Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park, California, a symbol of the spectacular natural grandeur of America, receives millions of people every year.
Its impressive waterfalls, enormous sequoia trees, a profusion of wildlife, and jaw-dropping cliffs like Half Dome and El Capitan lure visitors.
You can find your place in Yosemite, whether seeking a tranquil trip of a lifetime or just wanting to climb, backpack or ski in one of the most breathtaking settings on earth.
Hours: 24 hours, Monday to Sunday
Time Needed: 1 to 3 days
One-day Tour: $219
Two-day Tour: $279
Three-day Tour: $279
Best Time: Midday and Evening
Location: Yosemite National Park is located in the Sierra Nevada mountain range in central California, USA.
Address: California, Get Directions.
Where to Buy Yosemite National Park Tickets?
You can buy Yosemite National Park tickets online or at the park’s entrance stations.
We recommend buying the Yosemite tickets online for convenience and more options.
Why Buy Online Yosemite Tickets?
Yosemite receives over 4 million visitors annually, which makes it one of the most crowded tourist sites in the United States.
Booking your Yosemite National Park tickets would be beneficial because the official Yosemite reservations sell out within seconds.
Purchasing online tickets would help you save time and plan your trip in advance, which is crucial for a complete Yosemite experience.
How Do Online Tickets Work?
With our Yosemite National Park online ticket, you can enjoy the trip of a lifetime with zero hassle.
When you purchase the tickets for Yosemite tours online, you get extensive information on the locations and/or activities covered.
There is no need for planning; tours clearly outline their schedule, and some even give you a few hours of free time to explore independently.
You get flexibility, as there is a full refund if you cancel your tickets up to 24 hours before your trip’s scheduled date and time.
After finalizing your Yosemite National Park tickets, you will receive an email confirming your purchase of the digital tickets.
Types of Yosemite National Park tickets
Online Yosemite National Park tickets offer various trips, from Standard Adventure trips to Guided tour tickets.
These trips come with various experience packages, including hiking, camping, and sightseeing.
You can choose from guided tours lasting a few hours to those lasting a week.
Yosemite tickets cover the Yosemite National Park fee and offer guided tours that are great for first-time travelers with little knowledge of Yosemite wilderness.
Yosemite National Park Ticket Prices
The most popular Yosemite National Park ticket is the Yosemite National Park and Giant Sequoias day trip from San Francisco.
The standard ticket costs $219 for visitors aged 12 years and more.
For children up to 11 years, you get a discount price of $197. The tour is also available in Spanish, German and French.
Yosemite National Park and Giant Sequoias Day Trip from San Francisco
Travel from San Francisco to Yosemite National Park for a whole day, stopping to see the breathtaking Sierra Nevada and charming gold rush towns.
Stroll through the lovely Tuolumne Grove and stop at Tunnel View for views of Half Dome and the Valley.
Choose from various Yosemite activities, like relaxing hikes or exploring the Valley Visitor Center.
You can also enjoy enlightening commentary about natural landmarks, such as El Capitan, from an experienced guide.
Take advantage of the easy pickup and drop-off from a few hotels in San Francisco for a seamless and enriching Yosemite trip.
Ticket Price
| Visitor Type | Price |
|---|---|
| Adult ticket (12+ years) | $219 |
| Child ticket (upto 11 years) | $197 |
Small-Group Yosemite and Giant Sequoias Day Trip from San Francisco
Set off on a guided day excursion from San Francisco to Yosemite National Park, where you may see the ancient redwood forests.
You can spend your free time hiking in Yosemite Valley.
You can enjoy the comfort of a minibus picking you up and dropping you off at your hotel.
You also get the individualized attention of a small-group tour that may accommodate no more than 15 people for a unique and educational experience.
Ticket Price
| Visitor Type | Price |
|---|---|
| Adult ticket (13+ years) | $219 |
| Child ticket (upto 12 years) | $149 |
Yosemite National Park & Giant Sequoias Hike
Spend hours exploring and taking in the magnificent landscape of Yosemite National Park.
Take a one-hour walk on the world’s tallest tree, the Sequoia Walk.
See the breathtaking rocks of El Capitan and Half Dome, look out over Inspiration Point, and witness the magnificent Bridalveil and Yosemite Falls.
Enjoy a fully guided audio commentary to enhance your experience and learn about the amazing natural beauties of the park.
