Yosemite National Park, Central Sierra Nevada, California

  Going for a hike along the Pohono Trail will let you absorb the natural beauty of this region, and you're most likely keen on lakes, El Capitan Meadow is one of those close by. Yosemite National Park has a large quantity of natural attractiveness; it's a location that everyone likes. You think that's sufficient? Just getting warmed up. Float down the rapids of Merced River in a kayak, and if you came to camp Bridalveil Campground is a wonderful place to do that.
You just must fancy Yosemite National Park. Wawona Campground is a brilliant local campground,
    and if you've had enough of Yosemite National Park, Ostrander Lake is close by. The magnificent attractiveness of Yosemite National Park is there for you to like. Life's too short to enjoy all the amusing stuff in close proximity to Yosemite National Park. If you come at the right
time of year, Merced River - South Fork offers some great whitewater, and on a great day you can take a hike along the Mono Meadow Trail.
There are plenty of folks from Yosemite National Park here at Yosemite National Park; Mosquito Creek is in the vicinity of Yosemite National Park and is always a bliss to have a look at. Get soaked paddling on Big Creek, and a magnificent nearby hotel is Ahwahnee Hotel. Yosemite National Park is a fine site to visit for more than one day, Summit Campground is a fine site to camp nearby; needless to say, this is a great
 
    and if you've had enough of Yosemite National Park, Ostrander Lake is close by. The magnificent attractiveness of Yosemite National Park is there for you to like. Life's too short to enjoy all the amusing stuff in close proximity to Yosemite National Park. If you come at the right
Park is not the only spot nearby, Grouse Lake is a nearby lake. A visit to Yosemite National Park is a fine selection when you need to spend some time in the fresh air. There is great outdoors recreation at Yosemite National Park, so you could have a heap of fun.
There's so much to do here at Yosemite National Park that you need to camp here for a while, Summerdale Campground is a good place for that, and since you might be in a lake visiting mood you can always take a look at close by Chilnualna Lakes. And that's not all the things you can do here
 
in the Central Sierra Nevada. Yosemite National Park is a popular destination for people from Yosemite National Park.
There is so much entertaining stuff to do for everyone to like. You'll need more than a day to discover everything Yosemite National Park has to offer, you can camp at Mather Family Camp, and dnc -- Wawona Hotel is a great place to get some rest. All year is a wonderful time in the Central Sierra Nevada if you have a thing about the outdoors. Dry warm beds await you at Yosemite Lodge at the Falls, and if you need a spot to stay dnc -- Housekeeping Camp is a good choice.
Have a magnificent hiking adventure along the Chilnualna Fall Trail, and after a long day outdoors Curry Village is a good place to spend a night or two. So much entertaining stuff in the Central Sierra Nevada, just amazing. While you're here at Yosemite National Park you can take a hike along the El Capitan Trail, and a day on the slopes of Badger Pass is just what you need. Summer brings highs in the 80's to Yosemite National Park, and the nighttime is somewhat colder of course, usually in the 50's. The wintertime brings highs down to the 40's, and nighttime lows at Yosemite National Park through the wintertime commonly plunge into the 20's.
The high level of rain makes Yosemite National Park a rather wet place; the month with most of the rain is January, and the driest month is July.

Yosemite National Park embraces a spectacular tract of mountain-and-valley scenery in the Sierra Nevada, which was set aside as a national park in 1890. The park harbors a grand collection of waterfalls, meadows, and forests that include groves of giant sequoias, the world's largest living things.

Highlights of the park include Yosemite Valley, and its high cliffs and waterfalls; Wawona's history center and historic hotel; the Mariposa Grove, which contains hundreds of ancient giant sequoias; Glacier Point's (summer-fall) spectacular view of Yosemite Valley and the high country; Tuolumne Meadows (summer-fall), a large subalpine meadow surrounded by mountain peaks; and Hetch Hetchy, a reservoir in a valley considered a twin of Yosemite Valley.

  

CONTACTS

Email - yose_web_manager@nps.gov

Fax- 209-372-0220

Write to
Superintendent
PO Box 577
Yosemite National Park, CA 95389

Phone
Visitor information & Headquarters - 209-372-0200
Visitor information for deaf/heard of hearing (TDD) - 209-372-4726

TRAVEL BASICS

Operating Hours, Seasons
The park is open 365 days per year, 24 hours per day. Reservations are not needed (nor are they available) to enter the park.

