Getting Around - Yosemite National Park (U.S. National Park Service) (2024)

FAQs

Do you get service at Yosemite National Park? ›

Cellular Phone Service

Here's our best advice for getting a good signal—though it will depend greatly on which wireless company you use: Yosemite Valley and Tuolumne Meadows have good signals. The best signal is in the Yosemite Village area near the Visitor Center.

Bicycling is the easiest and fastest way to get around Yosemite during the summer. Several miles of paved biking paths let you skip the traffic and explore the park with the sunshine on your back.

Yosemite Valley Shuttle System

Buses arrive every 12 to 22 minutes from 7 am to 10 pm. East Valley shuttle: This route is limited to Yosemite Village, Curry Village, Pines campgrounds, and trailheads in eastern Yosemite Valley. Buses arrive every 8 to 12 minutes from 7 am to 10 pm.

Run by the National Park Service, the Yosemite Valley Shuttle provides free service to and from all the major vista points, shops and accommodations within the valley, from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. year-round.

Do I need a reservation to get into Yosemite? A reservations is required to drive into the park for some dates and times from April 13 through October 27. A reservation was required to drive into and through Yosemite at certain times in 2020, 2021, 2022, and February 2023 and 2024.

Active military members can receive a free Military pass by presenting their current US military ID at the entrance. Veterans will need to present one of the following forms of ID where entrance fees are collected: Department of Defense Identification Card (CAC Card) Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC)

Trail and road closures typically start in October or November (depending on conditions), leaving the park increasingly empty thanks to snow. If you do visit in October, be aware that you won't see a whole lot of fall colors; the majority of trees in Yosemite are Evergreens.

How Many Days Should I Spend In Yosemite? Plan on spending two to four days in Yosemite if you want enough time to see all the amazing sights. This will give you plenty of time to see Half Dome, Yosemite Falls, Glacier Point, and enjoy some hiking trails.

Getting There

Take the San Joaquins to the Merced, CA Station (MCD). Once you arrive at the station, you'll to transfer to Amtrak Thruway Bus (Route 15), which takes you directly to Yosemite Valley.

Is the drive from San Francisco to Yosemite nice? ›

The 4-hour drive from San Francisco to Yosemite National Park is one of the most scenic in the country, with winding mountain roads that are lined with ancient redwoods.

You can drive your car into and around Yosemite, although some roads are closed from around November through May/June and tire chains may be required on open roads from around October through April (depending on conditions). You can use public transportation to get to and around Yosemite all year.

One of the most popular routes is Tioga Pass, a 54-mile drive that connects two entrances on opposite sides of the park. If you drive straight through, Tioga Pass takes about an hour and a half, but we highly recommend taking your time and making some stops.

directions to yosemite

During the summer months, there are four entrances to Yosemite National Park. Highways 120 West, 140, 41 and 120 East/Tioga Road. Each entrance has its own unique character and special points of interest along the way.

Cell towers are not placed inside national parks for a good reason: those places are intended to be as close to wild as possible. A big tower sticking up in a wooded area is not what most people want in a park or why they go there in the first place.

Please note that celluar access is spotty throughout the park. Some areas, such as the Hoh Rain Forest and the beaches, have little to no reception.

Cellular service is limited in Yellowstone. Cell towers at Mammoth Hot Springs, West Yellowstone, Old Faithful, Grant Village, Lake Village, and Mount Washburn provide service to most developed areas (Old Faithful, Canyon Village, Lake Village, Mammoth Hot Springs, Grant Village) and to the North and West entrances.

Both GSM and CDMA cell phones work in the gateway communities, but service is spotty in the park, and nonexistent in the more remote areas of the park. Public telephones are located at the visitor center, Zion Lodge, and the Zion Human History Museum.