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Yosemite National Park
National park · CA, USA
Yosemite National Park in CA, USA. Operated by National Park Service.
When is the best time to visit Yosemite National Park?
By typical weather, the best months for a day outdoors here are June, July, and August. Details
How much does it cost to get in?
Published entrance fees: $20 per person, $30 for a motorcycle, and $35 for a private vehicle. Details
Where do you park?
The park lists 12 parking areas with 2,259 spaces in all; the largest, Curry Village (Orchard), has 487. Details
When is Yosemite National Park open?
Mon–Sun open 24 hours
From 56 published days, 2026-11-08 to 2027-01-02; community-mapped.
About
Entrance / day-use fee applies.
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 park's official page lists: Pet-friendly (leashed), Visitor center.
When is the best time to visit Yosemite National Park?
By typical weather, the best months for a day outdoors here are June, July, and August.
The weather works against it in January, February, March, April, November, and December.
The warmest month is July, with average highs near 80°F (27°C); the coolest is December, near 38°F (3°C).
December is the wettest month, with about 4.9 in (124 mm) of precipitation in a typical December.
Typical weather, 25-year Meteorological and Solar Monthly & Annual Climatologies (January 2001 - December 2025). Data from NASA Langley Research Center POWER Project (CC BY 4.0)
Getting in to Yosemite National Park: fees and parking
Published entrance fees: $20 per person, $30 for a motorcycle, and $35 for a private vehicle.
The park lists 12 parking areas with 2,259 spaces in all; the largest, Curry Village (Orchard), has 487.
53 accessible spaces are marked across nine parking areas.
Prices as published by US National Park Service, as of 2026-10-12; check before you travel.
Official facts
The nearest live USGS river gauge to Yosemite National Park is Merced R A Happy Isles Bridge Nr Yosemite Ca (11264500), 2.3 km away.
Public access: Open access.
Protected area: 742,953 acres (300,663 ha).
Designation: National Park. Listed as "Yosemite National Park" in the Protected Areas Database of the United States. Protection: managed for biodiversity, natural processes allowed (GAP 1). IUCN category II.
Established: 1890.
Managed by: NPS.
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gap Analysis Project (GAP), 2025, Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US) 4.1 · U.S. Geological Survey, National Water Information System
At the park
Camping activity
Waterfalls scenic feature
Hiking trails trail
What's on at Yosemite National Park
The park's own calendar lists 16 dated events from September 25, 2024 to December 31, 2026, 15 different events in all.
September 2026 is the busiest month, with five events.
In the Field: Creative Smartphone Photography (Yosemite Valley) is held on two dates.
By kind, the calendar holds 16 regular events.
Start times are spread through the day, from 9 am to 8 pm.
Eight events need a separate ticket and nine events ask you to register ahead.
Events
Historic Ahwahnee Hotel Tour (Yosemite Valley) Sep 25, 2024 – Dec 31, 2026 · 02:00 PM–03:00 PM · Meet at The Ahwahnee hotel, on the back lawn. (Limited parking at The Ahwahnee—use shuttle stop 3 or walk 15 minutes from Yosemite Village Parking.)
In the Field: Creative Smartphone Photography (Yosemite Valley) Jan 29, 2025 – Dec 31, 2026 · 09:00 AM–12:00 PM · The Ansel Adams Gallery is located in Yosemtie Village, near shuttle stop 5.
The Ansel Adams Gallery Photography Walk (Yosemite Valley) Jan 29, 2025 – Dec 31, 2026 · 09:00 AM–10:30 AM · The Ansel Adams Gallery is located in Yosemite Village, near shuttle stop 5.
Guided Nature Walk (Yosemite Valley) Mar 18 – Nov 24, 2026 · 03:30 PM–04:30 PM · Meet at The Ahwahnee Hotel on the back lawn. (Limited parking at The Ahwahnee—use shuttle stop 3 or walk 15 minutes from Yosemite Village Parking.)
Ansel Adams' Legacy and Your Digital Camera (Yosemite Valley) May 6 – Dec 31, 2026 · 01:00 PM–05:00 PM · The Ansel Adams Gallery is located in Yosemtie Village, near shuttle stop 5.
