Make room for the wonder.
Yosemite’s granite walls and waterfalls create a powerful sense of arrival. Build a day around one part of the park, leaving room for a valley walk or viewpoint instead of spending the whole visit in traffic.
NPS / Cindy Jacoby · Photography credit
NPS Photo · Photography credit
Places to consider
- 01Yosemite Valley
- 02Glacier Point area
- 03Mariposa Grove
Choose the stops that suit your time and your party. These are ideas for exploring, rather than a fixed itinerary or a promise that every road, trail or facility will be open.
Choose a valley day or a high-country day
Yosemite Valley rewards a visit built around its walks, waterfall viewpoints and available shuttle service. Glacier Point, Tioga Road and Tuolumne Meadows make very different outings when their roads are open. Do not assume that a day in the valley leaves time for every high-country highlight.
Before you set out
Give the day room
Allow time for the approach, parking and breaks. Pick walks for the least mobile members of your party, and leave space for weather or a change of plans.
Bring your group
Confirm vehicle access, drop-off and parking with the park. Check any guided tours, transport and accessibility arrangements before fixing the rest of the itinerary.
Check the official NPS guide for current access, fees, passes, reservations and permits. Gateway names identify useful surrounding communities or access areas, not exact entrance directions. Photographs may show earlier seasons or conditions.