The Tioga, Glacier Point, and Mariposa Grove roads are closed from October/November through May/June due to snow (the Mariposa Grove Road may be closed for a shorter period). All other parks roads generally remain open all year, though chains are frequently required.

Some hotels and campgrounds in Yosemite Valley and Wawona, and the Valley Visitor Center are open all year.

Getting There
PLANE - Several airlines serve Fresno Yosemite International (off of Hwy 41), the Merced Air Terminal (off of Hwy 140), and the Modesto Airport (off of Hwy 120).

CAR - There are four entrances to the park:

-South entrance on Highway 41 north from Fresno

-Arch Rock entrance on Highway 140 west from Merced

-Big Oak Flat entrance on Highway 120 west from Modesto and Manteca

-Hetch Hetchy Entrance (to Hetch Hetchy Valley)

-Tioga Pass entrance on Highway 120 east from Lee Vining and Highway 395. The Tioga Pass entrance is closed from the first major snowstorm in November until late May to June due to snow. All other park entrances are kept open all year, but may require tire chains because of snow anytime between November and April.

**Visitors may drive into and around Yosemite Valley. Reservations are not required (nor do they exist) to enter the park.**

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION - Visitors can ride YARTS buses from gateway communities outside the park into Yosemite Valley. YARTS and VIA buses connect with Amtrak and Greyhound in Merced.

Weather & Climate
Weather can change rapidly during all seasons of the year. Elevation plays a major role in temperature and precipitation.

Yosemite receives most of its precipitation in the months of January, February and March. Summers are typically warm and dry. Spring and fall are transitional months, when warm, sunny days can suddenly become stormy. Clouds can build up during the summer to produce spectacular thunderstorm activity.

For Yosemite Valley and Wawona (subtract 10-20 degrees for Tuolumne Meadows), AVERAGE weather is as follows:

Summer: Typically dry, with occasional thunderstorms; highs in the low 90s, lows in the 50s.

Fall & Spring: Highly variable, with typical high temperatures ranging from the 50s to 70s, with lows in the 30s. Rain is less likely early in fall/late in spring and rain or snow is likely late in fall/early in spring.

Winter: Snowy, rainy, or (sometimes) even sunny days are possible, with highs ranging from the 30s to 50s and lows in the upper 20s.

It is wise to pack for any season with clothing that can be 'layered,' ready to peel off or add on as conditions dictate. Always include some kind of rain gear.

Accessibility
The park's major sites can be viewed by automobile. Some trails and facilities are wheelchair accessible. Ask at any visitor center or entrance station for more information.

Getting Around
Free shuttle buses are recommended in Yosemite Valley (year round), Wawona/Mariposa Grove (spring-fall), and Tuolumne Meadows (summer).

FEES/PERMITS

Entrance Fee
ANNUAL PASS
$40.00 for Annual

INDIVIDUAL (ON BUS, MOTORCYCLE, BICYCLE, OR FOOT)
$10.00 for 7 Days

VEHICLE
$20.00 for 7 Days
*Credit cards are not accepted for payment of entrance fees and passes. Cash, personal checks, and travelers checks are accepted.

Permits
WILDERNESS PERMIT
$5/person for reservations for One Time
A wilderness permit is required to stay overnight in the wilderness. Permits are free; reservations are $5 per person.

Special Use Permits
FILM AND WEDDING PERMITS

Special use permits are required for weddings and commercial filming and photography.

RESOURCE EDUCATION FEE WAIVER
Free!
School groups may qualify for a Resource Education Fee Waiver.