Ticket Price
| Visitor Type | Price |
|---|---|
| Adult ticket (12+ years) | $219 |
| Child ticket (upto 11 years) | $197 |
Full-Day Tour from San Francisco
Take a day trip from San Francisco to Yosemite National Park and enjoy the breathtaking scenery as you travel through California’s Great Central Valley.
For a more engaging experience, take a guided bus tour with a driver-guide who offers educational commentary in English as you autonomously explore the park.
Ticket Price
| Visitor Type | Price |
|---|---|
| Adult ticket (12+ years) | $199 |
| Child ticket (5 to 11 years) | $146 |
| Infant ticket (upto 4 years) | Free Entry |
Day Trip to Yosemite National Park
After a fully guided coach tour of Yosemite Valley, take a picturesque drive across the Great Central Valley.
Take breathtaking pictures from Inspiration Point while admiring the magnificent El Capitan rock formation.
You can also view Yosemite Falls, the largest waterfall in North America, and Bridalveil Fall’s stunning beauty.
Ticket Price
| Visitor Type | Price |
|---|---|
| Adult ticket (13+ years) | $199 |
| Child ticket (upto 12 years) | $162 |
Small-Group Yosemite Day Tour from San Francisco
Take a day drive from San Francisco to Yosemite National Park, passing through the charming Central Valley farmlands, the historic Gold Country, and the foothills of the Sierra Nevada.
You can spend hours documenting the splendor of Yosemite’s waterfalls, granite formations, and woods.
There is a guided van tour to see well-known sites like El Capitan, Yosemite Falls, and Half Dome.
You can enjoy your leisure time by riding a bike or taking a foot tour of Yosemite’s natural treasures.
Then, you can see the broad vista of Yosemite Valley from the Tunnel Vista viewpoint, which offers panoramic beauty.
The trip has the advantages of a small-group trip with just 23 people, guaranteeing a more individualized and exclusive experience.
Ticket Price
| Visitor Type | Price |
|---|---|
| Adult ticket (13+ years) | $199 |
| Child ticket (upto 12 years) | $162 |
Yosemite Day Trip with Giant Sequoias Hike & Pickup
Join a small group trip of less than 15 people and hike to the historic Sequoias in favorable weather conditions.
Along the journey, other sites offer great photo possibilities. Enjoy a picnic meal to regain your strength.
Admire the natural splendors of Yosemite National Park and the breathtaking Bridalveil Falls.
Ticket Price
| Visitor Type | Price |
|---|---|
| Adult ticket (13+ years) | $219 |
| Child ticket (upto 12 years) | $149 |
To spend 2 nights camping in Yosemite Valley, a popular tourist destination near San Francisco, buy the Yosemite Valley 3-Day Camping Adventure Ticket.
If you want to take a private Jeep excursion into the backcountry and experience some of the most breathtaking landscapes in the Sierra as you make your way to a sequoia grove, buy the Yosemite Giant Sequoias Private Jeep Tour Ticket.
Yosemite National Park Ticket Discounts
Set these five days on your calendar for entrance fee-free admission in 2023:
- 17 January
- 16 April
- 4 August
- 24 September
- 11 November
There is also a military discount Yosemite National Park offers to retired and active US military service personnel.
They receive free entry to the national park if they produce a valid ID.
What to Expect?
A World Heritage Site since the 1980s, the national park of nearly 1,200 square miles is known for its huge granite rocks and waterfalls.
Inhabited by humans for around 4,000 years, Yosemite Park is one of the Sierra Nevada mountain range’s least fragmented ecological regions.
Mariposa Grove of Gaint Sequoia has some of the largest and oldest trees in the world, while Yosemite Valley, with its high granite domes and creeks, embraces the highest waterfall in North America.
Yosemite is one of the top 25 most visited national parks in the United States, with more than 4 million visitors in 2019 and 3.3 million in 2021.
The park provides a variety of year-round activities, including hiking, camping, fishing and rock climbing in the summer and skiing, snowboarding, and ice skating in the winter.
The park offers more than 800 miles (1,300 km) of paths that pass glaciers, old trees, meadows, lakes and more, offering something for every level of hiker.
Some of the most popular peaks in America, including El Captain and Half Dome, are the enormous rocks of Yosemite, which also provide various sightseeing options.
Another question that arises is how long it takes to see Yosemite National Park.
You should spend at least two days to catch the wonder at the park. If you manage that, 2-4 days are considered adequate time.
