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See It Now: Photo Tours
If you are planning a Yosemite vacation, here a few things it will be helpful to know.
Major Yosemite Vacation Sights
If this is your first Yosemite vacation, you may enjoy one of the free, ranger-guided sightseeing tours or naturalist walks. Narrated by an informed guide, they operate daily to most points in the park.- Yosemite Valley: A glacier-carved canyon surrounded by sheer granite cliffs. All major facilities are here, including the visitor's center, store, restaurants, hotels. Almost a victim of its own beauty, it is often so crowded that it's hard to enjoy it.
- Tuolumne Meadows: At 8,500 feet, the alpine meadows give pastoral balance to all the soaring granite.
- Glacier Point: Seems like the top of the world, with the Sierras all around. Especially beautiful at sunset or on a full moon night.
- Mariposa Grove: The Mariposa Grove here is the most accessible of the three giant sequoia groves in the park, but if you've seen the giant sequioa trees in Sequoia National Park, you can skip this bunch. Anyone in average shape can make the hike to the Grizzly Giant, but to get to the top, you need to be in excellent condition. Others should take one of the tram tours instead.
- Hetch Hetchy: John Muir lost a 25-year battle to keep the Federal government from building a reservoir here. He fought to save a valley that was said to be a rival to Yosemite, but the remaining views are barely worth the time it takes to get here.
Yosemite Vacation Basics
Because a Yosemite vacation is popular, you should plan ahead.- Yosemite National Park is open year-round, but several areas of Yosemite National Park are closed in winter (Tioga Pass, Badger Pass, Glacier Point).
- The Yosemite National Park entry fee is charged per vehicle and is good for seven days. If your vacation plans include more than two national parks in a year, inquire about an annual pass.
- Yosemite National Park hotels fill up very early. Call (559) 252-4848 for reservations, and if you can't reserve ahead, try calling frequently for cancellations or check for something outside the park.
- Most of the Yosemite National Park campgrounds also require reservations (800-436-7275 - U.S. and Canada, 301-722-1257 international). However, some campgrounds set aside part of their sites on a first-come, first-served basis.
- No gasoline is available in Yosemite Valley. You can get it in Wawona, Crane Flat, El Portal and Tuolumne Meadows in summer.
- It may be best to leave Bowser home. Pets are not allowed in the park accommodations or on any trails. If you do bring your dog along, you'll find a kennel at the Yosemite Valley Stable (209) 372-8348.
- Yosemite's high altitude makes the air dry and thin. To make yourself more comfortable, find out what you need to do before you go to the mountains.
Getting Around
There are only four major roads in Yosemite National Park: Route 120 (Tioga Pass Rd), Route 41, Route 140 and Glacier Point Road. Our handy map will help you get oriented.Tioga Road and Glacier Point Road close from the first snowfall (October/ November) through June.
The valley is very crowded during summer. Avoid gridlock by using the free shuttle buses.
