a group of no more than eight: the guide talks about glaciers, geology, wildlife and the park's history, with views of El Capitan, Half Dome and Yosemite Falls. For the same product on Viator, the provider gives the route: start at the Yosemite Valley Welcome Center, across Cook’s Meadow to the foot of Lower Yosemite Fall and back.
Departure In the park. According to GetYourGuide, the meeting point changes with the season and is announced before the tour; for the same product on Viator, the provider names the steps in front of the Yosemite Valley Welcome Center. Hotel pickup is not included.
Not included: park entrance (given by the provider as $35 per vehicle), pickup, and food and drink. For people aged 16 or over without US residency, the $100 fee comes on top; the page does not mention it. The list of inclusions names a vehicle reservation as included; the park does not require an entry reservation in 2026. Besides Yosemite Valley, the description also mentions Mariposa Grove, so ask the provider where the hike takes place on your chosen day. Not suitable during pregnancy or for people with back problems, fear of heights or balance problems; trekking poles are provided. Cancellation up to 24 hours before. Check dates and prices with the provider.
View tour ↗Ad · partner link · checked 26 Sep 2026
Yosemite Alpine Quest · offer
Yosemite Nights: 90-minute stargazing and stories in the valley
Ninety minutes of night sky in Yosemite Valley with a guide: constellations, planets and, at the right time of year, the Milky Way, plus stories about the sky. El Capitan and Half Dome stand as dark silhouettes in the picture. Telescope, binoculars, camp chairs, propane heaters, hand warmers and hot chocolate are included.
Departure Meeting point in Yosemite Valley; the provider sends the exact spot as a pin after booking. It names Cook’s Meadow Loop as the programme location. No pickup.
According to the list of inclusions, entrance and parking pass are not included. The provider itself points out that national park fees may apply to international visitors and are collected on site; according to the park service, the $100 fee per person aged 16 or over also applies on commercial tours. What you see depends on the weather and the moon phase; the description describes a clear, moonless night. Cancellation up to 24 hours before. Check dates and prices with the provider.
View tour ↗Ad · partner link · checked 27 Sep 2026
Ad · we may earn a commission if you book through this partner link. Offer details checked 27 Sep 2026. See official ticket information.
04Where to stay: campgrounds and lodges in the park
Thirteen campgrounds, and reservations that are gone in minutes.
Bookings open at 7:00 Pacific Time and sell out in minutes
All thirteen campgrounds are reservable from April to October. Sites are released at 7:00 Pacific Time and, according to the park, are gone within minutes. The park's advice is to set your clock precisely and to be logged in to recreation.gov beforehand. In Central Europe that is 16:00 CET.
Five months ahead, always on the 15th
For the large campgrounds in the valley, sites are released five months in advance on the 15th of each month. For half of the sites at Tuolumne Meadows it is two months, for the rest two weeks; Camp 4 is released one week ahead.
Sleeping in your car is banned
Sleeping in a vehicle is allowed only on a campsite you have booked. If all open campgrounds in the park are full, you have to leave the park to sleep. This is not a recommendation but a rule.
Incredible Adventures · offer
From San Francisco: 2-day Yosemite tour with lodging
Two days instead of fourteen hours: guided valley tour, Glacier Point, giant sequoias, with a night at the Yosemite View Lodge in between. Transport by biodiesel minibus.
Departure Hotel pickup in San Francisco.
According to the provider, the standard entrance fee for all participants, guiding, transport and the hotel night are included. The list of inclusions explicitly marks the $100 fee for people without US residency as not included. Free cancellation up to 7 days before; only one small bag per person is allowed. The park service explicitly charges the fee to people on commercial tours as well, so check before booking whether the provider covers it.
View tour ↗Ad · partner link · checked 20 Sep 2026
Ad · we may earn a commission if you book through this partner link. Offer details checked 20 Sep 2026. See official ticket information.
05Rules: bears, food storage and safety
Three rules that are not requests but federal law.
Yosemite Alpine Quest · offer
Guided hike: how Yosemite Valley was formed
Three hours on foot in a group of no more than eight: the guide talks about glaciers, geology, wildlife and the park's history, with views of El Capitan, Half Dome and Yosemite Falls. For the same product on Viator, the provider gives the route: start at the Yosemite Valley Welcome Center, across Cook’s Meadow to the foot of Lower Yosemite Fall and back.
Departure In the park. According to GetYourGuide, the meeting point changes with the season and is announced before the tour; for the same product on Viator, the provider names the steps in front of the Yosemite Valley Welcome Center. Hotel pickup is not included.
Not included: park entrance (given by the provider as $35 per vehicle), pickup, and food and drink. For people aged 16 or over without US residency, the $100 fee comes on top; the page does not mention it. The list of inclusions names a vehicle reservation as included; the park does not require an entry reservation in 2026. Besides Yosemite Valley, the description also mentions Mariposa Grove, so ask the provider where the hike takes place on your chosen day. Not suitable during pregnancy or for people with back problems, fear of heights or balance problems; trekking poles are provided. Cancellation up to 24 hours before. Check dates and prices with the provider.
View tour ↗Ad · partner link · checked 26 Sep 2026
Ad · we may earn a commission if you book through this partner link. Offer details checked 26 Sep 2026. See official ticket information.
06Frequently asked questions: Yosemite National Park
What is the entrance fee for non-residents in Yosemite?
