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Area Guides

Yosemite.com Park Guide

TRAVEL BASICS

Stand of Sequoias in YosemiteHours of operation - The park is open year round, 365 days a year, 24 hours a day. Reservations are not required to enter the park.

The Tioga Rd. (Pass) and the Glacier Point Rd. is closed, depending on conditons, from November through late May. The Mariposa Grove road is closed from November/December until sometime in April. All other park roads are open throughout the year, remember to carry tire chains/cables in your car and be prepared to use them (even if you have 4-wheel drive) as chains may become mandatory at any time.

Yosemite is about a four hour drive from the San Francisco Airport and six hours from Los Angeles. The vast majority of people visit Yosemite between June and the end of September.

Even though more than 4 million people visit the park each year, it's still relatively easy to find yourself alone on the more than 750 miles of trail winding their way through the numerous acres of park land. Learn more about Trail Descriptions and Distances.


PARK FEES & RESERVATIONS

DIRECTIONS & MAPS

THINGS TO DO IN YOSEMITE

CAN I BRING MY PET TO YOSEMITE?

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU COME TO YOSEMITE

BROCHURES - HIKING TRAILS, WINTER TRAILS, PICNIC AREAS, SELF GUIDING TRAIL BROCHURES, AND BROCHURES IN OTHER LANGUAGES


WEATHER & CLIMATE

One thing is sure about the weather at Yosemite. It's always unpredictable. Because of the variations in elevation, precipitation and temperatures can vary significantly and seasonally.

Yosemite receives the bulk of its precipitation January through March. Summers are typically warm and dry while spring and fall are transitional; sunny days can suddenly become stormy. Thunderstorms during the summer can be spectacular.

Layered dress is the best strategy when planning clothing. Ready to peel off or add on can make your visit more pleasant and help you compensate for rapid temperature changes. Also include some kind of rain gear.

When is the best time to visit Yosemite? It depends on what your looking for. Should I visit in Summer, Fall, Winter, or Spring?

What kind of Weather should I plan for?

View current conditions for roads, trails, campgrounds, rivers & waterfalls, snowpack, and wildflowers.

How can I learn more about fire activity in the park?

ACCESSIBILITY

Visitor information for the deaf/hard of hearing (TDD) are as follows:

(209) 372-4726 General Park Information
(559) 252-2846 Yosemite Lodging Reservations
(877) 833-6777 Yosemite Campground Reservations

Using a TTY, deaf callers can also dial 711 for free relay service, which provides an operator to assist people who are deaf in making calls to voice-only numbers.

The park's major sights are accessible by automobile. Some trails and facilities are wheelchair accessible. If you are in need of these services inquire at a visitor center or entrance station or learn more from the Park Service Accessibility Guide.

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The Bear Facts on Yosemite.com

Black Bears are found in Yosemite

Park regulations require visitors to store and bag food properly to prevent bears from reaching it. Tell me more about Bears and proper food storage.

Please note that these food storage regulations are enforced by federal law: Failure to store your food properly may result in impoundment of your food or car and/or a fine of up to $5,000 and/or revocation of your camping permit.
I want to learn more about Bears and how to store my food.

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS

If you do see a bear, act immediately to scare it away: make as much noise as possible by yelling very loudly (don't worry about waking people up. If you are with others, stand together to present a more intimidating figure, but do not surround the bear. The intent is not to harm the bear, but to scare it from the area and restore its natural fear of people by providing a negative experience. Learn more about what to do if you see a bear.

REPORT ALL BEAR INCIDENTS AND SIGHTINGS TO A RANGER: (209) 372-0322