Nature Walk (Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias) Jun 10 – Nov 30, 2026 · 09:30 AM–11:00 AM · Park at the Welcome Plaza, near Yosemite's South Entrance. Take a free shuttle to the Arrival Area, two miles up the Mariposa Grove Road from the parking area. (ONLY vehicles with a disability…
Discovery Walk (Yosemite Valley) Jul 15 – Nov 24, 2026 · 10:30 AM–11:30 AM · Meet in front of the Yosemite Museum, located in Yosemite Village. Use Yosemite Village Parking or shuttle stops 1, 2, 4, or 5.
Explore Yosemite's Night Sky (Yosemite Valley) Sep 23 – Nov 24, 2026 · 08:00 PM–09:30 PM · Meeting location provided upon registration.
Yosemite After Dark (Yosemite Valley) Sep 23 – Nov 24, 2026 · 07:30 PM–09:00 PM · Meetup location provided upon registration.
Yosemite Nature in a Nutshell (Yosemite Valley) Sep 23 – Nov 24, 2026 · 02:00 PM–02:15 PM · Meet outside the welcome center, located next to Yosemite Village Parking. Use Shuttle Stops 1, 2, or 4.
Yosemite Valley Sunset Walk Sep 23 – Nov 24, 2026 · 05:00 PM–06:30 PM · Meeting location provided upon registration.
Evening Programs (Yosemite Valley) Nov 1 – Nov 24, 2026 · 07:00 PM–07:30 PM
Valley Floor Tour (Yosemite Valley) Nov 1 – Dec 31, 2026 · 10:00 AM–12:00 PM
Ranger Walk: The Living Landscape (Yosemite Valley) Nov 2 – Nov 24, 2026 · 01:00 PM–02:00 PM · Meet in front of the Welcome Center, located next to Yosemite Village Parking or shuttle stops 1/2/4.
Before you go
Mobility
Available in the park: mobility & stroller rentals. Confirm rental availability and pricing with the park.
First aid
In-park (mapped location) — First aid station marked on the park map. Confirm the current location with any team member on arrival.
Limits
A permit is required to hike Half Dome
Limits
Pets are allowed in some areas of Yosemite
Limits
In general, launching, landing, or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) in units of the National Park System is prohibited
Park alert: No overnight parking on Tioga & Glacier Point Roads
Overnight parking is not allowed on Tioga Road and Glacier Point Road, including all parking lots reachable from these roads.
Getting there
You can drive to Yosemite year-round and enter via Highways 41, 140, and 120 from the west. Tioga Pass Entrance (via Highway 120 from the east) is closed from approximately November through late May or June. Hetch Hetchy is open all year but may close intermittently due to snow. Please note that GPS units do not always provide accurate directions to or within Yosemite.
Weather & when to go
Yosemite National Park covers nearly 1,200 square miles (3,100 square km) in the Sierra Nevada, with elevations ranging from about 2,000 feet (600 m) to 13,000 ft (4,000 m). Yosemite receives 95% of its precipitation between October and May (and over 75% between November and March). Most of Yosemite is blanketed in snow from about November through May. (Yosemite Valley can be rainy or snowy in any given winter storm.)
Visitor center
Arch Rock Entrance
Visitor center
Arch Rock Entrance
Visitor center
Arch Rock Entrance
Visitor center
Big Oak Flat Entrance
Visitor center
Big Oak Flat Entrance
Visitor center
Big Oak Flat Entrance
Visitor center
Big Oak Flat Information Station
Visitor center
Big Oak Flat Information Station
Visitor center
Big Oak Flat Information Station
Visitor center
Big Oak Flat Information Station
Visitor center
Big Oak Flat Information Station
Visitor center
Big Oak Flat Information Station — Open approximately late May through early October. — The Big Oak Flat Information Station is located just inside the park near the Big Oak Flat Entrance, along the Big Oak Flat Road (continuation of Highway 120 inside the park). Parking is limited.
Facilities on the park map
10 benches, 1 first aid station, 3 mobility rentals, 16 picnic areas, 53 restrooms, 45 visitor information, 7 water fountains.
Where to stay
Ahwahnee Hotel Ahwahnee Drive, Curry Village, CA, United States of America
Bridalveil Creek Campground The Bridalveil Creek Campground is located along the Glacier Point Road near Bridalveil Creek and is surrounded by a beautiful forest of red fir and lodgepole pine. At an elevation of 7,200 feet (2,200m) the campground is located 7 miles west of Glacier Point, 9 miles east of the Wawona Road turnoff, and is approximately 45 minutes from Yosemite Valley. The spectacular views from Glacier Point are · 110 campsites · Accessibility: There are no designated accessible campsites at this campground.
