Yosemite National Park in California, USA - map, photos and visitor information

Yosemite National Park protects a mountain landscape in California's Sierra Nevada. Yosemite Valley offers cliffs, waterfalls, and year-round road access, while higher roads follow a much shorter season. Decide which part of the park you want to explore before choosing accommodation or an approach route.

Valley views and giant sequoias

• Yosemite Valley: combine views of granite cliffs with walking, museum exhibits, and shuttle travel. Parking demand can shape the day as much as the route itself.
• Mariposa Grove: visit giant sequoias near the South Entrance. The grove has its own parking area and seasonal shuttle arrangements.
• High-country travel: Tioga Road provides a different part of the park when open. Its availability does not follow the Valley's year-round schedule.

Understand entry and overnight access

Fees, hours, and seasonal access

Take water and steep terrain seriously

Never swim or wade upstream from a waterfall. Shallow-looking water can still carry a person over the edge. Stay away from high, fast water and do not rely on smooth riverside rocks for secure footing. Keep children close near rivers and exposed ground.

Store food and trash so animals cannot reach them. Watch for wildlife while driving, and pull completely into designated stopping areas before taking photographs.

Keep walking and pet plans within the rules

Protect meadows by staying on established routes. Do not collect plants or historic objects. Pets can use permitted developed areas and fully paved routes, with posted exceptions, on a leash no longer than six feet. Most trails and park shuttle buses exclude pets, including carried pets.

No timed entry in 2026; other bookings still apply

Yosemite does not require a timed entry reservation in 2026. That does not reserve parking or overnight accommodation. Campgrounds generally require reservations from approximately April through October, and in-park lodging should be booked separately.

Overnight wilderness stays require a permit year-round. Hiking Half Dome when the cables are up requires its own permit arrangements. Read the Half Dome planning guidance before treating it as an ordinary day hike.

Match your approach to the season

Highways 41, 140, and 120 from the west provide year-round approaches to Yosemite Valley, subject to weather and road restrictions. The eastern approach over Tioga Pass is seasonal. Do not let navigation software substitute a closed crossing for an open western route.

Download the official park and area maps. YARTS serves the Valley from outside the park, and shuttles provide options after arrival. Once you find a Valley parking space, walking or shuttle travel can avoid repeated searches for another one.

Two options on the western side

Railtown 1897 State Historic Park in Jamestown and Columbia State Historic Park north of Sonora fit a western approach through the Sonora area. Their locations make more sense before or after that part of your journey than as quick detours from the Yosemite high country. Compare the road route with your chosen entrance.

Choose walks that fit the whole journey

Use the Valley as a base for cliff views and the Yosemite Exploration Center. The Yosemite Museum adds cultural context to a visit centered on scenery.

At Mariposa Grove, the Big Trees Loop is a 0.3-mile wheelchair-accessible walk from the arrival area. Getting to that trailhead is a separate step. When the shuttle is not running, the approach from the welcome plaza is two miles each way with elevation gain. Half Dome is an arduous outing that needs much more preparation than these developed-area walks.

Water, toilets, accommodation, and accessible travel

Mariposa Grove has toilets at several locations. Drinking water is available year-round at the welcome plaza, but only in summer at the arrival area. There is no food service in the grove. Carry what you need for the approach and walk.

Campgrounds do not provide electrical, water, or sewer hookups. RV travelers need a designated suitable campsite; a parking lot is not an overnight substitute. Yosemite Hospitality manages in-park lodging, including year-round options at The Ahwahnee and Yosemite Valley Lodge.

The Valley has a free accessible shuttle. The accessibility resources describe services and provide contact options. Confirm access for the exact route and facility you intend to use, particularly during construction.

About Yosemite

Protection and a longer human story

Federal protection of Yosemite Valley and Mariposa Grove began in 1864, and Yosemite became a national park in 1890. People had lived in and shaped this landscape for thousands of years. Park museums interpret cultural relationships, conflict, and preservation alongside the scenery.

Habitats from foothills to alpine rock

Yosemite's forests, meadows, foothills, and high rock support different animal communities. Human food can change animal behavior, and road traffic can kill wildlife. Observe without feeding or approaching animals, and keep food storage part of your daily routine.

Ask about the part of Yosemite you plan to visit

Call 209-372-0200, then select 3 and 5 for general questions. Select 1 and 1 for recorded road conditions. The contact page includes the inquiry form. Postal address: Visitor Information Office, PO Box 577, Yosemite, CA 95389. This address is for mail, not navigation.