Yosemite National Park

Granite dome with trace amounts of snow.
Half Dome is one of the most recognizable granitic formations in the world.
Upper Yosemite Fall and Merced River in spring
Upper Yosemite Fall and Merced River in spring
A mountain reflecting in a lake.
Cathedral Peak is one of the most recognizable peaks in the Yosemite Wilderness.
A rainbow over a mountain in the distance.
A hike up to Sentinel Dome rewards people with great views of the landscape around them.
Cluster of tall trees with cloudy sky.
Yosemite National Park's massive giant sequoias (Sequoiadendron giganteum) live in three groves in the park. The most famous of these is the Mariposa Grove, which contains about 500 mature giant sequoias.
Two tall waterfalls flowing down snow covered granite walls.
Yosemite Falls will sometimes only trickle at the end of summer, but wet winters can rejuvenate the flow.
A waterfall flowing down a granite cliff.
The walk to Lower Yosemite Fall is a popular and easy hike.
El Capitan on left, Cathedral Rocks on the right, all covered in snow, low clouds and sun
A rewarding view of Yosemite Valley in winter as seen from Tunnel View.
Glaciated valley with vertical cliffs.
Tunnel View is perhaps one of the most photographed views in the park.
Photos: National Park Service

About Yosemite National Park

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.

Plan a Visit

NPS DesignationNational Park
Park State / Territory MembershipCalifornia
Current Alerts1
Visitor Centers4
Campgrounds16
Things To Do13

Core visitor information on this page is sourced from the National Park Service. NPD proximity sections use NPS reference coordinates and straight-line distance. Local source bundle updated Sep 27, 2026. View the official NPS page.

Weather & Conditions

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…

NPS Reference Location

Park state / territory membership: California. This map uses the National Park Service reference coordinate. It may represent an administrative or reference point rather than a park entrance, trailhead, visitor center, or the nearest access point. Use the official NPS directions below when planning travel.

Entrance Fees

Entrance - Private Vehicle$35.00

This fee is valid for seven consecutive days for a non-commercial car, pickup truck, RV, or van with 15 or fewer passenger seats. This fee covers the vehicle and everyone inside of it. Per-person nonresident fees still apply.

Entrance - Motorcycle$30.00

Valid for 7 days. Admits up to 2 private, non-commercial motorcycles with up to 4 total passengers. Per-person nonresident fees still apply.

Entrance - Per Person$20.00

This fee is valid for seven consecutive days for people entering on foot, a bicycle, a horse, or a non-commercial bus or van. People 15 years and younger are free.

Entrance - Non-commercial Groups$300.00

The per-person fee is $20 to a maximum of $300 per vehicle. People 15 years and younger are free.

Entrance - Education/Academic Groups$0.00

An educational fee waiver is available for educational and scientific groups that are accredited or tax-exempt for educational purposes planning a trip for educational or scientific purposes related to Yosemite that is not primarily recreational.

Commercial Entrance - Per Person$20.00

The fee is $20 per person for any resident 16 years or older. For any nonresident the fee is $100 per person for anyone 16 years or older. This fee is valid for seven consecutive days.

Nonresident$100.00

Each non-US resident aged 16 and older visiting Yosemite National Park must pay a $100 nonresident fee (in addition to the standard entrance fee), unless admitted with an Annual or America the Beautiful Pass. This includes nonresidents entering as part of a commercial tour group, commercial use authorization (CUA) group, or concessioner tour group.

Commercial Entrance - Mini-bus$200.00

This fee is valid for seven consecutive days. For any nonresident there is an additional fee of $100 per person for anyone 16 years or older. A commercial use authorization is required.

Commercial Entrance - Motor Coach$300.00

This fee is valid for seven consecutive days. For any nonresident there is an additional fee of $100 per person for anyone 16 years or older. A commercial use authorization is required.

Operating Hours

Yosemite National Park is open 24 hours per day, 365 days per year.

FridayAll Day
MondayAll Day
SaturdayAll Day
SundayAll Day
ThursdayAll Day
TuesdayAll Day
WednesdayAll Day

Activities

Arts and CultureAuto and ATVScenic DrivingAstronomyBikingBoatingCampingBackcountry CampingClimbingFishingFoodGuided ToursHands-OnHikingBackcountry HikingHorse Trekking

Current Alerts

Glacier Point Road is temporarily closed due to the Dome Fire

The Dome Fire is burning in the wilderness northeast of Wawona. Glacier Point Road is temporarily closed because of reduced visibility along the road due to smoke and to safely allow firefighting operations. Additionally, there are some trail closures south of Glacier Point Road.. Smoky conditions are possible, with unhealthy air quality in some places at some times..

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.

View Official Directions

Contact & Address

The NPS-listed address may be an administrative office, visitor center, mailing/contact location, or other park facility rather than a park entrance.

NPS-Listed AddressPO Box 577, Yosemite National Park, CA, 95389

Entrance Passes

Annual Entrance - Park$70.00

Annual pass providing free entrance to Yosemite for 12 months from the date of purchase for US citizens and permanent residents.

