Overview: Yosemite National Park is one of America’s most popular parks and is visited annually by more than 3.5 million tourists who experience the beautiful landscape, waterfalls and steep cliffs of this place. Although the park extends over a vast area of 1,189 square miles, the most popular section among tourists is the 7 square miles of Yosemite Valley. The park is extremely famous among climbers for the 3500-foot vertical granite wall of El Capitan. The park has a lot to offer: Rafting in the Merced River, Hiking, Professional photography, Cycling, Horse riding, Skiing and snow shoes on the Badger Pass and camping. Yosemite National Park is located about 200 miles east of San Francisco (SFO), about 3 to 4 hours by car.
Yosemite Valley located in the central part of the High Sierras and is a visited part of the park. Yosemite Valley begins to experience most visitors, from early spring to early summer (from February to May), when waterfalls are in full intensity. Summer time from June to September is overcrowded, especially on weekends, as school summer breaks go around that time, and many parents bring their children around this time. The cost of entering the park is $ 20 per car, valid for 7 days. You have the opportunity to travel around you, but to preserve the natural beauty of the park and keep the area free from pollution, the park runs free buses to most of the popular places. High traffic is common, especially at the entrance, but its worth seeing the beauty that lies ahead. Yosemite Valley is the only place in Yosemite where you can buy food in the park. Although all major roads are kept well plowed during the snow season, the National Park Service requires private car drivers to carry chains of tires. Below are some useful phone numbers.
For general park information, current weather and road conditions, call: 209-372-0200 (Recorded information). In summer, information about the trails can be found at: 209-372-0308, Reservations: 559-252-4848, Camping Reservations: 518-885-3639
How to get to Yosemite Valley: On the road: Take Auckland Bay Bridge to Highway 80 East, Take Highway 580 East and follow signs for Tracy / Stockton to Highway 20, Highway 205 to Highway 120 and to Yosemite National Park. It takes about an hour from the entrance to the park to the Yosemite Valley and the village.
AMTRAK serves San Diego, Los Angeles, Fresno, San Jose, San Francisco and Sacramento as far as Merced Riverbank and connects with VIA bus lines to directly service the Yosemite Valley. Call 800-872-7245 for more information.
Glacier Point Road: Glacier Point Road is approximately 30 miles from the visitor center. It opens at the end of May and ends in November. This road offers one of the most impressive views from a height. People make short stops, take pictures and hikes.
Tioga Pass: The entrance to Tioga is about 9,950 feet and offers a breathtaking view of the park. It is available only in summer, from June to July, as this area is at a height and heavy snow in winter. You can also see some beautiful wildflowers and redwoods.
Mariposa Grove: Mariposa Grove is the largest grove of giant sequoias Yosemite. The oldest tree, the Grizzly Giant, is about 1800 years old.
Half done: Half Dome is a granite dome in Yosemite National Park, located in the eastern part of the Yosemite Valley. Perhaps this is the most familiar form of Yosemite. The granite ridge rises more than 4,737 feet above the valley floor.
Useful websites for information on Yosemite National Park are: http://www.travelandtourisminfo.com, nps.gov/yose/, yosemite.org
To be safe: Yosemite has a large population of black bears living in Yosemite, and is recommended to be kept for food so that bears cannot feel it. Sometimes there are also mountain lions. Fill your car gas tank before entering the park, as its expensive inside the park and accessible only from a distance. Accommodation is available, but it is expensive if done at the last minute, so book in advance and go shopping. If you want budget accommodation, you can always stay a few kilometers from the park.
