Getting to Yosemite National Park

Where Is Yosemite National Park Located?

Yosemite is located in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, about 200 miles east of San Francisco, 300 miles northwest of Los Angeles and a little over 400 miles northwest of Las Vegas.

Did You Know? The Answer to "Where Is Yosemite?" Might Be Wrong

Trying to answer the question "where is Yosemite?" using a website or GPS system can be a frustrating and potentially risky thing to do. Some GPS systems may try to put you on roads that are closed or impassable. This is particularly a problem at Yosemite, where the mountain passes are closed all winter long. The official Yosemite website says they don't recommend using GPS units for directions in and around the park.

Yosemite is a big place that covers 1,200 square miles and doesn't have a single address, but people often ask what the Yosemite address is so they can use it in mapping software or a GPS system. When we tried entering "Yosemite" at popular map websites in early 2011, results varied. One used the center of the Yosemite Valley at "9039 Village Dr, Yosemite Natl Pk, CA"- not a bad guess, but not necessarily where you're headed. Another highly popular site put it off the road in the mountains.

Your best bet is common sense. Don't just enter something and head off. Take a look at the results and see if they make sense. If you're trying to get to a popular spot and the roads start getting narrower and less maintained, you're probably on the wrong route. This is one place where a good, old-fashioned map may be best - and study your route in advance.

Yosemite by Automobile

Yosemite is a three to four hour drive from San Francisco and about six hours from Los Angeles. Drivers can enter Yosemite National Park by several routes:

• CA Hwy 120 from the West: Open most any time, this route goes through Groveland and is often used by visitors coming from San Francisco and northern California

• CA Hwy 120 from the East: Closes when snow makes Tioga Pass impassable, re-opens with the spring thaw. When it's open, this is the way to get into Yosemite from Mammoth, Reno/Tahoe, Las Vegas and eastern California. Check the road conditions to find out whether the road is open

• CA Hwy 140 from the West: The most scenic way to go - and it runs straight into Yosemite Valley, a good option for everyone who's headed there

• CA Hwy 41 from the South: If you're staying at Tenaya Lodge or in the town of Fish Camp and coming from the south, this road goes through Oakhurst and enters the park near the Mariposa Grove and Wawona, but it's another hour's drive from the entrance to the Valley from there

• Mountain Passes: Other options for getting across the Sierras from east to west include Sonora Pass (CA Hwy 108), Monitor Pass (CA Hwy 89), and Ebbets Pass (CA Hwy 4), but all are closed by snow most winters. Check the CalTrans website to get current conditions

Consult our map to get a better idea of the highways that lead into Yosemite. To get exact driving directions, use a map or mapping website

The nearest gas pumps to Yosemite Valley are open year-round inside the park at Wawona (45 minutes south on Wawona Road) and Crane Flat (30 minutes northwest on Big Oak Flat Road/CA Hwy 120) - and in summer at Tuolumne Meadows on Tioga Road. At those locations, you can can pay at the pump 24 hours a day with a credit or debit card. There's also a gas station at El Portal just outside the park entrance on CA Hwy 140. At any of those locations, you'll pay 15 to 20% more than if you fueled up in Mariposa, Oakhurst or Groveland where prices are comparable to what you find in the bigger California cities.

Yosemite by Bus

If you're staying outside the park, Yosemite Area Transportation System (YARTS) offers bus service along CA 140 between Merced and Yosemite Valley. During the summer when Tioga Pass is open, YARTS also offers one round trip a day between Mammoth Lake and Yosemite Valley. Get more information and check their schedule and prices.

Yosemite by Amtrak Train

Amtrak's San Joaquin train route stops in Merced, where you can catch a bus to Yosemite. Get the schedule at their website.

Getting to Yosemite from San Francisco: Tours

A few bus tour companies offer trips to Yosemite from San Francisco, but the drive is so long that you won't be left with much time to see the place. If you're determined to do it anyway, you can reserve a one-day trip through Kijubi.com. For a more leisurely visit, try a 3-day camping adventure or a 2-day hotel tour. For a custom tour in a comfortable mini-van, try A Friend in Town tours or Blue Heron Tours.

Closest Airport to Yosemite

The nearest commercial airports are in Fresno and Merced, but both are small. For more frequent flight schedules served from more locations, try Sacramento, Oakland or San Francisco. In summer when Tioga Pass is open, Reno Nevada may also be an option. Closest airports for private pilots include Mariposa (KMPI) or Pine Mountain Lake (E45), but you'll need transportation from either of them to get to Yosemite.