There's a lot of activities during summertime (June through August) and the park is very popular so it's advised to get as early a start as possible.
To reach Yosemite from the Visitors Center: From our parking lot turn right and go northbound on Hwy 41. The Yosemite Park south entrance is 14 miles straight ahead. Continue on Highway 41, which becomes Wawona Road inside the park, all the way to Yosemite Valley (about 1 hour from the south entrance).
Temporary Day-Use Reservations
Yosemite National Park has implemented a temporary Day Use Reservation system for summer 2021 based on recommendations from public health officials. The temporary reservation system will end September 30, 2021.
Day-use permits are valid for three consecutive days for unlimited entries. Day-Use passes are not valid for overnight use (the park is only open to day-use pass holders from 5 am to 11 pm).
To book your reservation go to www.recreation.gov for Yosemite National Park Ticketed Entry. You will need to sign up for an account and log in to purchase tickets.
If your date is booked, there is a way to possibly get tickets 7 days in advance of arrival:
From May 14th to September 23rd additional reservations will be available every day at 8 am PST for 7 days in advance of date of arrival. Be sure to have a recreation.gov account created, be logged in, and ready to get your reservation promptly at 8 am PST as tickets can sell out quickly.
For other frequently asked questions go to: https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/covid19.htm
The Day Use Pass fee is $35 per car + $2 online service fee. If you are 62 or older and a US citizen or permanent resident, you can obtain a Senior Pass for $80, good for life for all National Parks. For yearly and senior pass holders you will still need a reservation plus the $2 online service fee to visit the park while the temporary reservation system is implemented.
The drive from the South Entrance to stop at Tunnel View is doable in 1 hour, traveling safely at a speed of 35 mph. Be considerate of others by pulling over at turnouts to let vehicles go by. (The law: You must pull over at the first opportunity if there are four or more vehicles behind you.) Watch for animals darting into the roadway.
From the Visitors Center, below is the “logical progression” of stops. If traffic is too heavy or if you get a late start, consider seeing it all the reverse order.
Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias
Stroll or hike among our Gentle Giants, the largest living things on earth. The giant sequoias of Mariposa Grove approach 2,000 years old and provided the impetus for the creation of Yosemite National Park. The Native Americans stepped here first, followed by adventurers such as Galen Clark, John Muir, Teddy Roosevelt.
Park in the welcome area and take the free shuttle up to the arrivals area. (Please Note: All Yosemite National Park Shuttles will not operate in 2021. A two-mile walk or bike ride is necessary to access the grove. Vehicles with handicapped placards will be accommodated - click HERE for current details. )
Chosen destination in the Grove Some walking/hiking is required to see most of the trees in the grove. Go prepared with a hat, good hiking shoes, and plenty of water. Take refillable water bottles since no disposable water bottles are sold in the Welcome Area gift shop. There are drinking fountains to fill your bottles at the Welcome Center and at the Arrival Stroll to the Fallen Monarch, an easy trail, about .3 mile loop - EASY
Hike to the Grizzly Giant, the largest tree accessible to the public, two miles round trip - MODERATE Journey to the Upper Grove cabin and Wawona Point, seven miles round trip – STRENUOUS (check to make sure this trail is open – may be closed due to snow) For those with a handicap placard, you can drive to the parking area near the Grizzly Giant to enjoy a short, accessible walk to the Griz. Seven handicap spaces are available in that lot, along with restrooms.
The historic Wawona Hotel inspires the imagination with visions of yesteryear.
Things to see and do:
Glacier Point at Sunrise
Note: Yosemite National Park Shuttles will not operate for the 2021 season.
Between 10 a.m. & 6 p.m. take the free shuttle from Badger Pass to Glacier Point. No personal vehicles will be allowed during those hours except those with accessible placards, valid wilderness permits for a trailhead along Glacier Point Road, or those camping at Bridalveil Creek campground. Stops will be made at Sentinel Dome/Taft Point and Washburn Point. Optional stops will be made at other trailheads upon request.
Tunnel View is one of the most photographed vistas in the world
From Glacier Point, turn right on Wawona Road; continue down to Yosemite Valley. You will go through a mile-long tunnel. Immediately after exiting the tunnel, park on right or left. Watch for traffic! Spectacular view of Bridalveil Fall, Half Come, Clouds Rest, El Capitan. PHOTO OPP
BRIDALVEIL FALL – Walk ¼ miles one-way to base of waterfall.
Oldest building still in continuous use in Yosemite Valley, date from 1879, and a spectacular view of Yosemite Falls from outside the chapel. PHOTO OPP
From Yosemite Chapel continue to Sentinel Bridge (the first stop sign you’ll come to in Yosemite Valley). Turn left over Sentinel Bridge and park at Shuttle Stop 11. Walk back to middle of bridge. This is a quintessential PHOTO OPP of Half Dome over the Merced River.
DAY PARKING: Continue to next stop sign, turn right and follow signs to the Day Parking area or the new parking area west of Yosemite Lodge. Leave your car for the rest of your visit to Yosemite Valley, until you’re ready to depart.
Take the free Yosemite Valley shuttle to all the major spots in the valley. The shuttle runs every 10 to 20 minutes from 7 am to 10 pm.
Start your adventure at Shuttle Stop 1 (makes it easy to remember where you parked). The Yosemite Valley Lodge Day Use parking is Shuttle Stop 7.
Great for LUNCH – 209/372-1489 for dinner reservations. Allow about 2 hours for lunch. (Less expensive, no dress code for lunch, great views out of the 34-foot-high windows)
Bike rentals here, in season. Valley/Glacier Point tours depart from here – info and reservations for Yosemite tours, call (209) 372-4386
Bike & raft rentals in summer. Ice skating rentals in winter.
Dining, shops and lodging options.
Horseback riding (seasonal) – stables Those are just a few of the adventures you can have in Yosemite Valley. One more awaits you as you're leaving the valley on Northside Drive:
Sit along the Merced River and enjoy the Valley View
Watch for the big pullout on the left as you approach the Pohono Bridge. You’ll often find tour buses there. This view from here is a panorama of Yosemite Valley from a different perspective. PHOTO OPP
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