Entrances
Arch Rock Entrance· Start here
Visitors approaching from Merced and the west
El Portal Road / California Highway 140, east of El Portal, CA · The most direct all-year road approach to Yosemite Valley; congestion is common from spring through fall.
Big Oak Flat Entrance
Visitors arriving from the Bay Area, Manteca, Stockton, Sonora or Groveland
Big Oak Flat Road / California Highway 120, near Groveland, CA · Useful for Crane Flat and Tuolumne Grove; roughly 45 minutes from Yosemite Valley in good conditions.
South Entrance
Visitors arriving from Fresno, Oakhurst and the south
Wawona Road / California Highway 41, near Fish Camp, CA · Best for Mariposa Grove first; Yosemite Valley is a little more than an hour away in normal conditions.
Tioga Pass Entrance
Visitors arriving from the eastern Sierra, Mono Lake or Mammoth Lakes
Tioga Road / California Highway 120, near Lee Vining, CA · At 9,945 feet; seasonal closure normally prevents east-side entry in winter and spring.
Hetch Hetchy Entrance
Visitors going to Hetch Hetchy Reservoir and its trailheads
Hetch Hetchy Road from Evergreen Road / Highway 120, CA · Not a route to Yosemite Valley. Open sunrise to sunset only; day visitors must leave by sunset.
4726 Mariposa Grv Trl, Fish Camp, CA 93623, USA
Getting there
Car
CA-140 / El Portal Road · Arch Rock Entrance
Most direct all-year western approach to Yosemite Valley; arrive before 8 am in spring through fall for Valley parking.
Car
CA-120 / Big Oak Flat Road · Big Oak Flat Entrance
Approach from Groveland, the Bay Area, Stockton and Sonora; about 45 minutes to Yosemite Valley in good conditions.
Car
CA-41 / Wawona Road · South Entrance
Approach from Fresno and Oakhurst; use for Mariposa Grove, Wawona and Glacier Point when its road is open.
Car
CA-120 / Tioga Road · Tioga Pass Entrance
Eastern approach from Lee Vining and Mammoth Lakes; usually closed roughly November to May or June.
Bus
YARTS · Yosemite Valley / park stops
Year-round service on Highway 120 west, Highway 140 and Highway 41/Fresno-Oakhurst corridors; east-side service is seasonal. Use the free Valley shuttle once inside.
At the door
Step 1
Choose the correct entrance route
Check current road status before departure and follow signed routes rather than relying solely on GPS.
Step 2
Stop at the entrance station
Show a valid park pass or pay the entrance fee. Yosemite has no general timed-entry reservation in 2026.
Step 3
Pay cashlessly if needed
Entrance stations accept major credit cards and mobile payments, not cash.
Step 4
Collect information and enter
Rangers may provide maps and park information. In spring through fall, reach Yosemite Valley before 8 am if driving; parking is often full afterward.
Bags & what’s allowed
Fine
- Ordinary day bags; Yosemite publishes no airport-style security screening or bag-size limit for normal day entry.
Not allowed
- Do not leave food, toiletries, coolers, trash, or other scented items unattended or in a vehicle overnight; bear-storage rules apply.
No public cloakroom or luggage storage is available in Yosemite.
Source: nps.gov
Accessibility
- Step-free access
- Partly
- Lifts
- Unknown
Yosemite’s terrain is not uniformly accessible. Valley shuttle buses have wheelchair lifts and tie-downs. The Yosemite Village day-use parking area is about a half-mile from the visitor center, so use the shuttle if that is too far. Lower Yosemite Fall has a paved loop with an accessible eastern section. Glacier Point has paved approaches, though some grades exceed formal accessible-slope standards. Mist Trail and most major waterfall hikes are not accessible.
Source: nps.gov
Parking
- Yosemite Village day-use parking10 min walk · About a half-mile from the visitor center; use the free shuttle if needed. Arrive before 8 am in spring through fall.
- Curry Village parkingA recommended place to park once and use the free Valley shuttle, walk, or cycle.
- Yosemite Falls parking areaA recommended Valley parking area for a park-once visit; parking commonly fills after 8 am in spring through fall.