INTRODUCTION TO YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK

Yosemite 101: Let's Get Started!

Yosemite National Park is located at the edge of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in eastern California and is an impressive 1189 square miles in size. Most of Yosemite's rock formations were created from an enormous mass of granitic rock that formed below the surface of the earth. While erosion and uplift helped to create the valleys, canyons, domes, and other features, glaciers later played a major role in carving out the landscape and making Yosemite Valley the beautiful wonder that it is today.

Native Americans had visited and lived in Yosemite Valley for several thousand years, but European-American tourism to the area grew around the time of the Gold Rush in the mid-1800s and Yosemite officially became a national park in 1890.

The area has a rich and also somewhat sordid history that highlights the conflicts between indigenous peoples and European settlers as well as the issues of conservation versus commercial and industrial development of the area. Champions like Galen Clark, John Muir, President Theodore Roosevelt, and Ansel Adams have helped to preserve and protect Yosemite as well as stir the public's imagination and love for the area.

What Makes Yosemite So Special:

Yosemite's appeal is the dramatic combination of towering granite cliffs and peaks with lush meadows and forested valleys, accented by several dramatic seasonal waterfalls completing the photogenic scenery. Visiting Yosemite Valley is often compared to a spiritual experience, like entering a sacred temple and being surrounded by majesty.

And while the floor of the popular Yosemite Valley is roughly 4000 feet above sea level, the remote high country gets as high as 10,000 feet, supporting diverse plant and animal life in its numerous biomes. Yosemite appeals to the casual tourist and the hardcore wilderness adventurer alike, offering opportunities for camping, hiking, photography, backpacking, climbing, or just leisurely soaking up the nature experience.

National Park Entrance Fees:

Visitors to Yosemite National Park are required to pay for a standard "recreational use pass" when entering the park. Booths are located at all entrances to the park. As of 2026, the various passes and fees are:

• $35 for a non-commercial vehicle (good for 7 days, includes everybody in vehicle)
  *Non-US residents must pay an additional $100 per person fee.
• $30 for a motorcycle (good for 7 days)
• $20 for a single person entering by foot or bicycle (good for 7 days)
• $70 Yosemite Annual Pass (good for one year from the month of purchase) This would be a good choice if you intend to visit Yosemite more than twice a year or for more than two weeks total.
• $80 Interagency Annual Pass (allows entrance at any Federal recreation site that charges a standard entrance fee for one year from purchase date) A good choice if you are planning on visiting several other national parks throughout the year.
• $80 Interagency Senior Pass (allows U.S. citizens or permanent residents age 62 or over lifetime access to any Federal recreation site that charges an entrance fee) Up from $10 as of August 2017, this lifetime pass is still an incredible deal for anybody over 62 who wants to visit national parks over the next several years.

Complete fee information can be found on the NPS's Fees and Reservations webpage.

Seasons and Dates of Interest:

The peak of tourist season in Yosemite National Park is typically May through August with the extended fall tourist season continuing through October/November. During the summer months, daytime highs in Yosemite Valley can reach between 80-90 degrees F while the upper elevations (Tioga Road, Glacier Point, etc.) are typically 10-20 degrees cooler.

November is usually when the first big snowstorm hits, effectively closing the higher elevation sections of the park until the next spring. And while summer is when most people visit, Yosemite National Park is actually open year-round, although amenities and access are more limited during the winter months. A few notes on dates:

• Tioga Road, the scenic drive through Yosemite's high country, is typically open between May/June and November, although dates vary greatly each year depending on the first snowstorm and amount of total winter snowfall. View historic Tioga Road opening and closing dates.
• Glacier Point Road also closes for winter due to snow, but it typically opens for the season a few weeks earlier than Tioga Road. During winter, the road is plowed up to Badger Pass to allow access to the Yosemite Ski and Snowboard Area.
• Seasonal Waterfalls: Most of Yosemite's famous waterfalls (including Yosemite Falls, Bridalveil Fall, Vernal Fall, and Nevada Fall) are powered by the spring snowmelt, so April and May are usually the best months to see them in their glory.
• Half Dome Cables: The cables for Yosemite's famous Half Dome hike are typically up between late May and mid-October. NPS sets specific dates to put up and take down the cables each year, but dates are dependent on weather conditions.

Average Monthly Temperatures in Yosemite:

*Temperatures can be much colder in the higher elevations of Tuolumne Meadows, compared to the more moderate elevations in Yosemite Valley.

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