The best time to visit Yosemite National Park is between May and September. This time has the best weather but you can also expect dense crowds as all attractions are open during this window.
The best time to go to Yosemite National Park in a way that overcrowding doesn’t become a problem is in late spring or early fall.
In short, the Yosemite National Park tickets will lead you to an excellent tourist destination with various campsites, dining and lodging facilities, and water and winter activities.
Facts about Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park has entertained visitors since 1890, and it has been more than 130 years, but the park still has its allure.
Check out some fun facts about Yosemite National Park – the renowned landmark in California.
Here is a list of Yosemite National Park facts:
The granite rock formations in Yosemite glow like fire at sunset.
In Yosemite, the sun pulls incredible tricks, casting vivid red and orange light on El Capitan and Half Dome.
Horsetail Fall is famous for reflecting the orange glow of sunset in mid-to-late February, making it appear on fire.
It’s a breathtaking sight that brings to mind Yosemite’s famed Firefall.
Yosemite is the only national park that has submitted a bid to host the Winter Olympics.
In addition to constructing toboggan tracks, a sizable ice rink, and a modest sky jump, neighboring meadows and roads served as the backdrop for dog sled rides, sledding, and skijoring (skiing behind a horse with a tow rope).
Ultimately, Lake Placid was chosen to host the 1932 Winter Olympics, although Yosemite has continued to host winter sports ever since.
A night rainbow can only be seen in Yosemite, one of the few spots in the United States where it does so.
The moonbows or lunar rainbows in the park are not well known to many.
The mist of a waterfall can form a rainbow in the spring and early summer if the sky is clear and the moon is full.
Now that is true magic!!
One of the tallest waterfalls in the world is located in Yosemite.
Yosemite Falls is one of the world’s tallest waterfalls at 2,425 feet, but did you know it is composed of three different falls?
Yosemite Falls, which are visible from many locations throughout Yosemite Valley, comprises Upper Yosemite Falls, the middle cascades, and Lower Yosemite Falls.
Find out more about other waterfalls at Yosemite National Park.
The area of Yosemite National Park is close to 1,200 square miles.
Visitors only go through a tiny portion of that region, though.
Most of the park is completely undeveloped and deserted by people.
Yosemite Valley, just 6 square miles in size, is the most popular region in the park.
Most of the 4 million people visiting the park yearly never visit other areas, including Mariposa Grove.
Humans have inhabited the valley for at least 3,000 years.
More than 400 species can be found in the park’s unique ecosystem.
When visiting Yosemite, watch the park’s numerous amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.
One of these creatures is the rare Sierra Nevada red fox, seen on a wildlife camera for the first time in almost 100 years while strolling across the high peaks of California’s Sierra Nevada.
The most well-known hotel in Yosemite, the Ahwahnee Hotel, served as a naval hospital during World War II.
One of the historical facts about Yosemite National Park is that formerly, a hotel inside this National Park provided care for injured soldiers.
Stephen Mather, the first director of the National Park Service, was the designer of Yosemite’s opulent Ahwahnee.
Ahwahnee Hotel is the most well-known lodging site in Yosemite.
Yosemite is the origin of the California Gold Rush in the middle of the 19th century.
Another interesting fact about Yosemite National Park is that during the California Gold Rush in the middle of the 19th century, many European Americans visited the region in search of their share of wealth.
Some of Yosemite’s creeks can be running slushies at certain times of the year.
The most frequent time for this remarkable natural occurrence, also known as frazil ice, is in the spring when the water flow over the falls is at its highest, and the overnight lows are below freezing.
The fall’s mist freezes and rushes into a snowy mass with ice water underneath as it pours down the creek like a huge Slurpee.