A private vehicle with all its occupants costs $35 for seven days. On top of that, every person aged 16 or over without US residency pays a non-resident fee of $100. Two adults in a car therefore pay $235. The fee does not apply if you enter with an annual pass or an America the Beautiful pass, which costs $250 for non-residents and is valid in all federal parks.
Can I just go to Yosemite without a reservation in 2026?
Yes. On 18 February 2026 the park announced that it will not use a timed-entry reservation system in 2026. Instead, it manages traffic as it happens and recommends visiting on weekdays. Reservations for campgrounds, lodging and some services such as the Glacier Point tour are not affected.
When are the Yosemite waterfalls at their best?
In May, sometimes June. Snowmelt drives the flow; Yosemite Falls carries water from about November to July and is often dry in August. Bridalveil Fall is the only large waterfall that flows all year.
When are Tioga Road and Glacier Point Road open?
Both are closed every winter from about early November to late May. Glacier Point Road usually opens in late May or early June, Tioga Road in late May or in June, depending on the snowpack. From 15 October, overnight parking is banned on both roads.
Can I hike Half Dome without a permit?
No. While the cables are up, a permit is required. There is a preseason lottery in March and daily lotteries during the season, for which you apply two days ahead, until 16:00 Pacific Time. Applying costs ten dollars, and the permit another ten per person.
Can I pay cash at Yosemite?
Not at the entrance stations. The park does not take cash; you pay by card or mobile payment. The America the Beautiful pass is available instantly in digital form on recreation.gov; the physical card by post takes up to three weeks.
When is the best time to visit Yosemite?
It depends on what you want to see. The waterfalls peak in May, but Tioga Road and Glacier Point Road are closed every winter from about early November to late May and usually open in late May or in June. If you come in May, you see the falls at their peak and find the barriers to the high country still closed.
Can I enter Yosemite with an America the Beautiful pass?
Yes. The America the Beautiful pass covers entry to all federal parks, Yosemite included, and replaces the $100 non-resident fee. For non-residents it costs $250 instead of $80.
Can I get an America the Beautiful pass on my phone?
Yes. The digital America the Beautiful pass is available instantly on recreation.gov. The physical card by post takes up to three weeks, and a purchase receipt does not replace the pass.
Can I enter Yosemite for free?
Not as an international visitor. The fee-free days of 2026 explicitly apply only to US citizens and residents, and so does the $70 Yosemite annual pass. Everyone else pays $35 per vehicle plus the $100 non-resident fee per person aged 16 or over, unless they enter with an America the Beautiful pass.
07Sources and updates
Every detail on this page links to the park authority's own page.
- National Park Service: Yosemite National Park ↗
- National Park Service: fees and passes ↗
- National Park Service: operating hours and seasons ↗
- National Park Service: entry reservations ↗
- National Park Service: current conditions ↗
- National Park Service: directions ↗
- National Park Service: public transportation ↗
- National Park Service: campgrounds ↗
- National Park Service: lodging ↗
- National Park Service: hiking ↗
- National Park Service: Half Dome ↗
- National Park Service: Half Dome permits ↗
- National Park Service: Glacier Point ↗
- National Park Service: Mariposa Grove ↗
- National Park Service: waterfalls ↗
- National Park Service: accessibility ↗
- National Park Service: bears and food storage ↗
- National Park Service: the seasons ↗
- National Park Service: Hetch Hetchy ↗
- National Park Service: basic information ↗
- National Park Service: weather ↗
- National Park Service: permits and reservations ↗
- National Park Service: wilderness permits ↗
- National Park Service: nature and science ↗
- NPS: non-resident fee on commercial tours ↗
- National Park Service: traffic and parking ↗
How current is this information?
Researched 20 Sep 2026. Not a live status. Dates apply only to the year stated. A successful automatic fetch is not an editorial confirmation; outdated automatic values are hidden and replaced by the source link.
Current information from the park ↗
Image and map credits
- Stage, overview Photo: BeachCreatives ↗ · Envato · Projektlizenz ↗ · verkleinert, WebP, Darstellungszuschnitt
- Place · Half Dome Photo: Eric Kilby from Somerville, MA, USA ↗ · CC BY-SA 2.0 ↗ · verkleinert, WebP, Darstellungszuschnitt
- Place · El Capitan Photo: Carol M. Highsmith ↗ · Public domain ↗ · verkleinert, WebP, Darstellungszuschnitt
- Place · Yosemite Falls Photo: Carol M. Highsmith ↗ · Public domain ↗ · verkleinert, WebP, Darstellungszuschnitt
- Place · Mariposa Grove Photo: Bradley Weber ↗ · CC BY 2.0 ↗ · verkleinert, WebP, Darstellungszuschnitt
- Place · Tuolumne Meadows Photo: Gowittylb ↗ · CC BY-SA 3.0 ↗ · verkleinert, WebP, Darstellungszuschnitt
- Quote Photo: Juan Arreguin ↗ · CC0 ↗ · verkleinert, WebP, Darstellungszuschnitt
Location sources: The National Park Service does not publish coordinates for these places. Each point was therefore looked up individually in OpenStreetMap; the evidence is shown at each point. Markers do not imply that access is permitted. Base map © OpenStreetMap contributors. Coastlines of the chapter map: Natural Earth.
End of the field book · Park authority ↗