Reservations will be required to enter Yosemite National Park
from May 21, 2021 through September 30, 2021.
See our complete "How to Get In And Experience The Park This Summer" blog HERE with reservation information and a list of alternative transportation options that include your Park reservation.
Note: Some services are still limited inside the park due to Covid-19.
Please see the FAQ page for more information about visiting the park - https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/covid19.htm.
For a list of concessionaire services go to www.travelyosemite.com.
#1. Take a guided Yosemite tour - Leave the driving to someone else! Ride with an experienced tour guide who will show you all the iconic spots and give you insider information. Or take public transit from YARTS - Yosemite Area Regional Transit System (YARTS runs seasonally on Highway 41 - May 15 through September 15, 2021). Most guided tours into Yosemite will include your Park reservation in 2021.
#2. If you're driving yourself during the busy summer season...REMEMBER to arrive in the park early, before 8 am (or even earlier, say 7am on the weekends) or late after 4 pm to avoid summer traffic.
#3. Visit areas outside Yosemite Valley for the best summer experience. Some of these areas are only accessible during the summer season so here's your chance to experience these remarkable landscapes. Areas like the historic town of Wawona. High country spots such as Olmstead Point, Tuolumne Meadows and Tenaya Lake (you can extend that adventure out through the park's eastern entrance. Lastly there are a couple of our favorite locations outside of the valley, Glacier Point and short hikes of the Glacier Point Road to breathtaking Taft Point & Sentinel Dome. The warm summer months allow for more access to the diverse experiences and regions that Yosemite has to offer.
#4. Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias: The Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias will be open before summer. It was closed mid-January 2021 due to a huge Mono Wind event that took down 15 of the giants and destroyed the new restrooms & some of the new boardwalk through the grove. There will be no shuttle services into the Grove again in 2021, but visitors can hike in, bike in, or horseback in. Click HERE for more information.
There is so much to explore in Yosemite National Park! We have put together several suggestions of things to do in Yosemite to jump start your planning:
We would be remiss if we didn’t mention that one of the best ways to see the park is with a little help from a knowledgeable Yosemite tour guide. You get the best Yosemite Park information, without someone having to miss out on the beauty because they're driving. Guided tour companies and adventure tours specialize in making your Yosemite Trip memorable.
YARTS (Yosemite Area Regional Transit System) is another way to get to and from Yosemite from the gateway towns. YARTS operates in the southern gateway towns of Fresno, Coarsegold, Oakhurst, Bass Lake & Fish Camp along Highway 41 from mid-May through mid-September. Note: YARTS service along Highway 41 (Fresno*Oakhurst*Yosemite Route) is seasonal and only runs May 10 through September 10, 2021.
FREE VALLEY SHUTTLE: To help with find your favorite icons in Yosemite Valley, you can view and download the Yosemite Valley Shuttle Map. Note: Yosemite Valley Shuttle is temporarily closed due to Covid-19 restrictions.
Finally, here are a couple outside sources that we recommend incorporating into your planning arsenal:
Okay - so you've figured out where to go and what to do. Now it's time to determine where to stay during your visit. There's a wide variety of options available through the region; from hotels, bed & breakfasts, vacation rentals, campgrounds and RV sites, and much more! Click below to explore the options here.