CAMPING

Campgrounds in Yosemite
Make Reservations by Phone at 1-800-436-PARK
There are thirteen campgrounds in Yosemite National Park. Camping reservations for up to seven of these campgrounds are available five months in advance. Wawona, Hodgdon Meadow, and two campgrounds in Yosemite Valley are open all year.
For More Information on this campground please call 209-372-8502 (info only)

High Sierra Camps
Yosemite Concession Services Corporation operates five High Sierra Camps, which are spaced 5.7 to 10 miles apart along a loop trail in Yosemite's beautiful high country. All lodging is in canvas tent cabins that have dormitory-style steel frame beds with mattresses, pillows, woolen blankets and comforters. Hot showers, soap and restroom facilities are available. However, guests must provide their own sheets or sleep-sacks and towels. Sleep-sacks and Trek Towels can be purchased through Yosemite Concession Services Corporation mail order for confirmed High Camp guests. Due to high demand, High Sierra camps are reserved on a lottery basis. Applications are available October 15 to November 30 annually.
For More Information on this campground please call 559-253-5674

LODGING

Accommodations in Yosemite
Open All Year
Yosemite Concession Services Corporation operates a variety of lodging units in Yosemite. Rates range from as low as $48 per night at Curry Village for a basic tent cabin with nearby bathroom to over $318 per night for a room at The Ahwahnee.
For More Information on this lodging please call 559-252-4848

High Sierra Camps
Yosemite Concession Services Corporation operates five High Sierra Camps, which are spaced 5.7 to 10 miles apart along a loop trail in Yosemite's beautiful high country. All lodging is in canvas tent cabins that have dormitory-style steel frame beds with mattresses, pillows, woolen blankets and comforters. Hot showers, soap and restroom facilities are available. However, guests must provide their own sheets or sleep-sacks and towels. Sleep-sacks and Trek Towels can be purchased through Yosemite Concession Services Corporation mail order for confirmed High Camp guests. Due to high demand, High Sierra camps are reserved on a lottery basis. Applications are available October 15 to November 30 annually.
For More Information on this lodging please call 559-253-5674

FACILITIES

Museums
YOSEMITE MUSEUM
Open All Year at least 9:00 am - 4:30 pm (closed for lunch)
Phone - 209-372-0200
Location - Next to the Visitor Center in Yosemite Valley.
Exhibits - Displays interpret the cultural history of Yosemite’s native Miwok and Paiute people from 1850 to the present. Demonstrations of basket-weaving, beadwork, and/or traditional games are presented. The Indian Village of Ahwahneee is a reconstructed Miwok village. Cultural demonstrations are offered during the summer. During summer, the Museum Gallery displays paintings from the collection of the Yosemite Museum.

Visitor Centers
VISITOR CENTERS AND INFORMATION STATIONS
Phone - 209-372-0200
Location - Visitor centers are located in Yosemite Valley (open year-round) and Tuolumne Meadows (summer only). Information stations are located in Wawona (spring-fall) and Big Oak Flat (spring-fall).

Wilderness Information Centers
WILDERNESS CENTERS AND PERMIT STATIONS
Phone - 209-372-0200
Location - Wilderness Centers are located in Yosemite Valley (spring-fall; visitor center during winter) and Tuolumne Meadows (summer only). Wildernes Permits are also issued at the Wawona Information Station (spring-fall), Big Oak Flat Information Station (spring-fall), and Hetch Hetchy Entrance Station (summer only).


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dnc -- Wawona Hotel, Yosemite National Park
CLICK_ABOVE
5.3 miles away
Yosemite Lodge at the Falls, Yosemite National Park
CLICK_ABOVE
5.3 miles away
dnc -- Housekeeping Camp, Yosemite National Park
CLICK_ABOVE
5.3 miles away
Ahwahnee Hotel, Yosemite National Park
CLICK_ABOVE
5.3 miles away
Curry Village, Yosemite National Park
CLICK_ABOVE
5.3 miles away
Wawona Hotel, Yosemite National Park
CLICK_ABOVE
5.3 miles away
Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite, Fish Camp
CLICK_ABOVE
5.9 miles away
The Ahwahnee, Yosemite National Park
CLICK_ABOVE
10.6 miles away
Days Inn Oakhurst Yosemite, Oakhurst
CLICK_ABOVE
12 miles away
Best Western Yosemite Gateway Inn, Oakhurst
CLICK_ABOVE
13.4 miles away
* Distances listed are direct linear distances, actual travel distance may be different.

Outdoors related information copyright © Stratus-Pikpuk, Inc. - Detailed hotel information copyright © Interactive Hotel Solutions. Pictures of park and text about park by the US National Park Service. Operating hours and fees are valid at the date of publishing and are subject to change, please contact park directly for current information.