Bridalveil Creek Horse Camp The Bridalveil Creek Horse Camp is within Bridalveil Creek Campground located along the Glacier Point Road near Bridalveil Creek and surrounded by a beautiful forest of red fir and lodgepole pine. At an elevation of 7,200 feet (2,200m) the campground is located 7 miles west of Glacier Point, 9 miles east of the Wawona Road turnoff. The spectacular views from Glacier Point are nearby, and numerous · 3 campsites · Accessibility: The Bridalveil Creek Horse Camp sites are not accessible.
Camp 4 Campground Camp 4 is located in Yosemite Valley near the base of granite cliffs close to Yosemite Falls. Yosemite Valley is centrally located in the park and boasts some of Yosemite’s most iconic features. This campground is located at 4,000 feet (1,200 m) elevation and can be accessed from all park roads. Camp 4 is within biking and walking distance of many services in Yosemite Valley and is located near th · 61 campsites · Accessibility: Camp 4 has two accessible sites (sites 50 and 51). Accessible parking is nearby and an accessible path leads to the two campsites. The restrooms are…
Crane Flat Campground The Crane Flat Campground is located along the Big Oak Flat Road, just west of Crane Flat, about 30 minutes northwest of Yosemite Valley, at 6,200 ft (1,900 m) elevation. There is a gas station and minimal convenience items located nearby at Crane Flat. Trailheads for both the Merced Grove and Tuolumne Grove of Giant Sequoias are located within a short drive of the campground. · 148 campsites · Accessibility: The following campsites are suitable for wheelchair and include picnic tables with extended tops. The closest restrooms to these campsites are also wheelchair…
Hodgdon Meadow Campground is conveniently located along the Big Oak Flat Road at the Big Oak Flat Entrance. At an elevation of 4,900 feet (1,219 m), the campground is located along the western edge of the park, 25 miles and approximately 45 minutes from Yosemite Valley. There is a gas station and minimal convenience items located nearby at Crane Flat. Trailheads for both the Merced Grove and Tuolu · 100 campsites · Accessibility: There are no designated accessible campsites at this campground.
Lower Pines Campground Lower Pines is located along the Merced River in Yosemite Valley. Yosemite Valley is centrally located in the park and boasts some of Yosemite’s most iconic features. This campground is located at 4,000 feet (1,219 m) elevation and can be accessed from all park roads. Lower Pines is within biking and walking distance of many services and trailheads in Yosemite Valley and is located on the free shu · 74 campsites · Accessibility: The following campsites are suitable for wheelchairs and include picnic tables with extended tops. The closest restrooms to these campsites are also wheelchair…
North Pines Campground North Pines is located along the Merced River in Yosemite Valley. Yosemite Valley is centrally located in the park and boasts some of Yosemite’s most iconic features. This campground is located at 4,000 feet (1,219 m) elevation and can be accessed from all park roads. North Pines is within biking and walking distance of many services and trailheads in Yosemite Valley and is located on the free shu · 81 campsites · Accessibility: The following campsites are suitable for wheelchairs and include picnic tables with extended tops. The closest restrooms to these campsites are also wheelchair…
Porcupine Flat Campground is located off the Tioga Road about 30 minutes west of Tuolumne Meadows and over an hour from Yosemite Valley. RVs and Trailers are not recommended for the narrow roads in this more primitive campground. At an elevation of 8,100 feet (2,500 m) elevation, the campground is near Porcupine Creek, which is the only water source (must be filtered, treated, or boiled). The Porc · 55 campsites · Accessibility: The following campsites are suitable for wheelchairs and include picnic tables with extended tops. The closest restrooms to these campsites are also wheelchair…
Tamarack Flat Campground is located off the Tioga Road just east of Crane Flat. The campground is approximately 20 miles (45 minutes) from Yosemite Valley and is tucked away in the forest 3 miles off Tioga Road. RVs and Trailers are not recommended for this harder to access, and more primitive campground. At an elevation of 6,300 feet (1,900 m) elevation, the campground is near Tamarack Creek, whi · 52 campsites · Accessibility: The following campsites are suitable for wheelchairs and include picnic tables with extended tops. The closest restrooms to these campsites are also wheelchair…