Topics & Themes

Architecture and BuildingAfrican American HeritageArcheologyArtsPaintingPhotographyAsian American HeritageBurial, Cemetery and GravesiteNative American HeritageReligion and SpiritualityChurchesSchools and EducationScience, Technology and InnovationTransportationTragic EventsFloods

Things To Do

Visit the Yosemite Exploration Center

Visit the Yosemite Exploration Center

The Yosemite Exploration Center features interactive displays and exhibits highlighting Yosemite's many stories and resources. Bring the family and learn…

Watch the "Spirit of Yosemite" Film

Watch the "Spirit of Yosemite" Film

The park film, The Spirit of Yosemite, is shown daily on the hour and the half hour in the theater behind the…

Become a Yosemite Junior Ranger

Become a Yosemite Junior Ranger

Kids can become a Yosemite Junior Ranger by taking a self-guided handbook with them as they travel around the park…

Rock Climbing in Yosemite

Rock Climbing in Yosemite

Yosemite is one of the world's greatest climbing areas. Climbers here can enjoy an endless variety of challenges--from the sustained…

Scenic Driving in Yosemite

Scenic Driving in Yosemite

All of the roads in Yosemite National Park are scenic, but the most famous scenic drive is along the Tioga…

Wildlife Safety in Yosemite

Wildlife Safety in Yosemite

Yosemite National Park supports more than 400 species of vertebrates including fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. The high diversity of species…

More Things to Do

Additional activities and experiences from the National Park Service.

Ride a Bike in Yosemite Valley

Cycling is a great way to experience the park and allows you to cover more ground during your time here. You can…

Hiking in Yosemite

From a short walk to the base of a waterfall to a multi-day hike deep into the Yosemite Wilderness, taking a hike…

Learn Art in the Park

Yosemite has a long history of inspiring visitors to create art. From world-renowned artists like Ansel Adams and Chiura Obata to everyday…

Visit the Yosemite History Center

Go back to a time of horse-drawn wagons, a covered bridge, and rustic cabins. The Yosemite History Center is a collection of…

Go Skiing at Badger Pass

The Badger Pass Ski Area is open from mid-December through March (weather and conditions permitting). You can downhill ski, cross-country ski, go…

Visit the Yosemite Museum

Open year-round, the Yosemite Museum has displays that interpret the cultural history of Yosemite's native Miwok and Paiute people from 1850 to…

Visit the Yosemite Cemetery

The Yosemite Cemetery is full of stories, told and untold. Some of those laid to rest here are well-known figures in the…

Visitor Centers

Yosemite Valley Welcome Center

The Yosemite Valley Welcome Center is the destination for visitor information in Yosemite Valley. The welcome center has an information desk, informational exhibits, and a…

Wawona Visitor Center at Hill's Studio

The Wawona Visitor Center has an information desk, wilderness permit desk, and Yosemite Conservancy bookstore. It includes an exhibit of Thomas Hill’s work, recreating a…

Big Oak Flat Information Station

The Big Oak Flat Information Station has an information desk, wilderness permit desk, and Yosemite Conservancy bookstore. In the winter, self-registration wilderness permits for the…

Tuolumne Meadows Visitor Center

The Tuolumne Meadows Visitor Center has an information desk, Yosemite Conservancy bookstore, and an exhibit area detailing the area's geology, plant and animal life, and…

Campgrounds

Upper Pines Campground

Upper Pines is located near the Merced River in Yosemite Valley. Yosemite Valley is centrally located in the park and boasts some of Yosemite’s most…

Hodgdon Meadow Campground

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…

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…

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…

Wawona Campground

The Wawona Campground is located along the South Fork Merced River close to historic Wawona. At an elevation of 4,000 feet (1,219 m), the campground…

Tuolumne Meadows Campground

Tuolumne Meadows Campground is Yosemite’s largest, and is located along the Tioga Road, with some areas located near the Tuolumne River. At 8,000 feet (2,600…

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…

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…

White Wolf Campground

White Wolf Campground is located off the Tioga Road between Tuolumne Meadows and Crane Flat, approximately an hour from Yosemite Valley at 8,000 feet (2,400…

Porcupine Flat Campground

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…

Yosemite Creek Campground

Yosemite Creek Campground is located nearly 5 miles off the Tioga Road (via a rough unpaved road) 26 miles west of Tuolumne Meadows, and a…

Tamarack Flat Campground

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…

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…

Wawona Horse Camp

The Wawona Horse Camp is located along the South Fork Merced River adjacent to historic Wawona. At an elevation of 4,000 feet (1,219 m), the…

Tuolumne Meadows Horse Camp

Tuolumne Meadows Horse Campsites are located within Tuolumne Meadows Campground along the Tioga Road. At 8,000 feet (2,600 m) this campground is open seasonally and…

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…

Nearby Cities for Trip Planning

These cities are ordered by straight-line distance from the NPS reference coordinate. They are comparison starting points, not official park gateways or road-distance estimates. Trails and other distributed units may extend far beyond this reference point.

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