Attractions Near Yosemite National Park
| El Capitan El Capitan, a colossal granite monolith soaring 3,000 feet above Yosemite Valley, testify to nature’s grandeur and human endurance. Its sheer vertical face, a mesmerizing spectacle that has captivated climbers for generations, poses a formidable test of skill and determination. Renowned routes like the Dawn Wall and the Nose attract mountaineers worldwide. El Capitan’s geological formation, shaped by glaciers, reveals unique features like the Texas Flake and the Great Roof. Its silhouette against Yosemite’s sky, especially during sunrise and sunset, creates a dramatic aura, solidifying its status as an iconic symbol of the park’s natural beauty. Book Your Tickets |
| Half DomeHalf Dome, a striking granite pinnacle in Yosemite National Park, towers 8,842 feet with a unique half-sliced appearance. Its challenging ascent via the Half Dome Trail, including the famed cable section, offers breathtaking Yosemite Valley and Nevada Fall vistas. Carved by glaciers, Half Dome is an emblem of the park’s geological legacy. Sunrise and sunset cast a golden glow on its sheer facade. It contributes to its allure as a symbol of Yosemite’s majestic beauty and a thrilling destination for hikers and climbers. Book Your Tickets |
| Grand CanyonStretching 277 miles, the Grand Canyon in Arizona is a geological wonder that features breathtaking rock formations sculpted over millions of years by the Colorado River. Reaching depths of more than a mile, its massive, multicolored canyon walls paint a vivid picture of Earth’s past. From high points like the South Rim, visitors are treated to breathtaking panoramic views that astonish with the enormity and grandeur of the canyon. The Grand Canyon is an unmatched visual spectacle that serves as a monument to the power of nature. Book Your Tickets |
FAQs
Where is Yosemite National Park?
Yosemite National Park is located in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains. It is spread over four counties: Tuolumne, Mariposa, Mono and Madera.
Is there snow in Yosemite right now?
Yes. The snowy season started in Yosemite at the time of writing with freezing temperatures.
Yosemite receives snow from November to early May. Sometimes, the snow might start coming in as early as October or September.
How big is Yosemite National Park?
Yosemite National Park is a massive area covering over 759,620 acres across four counties in California.
Do you need reservations for Yosemite?
Reservations are not required to visit the park. However, if you plan on staying overnight to see more, you must make a reservation.
Many tours are offered that take care of reservations for you.
What is not allowed in Yosemite National Park?
Some people may purposely or unintentionally harm park resources while visiting Yosemite.
If you observe any of the following unlawful activities, please report them to a park official:
– Hunting animals
– Collecting butterflies and reptiles
– Collecting plants (including pine cones)
– Using weapons
– Feeding or getting close to wildlife
– Collecting artifacts such as arrowheads
– Using or owning a metal detector to find and collect historical artifacts
– Driving through delicate meadows and off of roads
– Camping outside of authorized campgrounds
– Marijuana use or possession, including medical marijuana
Check out the Security Page to know more.
Can you bring food into Yosemite?
Federal laws mandate that you store your “food” properly throughout Yosemite National Park.
Food must be stored unless it is within easy reach (don’t go swimming or nap while leaving food out).
“Food” includes trash, toiletries, other fragrant goods, and all food and drinks, regardless of packaging.
These must be kept in a food locker or an authorized bear-resistant container. It is forbidden to hang food in Yosemite.
Check Food Storage and Bears Security for more info.
Can you drive through Yosemite without a day pass?
From May 20 through September 30, 2022, a reservation is necessary to drive into Yosemite National Park during peak hours (6 am to 4 pm).
If traveling with an approved tour group, you don’t require an additional reservation or permit.
Book your Yosemite Guided Full-Day Tour to avoid hassles.
How long do you need to spend in Yosemite National Park?
Yosemite National Park is accessible 365 days a year, 24 hours a day.
However, some roads are closed due to snow from around November through May or June, and the Hetch Hetchy Entrance Station is only open during daytime hours.
Check out How long does it take? Page to know more!
How to get into Yosemite without reservation?
Usually, you will not need reservations to enter Yosemite National Park.
Only at specific periods, for instance, in February of 2023, will you require a reservation to drive into the park on specific dates.
A reservation is required if you plan to drive a car into or through Yosemite National Park between 6 am and 4 pm (peak hours).
You do need to reserve for lodging, camping, overnight hiking and climbing Half Dome inside Yosemite.
Check the NPS official website for real-time information on Yosemite reservations.
Is Yosemite National Park open?
Yosemite National Park is accessible 365 days a year, every day.
Although reservations are not required to visit the park, booking hotels and campsites well in advance is advisable.
Learn more about the park’s opening hours.
Can you camp in Yosemite?
There are many designated campgrounds in Yosemite National Park.
Most campgrounds open during the summer fill up fast and require a reservation to book a spot in advance.
You can choose one of these campgrounds or camp mostly anywhere you find suitable for your overnight hike.
Does Yosemite close in winter?
Yosemite National Park is open every day of the year.
There are several wintertime activities and sights you can engage in or see during your visit to Yosemite from November to February.
However, certain areas of the park become inaccessible in winter due to heavy snow and avalanche hazards.
Featured Image: Vox.com