general information

General InformationYosemite National Park is open daily all year. Many roads in Yosemite Valley are one-way, and traffic can be heavy, especially in summer. Maps and information are available at the park's four visitor centers, and schedules of events are provided at park entrances and posted throughout the valley. A free shuttle bus operates in the east end of the valley daily 7 a.m.-10 p.m., in summer; hours vary rest of year. In the winter a shuttle runs from Yosemite Valley Lodge to the Yosemite Ski & Snowboard Area.

Wilderness permits, required of all overnight backpackers, are free at the Yosemite Valley Visitor Center or at any other wilderness permit station. Some stations are open seasonally; phone ahead to confirm locations and hours. Reservations also are available for a fee of $5 per reservation plus $5 per person if obtained by phone or mail; phone (209) 372-0740. To make reservations by mail write Wilderness Association, P.O. Box 545, Yosemite, CA 95389. For information about wilderness permits phone (209) 372-0200.

A California fishing license is required for all park waters; an annual permit costs $49.94 for residents. A 10-day non-resident pass also is $49.94. A 2-day resident or non-resident license costs $25.10. Information about bicycle rentals is available at Half Dome Village and the Yosemite Valley Lodge; tour bus information also is given at these spots as well as at all lodging facilities.

Ranger-naturalists conduct year-round nature walks that last from a half-hour to 2 hours; snowshoe walks are available in the winter. Evening programs are presented all year at the Yosemite Valley Lodge, and in summer at Half Dome Village, Lower Pines, Glacier Point, Tuolumne Meadows, Crane Flat, Wawona and White Wolf campgrounds.

An open-air tram offers frequent 2-hour tours of the valley during summer and occasional trips after Labor Day; reservations can be made at The Majestic Yosemite Hotel, Half Dome Village and the Yosemite Valley Lodge. Other tours depart daily in summer to Glacier Point and Mariposa Grove. Guided horseback tours of Wawona, Tuolumne Meadows and the valley also are available, as are multiday saddle and pack trips. A hiker shuttle goes to Glacier Point and Tuolumne Meadows.

Self-guiding tours of a re-created Ahwahneechee Indian village as well as a historic cemetery are available at Yosemite Village in Yosemite Valley. A museum houses photographs and historic books, while the artifacts in the Indian Cultural Exhibit depict the history of the Miwok and Paiute. A visitor center, a theater and an art center also are found in the village.

Skiing and skating can be enjoyed in winter. Half Dome Village has an outdoor skating rink; Yosemite Ski & Snowboard Area has downhill and cross-country skiing. Cross-country ski trails lead from the Yosemite Ski & Snowboard and Crane Flat areas. Snowshoe tours are offered.

Child care is available in winter at Yosemite Ski & Snowboard Area. During summer the Junior Ranger Program of nature walks and classes welcomes students in grades 3 through 6; phone (209) 372-0200.

Campground reservations are available through the National Recreation Reservation System; phone (877) 444-6777, or TTY (877) 833-6777.

The main visitor center in Yosemite Valley is open year-round. Additional visitor information can be obtained at Big Oak Flat, Tuolumne Meadows and Wawona centers that usually are open June through September; for recorded information about camping, roads, weather conditions and recreation, phone (209) 372-0200.

ADMISSIONADMISSION to the park is by $35 private vehicle fee, $30 per motorcycle or $20 per person arriving by other means, and is good for 7 days.

PETSPETS are not allowed on the trails or in public buildings and accommodations and must be leashed at all times. Pets are permitted in Upper Pines in Yosemite Valley, the west end of the campground at Tuolumne Meadows, and at White Wolf (Section C), Bridalveil (Section A), Crane Flat (Section A), Wawona, Hodgdon Meadows and Yosemite Creek campgrounds. Dogs can be boarded in Yosemite Valley from late May to mid-October.

ADDRESSADDRESS inquiries concerning the park to the Superintendent, Yosemite National Park, P.O. Box 577, Yosemite National Park, CA 95389. Phone (209) 372-0200.