Yosemite National Park covers about 3,000 km² (1,170 square miles) of the central Sierra Nevada, but most visitors head for one small part of it: Yosemite Valley, a flat-floored glacial trough 11 km (7 miles) long, walled by El Capitan, Half Dome and a line of waterfalls. It is one of the most beautiful places in the United States and, in summer, one of the busiest.
Two things shape every visit. Access rules change: in several recent years the park has required advance reservations to drive in at peak times, so always check the National Park Service website for your dates. And the high country is seasonal — Tioga Road and Glacier Point Road are closed by snow for roughly half the year. The park is about four hours from San Francisco.
Highlights
- The classic panorama from Tunnel View
- Yosemite Falls at full flow in May and June
- Half Dome seen from Glacier Point
- Climbers on the face of El Capitan
- The Mist Trail to Vernal Fall
- Giant sequoias in Mariposa Grove
Plan your time in Yosemite
A day trip shows you the valley’s viewpoints; two or three days let you walk a trail, drive up to Glacier Point and visit the sequoias. Stay in or near the valley if you possibly can, because gateway towns are 45 to 90 minutes away. In summer, be through the entrance gate early in the morning.
