- Time needed
- 72 hr
- Tickets
- walk up
- Best time
- June is the best overall compromise once high-country roads open, with long days, strong waterfalls and access to high country; September is best for cooler mornings, lighter post-Labor-Day crowds, dry trails and usually open Tioga Road. Visit in late spring if waterfalls are the priority, accepting heavier crowds and possible high-road closures.
- Time needed
- 72h
- Tickets
- Walk up
- Best time
- June is the best overall compromise once high-country roads open, with long days, strong…
Plan at least three days; for a first visit, make Yosemite Valley your first full day, arrive before 8 a.m., park once, and use the shuttle and short walks rather than driving between sights.
Tickets and tours
Plan the visit
For ordinary 2026 entry, do not book an entry reservation: pay the entrance fee by card/mobile payment at the gate or obtain a digital pass through Recreation.gov. If hiking Half Dome, enter the preseason lottery during March 1–31; if unsuccessful, enter the daily lottery two days before the hike between midnight and 4 p.m. Pacific Time. For overnight wilderness trips, apply through the trailhead lottery 24 weeks ahead, or target the remaining quota released seven days ahead.
When to go: June is the best overall compromise once high-country roads open, with long days, strong waterfalls and access to high country; September is best for cooler mornings, lighter post-Labor-Day crowds, dry trails and usually open Tioga Road. Visit in late spring if waterfalls are the priority, accepting heavier crowds and possible high-road closures.
Visit Tuesday through Thursday and reach Yosemite Valley parking before 8 a.m. Park once and use the shuttle or walk between sights; avoid Saturday, holiday-weekend and April-to-September midday arrivals. Stay through late afternoon or sunset rather than driving between viewpoints at midday.
- Yosemite has no standard entry reservation in 2026 and is cashless; do not buy a purported entry reservation from a reseller.
- Use the free Valley shuttle after parking. Valleywide service runs between major stops, and repeatedly moving your car can waste hours in traffic.
- Do not rely blindly on GPS around or inside the park; use the NPS directions and confirm road status, especially for Tioga Road and Glacier Point Road.
- There is no luggage storage in Yosemite. Keep food, coolers, trash, toiletries and other scented items properly attended; never leave food in a vehicle overnight.
- For an easy accessible giant-sequoia experience, use Mariposa Grove’s 0.3-mile Big Trees Loop from the Arrival Area; check current shuttle and trail status before traveling.
Getting there
Drive to a public entrance rather than a street address: Arch Rock (CA-140 via El Portal) is the direct west-side route to Yosemite Valley; Big Oak Flat (CA-120) serves Groveland/Crane Flat; South Entrance (CA-41) is best from Fresno/Oakhurst and for Wawona/Mariposa Grove; Tioga Pass (CA-120 from Lee Vining) is seasonal; Hetch Hetchy accesses only the reservoir area and its road is sunrise–sunset. All other entrances are open 24 hours, subject to weather/road conditions. Do not rely blindly on GPS. In peak season, reach Yosemite Valley parking before 8 a.m., park once at Yosemite Village or Yosemite Falls/Yosemite Valley Lodge, then use the free Valley shuttle; weekend arrivals after 8 a.m. may face full parking and major delays. Car-free visitors should book YARTS to Yosemite Valley, then transfer to the free Valley shuttle. For an accessible low-walking arrival, use the Mariposa Grove accessible shuttle to the Arrival Area for the level 0.3-mile Big Trees Loop; disability-placard holders may drive Mariposa Grove Road when it is seasonally open. Sources: https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/directions.htm ; https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/publictransportation.htm ; https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/traffic.htm ; https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/upload/access2022.pdf
4726 Mariposa Grv Trl, Fish Camp, CA 93623, USA
Nearby
Worth pairing: Glacier Point · Tunnel View
About Yosemite National ParkShowHide
Yosemite National Park is a 1,200-square-mile protected mountain landscape in California’s Sierra Nevada, celebrated for glacially carved granite cliffs, major waterfalls, giant-sequoia groves, alpine lakes and vast designated wilderness. Created by Congress in 1890, incorporating the earlier Yosemite Grant lands in 1906, it helped establish the American national-park ideal: protecting exceptional scenery, watersheds, forests and wildlife while keeping them accessible to the public.
Yosemite combines several of America’s defining landscapes—El Capitan, Half Dome, Yosemite Falls, the Merced River, Glacier Point and Mariposa Grove—in one park, with outstanding views available even on short walks and exceptional options for serious hikers. It merits a dedicated two-to-four-night trip rather than a rushed stop. Skip or postpone it if you have only a few peak-summer midday hours, dislike mountain driving and crowds, or cannot manage short uneven outdoor paths.
Before you go
Questions worth settling
Do I need a reservation to enter Yosemite National Park in 2026?
No. Yosemite does not require a vehicle-entry reservation in 2026. Pay the entrance fee on arrival by major credit card/mobile payment, show a qualifying pass, or obtain a digital pass through Recreation.gov. Do not buy an “entry reservation” from a reseller: no general entry reservation exists. The park is cashless. Source: https://www.nps.gov/yose/faqs.htm | https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/fees.htm
What entrance pass should I buy, and what does it cost?
For most carloads, buy the Private Vehicle Standard Entrance Pass: US$35 for one private, non-commercial vehicle and its occupants for seven consecutive days. A motorcycle pass is US$30; a per-person pass for visitors 16+ entering on foot, bicycle, horse, or non-commercial bus/van is US$20; visitors 15 and under are free. If you will visit multiple federal recreation sites within a year, the America the Beautiful Resident Annual Pass is US$80. Yosemite’s own annual pass is US$70. Sources: https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/fees.htm | https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/passes.htm
Are there extra fees for non-U.S. residents?
Yes. Non-U.S. residents aged 16 and over currently pay an additional US$100 per person at Yosemite, on top of the ordinary entrance fee, unless admitted with a Yosemite Annual Pass or an America the Beautiful Pass. Source: https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/fees.htm
Do I need a permit for Half Dome, and how should I apply?
A Half Dome permit is required every day that the cables are up, usually from the Friday before Memorial Day through the day after the second Monday in October, subject to conditions. Apply in the preseason lottery from March 1–31. If unsuccessful, enter the daily lottery two days before your hike between midnight and 4 p.m. Pacific Time. The fee is US$10 per application, non-refundable, plus US$10 per successful hiker. Permits are non-transferable: the permit holder or named alternate must carry photo ID and the confirmation. Do not buy from scalpers. Source: https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/hdpermits.htm
Do I need a wilderness permit for day hiking or overnight trips?
Ordinary day hikes do not require a wilderness permit. Backpacking, overnight climbing, and other overnight wilderness use require one year-round. Apply through the lottery 24 weeks ahead for 60% of trailhead quota; the remaining 40% is released seven days ahead. The fee is US$10 per application plus US$5 per person if awarded. In late April through mid-October, do not count on walk-up availability; change dates or trailheads, use the seven-days-ahead release, or plan a day hike instead. Sources: https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/wpres.htm | https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/wildpermits.htm
What time should I arrive to avoid Yosemite Valley traffic and parking problems?
In peak season, aim to park in Yosemite Valley before 8 a.m. On weekends, especially Saturdays and holiday weekends, arriving after 8 a.m. can mean delays and no Valley parking. Entrance waits can exceed an hour, and Valley traffic can consume two to three hours. Park once for the day and use the shuttle or walk between sights rather than moving your car. Tuesday through Thursday are generally better than weekends. Source: https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/traffic.htm