Yosemite National Park

Activities

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  Boating

  Rafting along the Merced River is popular during summer. You can rent a raft (typically in June and July, but it varies from year to year, depending on water level) or bring your own. (Other nonmotorized vessels, such as kayaks, are also permitted.) Rafting is permitted on the Merced River between Stoneman Bridge (near Curry Village) and Sentinel Beach Picnic Area between 10 am and 6 pm under the following conditions: the river stage (depth) must read less than 6.5 feet at Sentinel Bridge and the sum of air temperature and water temperature must be more than 100°F. You must have a personal flotation device immediately available for each occupant of the raft. Rafting is also permitted on the South Fork of the Merced River in the Wawona area.

  Some visitors enjoy kayaking the calm waters of Tenaya Lake.

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  Bicycling

  Over 12 miles of paved bike paths are available in Yosemite Valley. In addition, bicyclists can ride on regular roads (if they obey traffic laws). Helmets are required by law for children under 18 years of age.

  Off-trail riding, mountain biking, and use of motorized bicycles or scooters on bike paths are not permitted in Yosemite National Park.

  Bicycles are available for rent in Yosemite Valley. .

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  Auto/Motorcycle

  All of the roads in Yosemite National Park are scenic, but the most famous scenic drive is along the Tioga Road, a 39-mile (62 km) drive from Crane Flat to Tioga Pass. The road is typically open from late May or early June through sometime in November. (Check current road conditions.)

  The Yosemite Road Guide, available at visitor center bookstores, contains descriptions of each road inside the park and includes suggestions of where to stop along the way.

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  Camping

  Yosemite National Park has 13 popular campgrounds, of which up to seven are on a reservation system. From April through September, reservations are essential and even the first-come, first-served campgrounds often fill by noon from May through September.

  Reservations are required March 15 through November for Yosemite Valley's car campgrounds and summer through fall for Hodgdon Meadow, Wawona, and half of Crane Flat and Tuolumne Meadows. Campground reservations are available in blocks of one month at a time, up to five months in advance, on the 15th of each month at 7 am Pacific time. Be aware that nearly all reservations for the months of May through September and for some other weekends are filled the first day they become available (often within minutes after 7 am)! Call 877/444-6777 (or 877/833-6777 for TDD), (or 518/885-3639 from outside the US & Canada) for reservations.

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  Climbing

  Yosemite is one of the world's greatest climbing areas. Climbers here can enjoy an endless variety of challenges--from the sustained crack climbs of the Merced River Canyon to pinching crystals on sun-drenched Tuolumne Meadows domes to multi-day aid climbs on the big walls of the Valley. Yosemite is not just a climber's playground, however: its walls and crags are an integral part of a larger ecosystem, protected as Wilderness, which was set aside for people to enjoy in a natural state for generations to come. At the current time, wilderness permits are not required for nights spent on a wall. Half Dome: Camping at the base of Half Dome is legal, but a wilderness permit is required. To have the best chance of getting one, go there early in the morning the day before you hike up. Camping on the summit of Half Dome is prohibited.

  Climbing Instruction and Guide Service can be contracted by contacting Yosemite Mountaineering School at 209/372-1000 for information on rates and schedules.

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  Fishing

  Fishing regulations for Yosemite National Park follow those set by the State of California, including the requirement that people 16 or older have a valid California fishing license.

  The season for stream and river fishing begins on the last Saturday in April and continues through November 15. The only exception is Frog Creek near Lake Eleanor, where fishing season does not open until June 15 to protect spawning rainbow trout. The late opening includes the first 1/2 mile of Frog Creek up to the first waterfall, including the pool below this waterfall. The late opening also extends 200 feet from the mouth of Frog Creek out onto the surface of Lake Eleanor and along its shore for a distance of 200 feet from the creek's mouth. Otherwise, all lakes and reservoirs are open to fishing year-round.

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  Golfing

  Yosemite's Wawona Golf Course was the first regulation course in the Sierra Nevada when it opened in 1918, and has provided golfers challenging but rewarding rounds ever since. The nine-hole, par-35 national park golf course measures 3,050 yards and includes two par-five holes and three par-three holes. Different tee positions per side provide a par-70, 18-hole format.

  The course uses reclaimed gray water for watering the greens and uses no peticides at all, making it one of the few organic golf courses in America.

  For more information and tee time reservations, call the Wawona Golf Shop at (209) 375-6572.

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  Hiking

  One of the best ways to experience Yosemite is by taking a hike. Some of the best hikes available include Yosemite Valley, Glacier Point Road, Wawona and Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias, Hetch Hetchy, White Wolf and Tuolumne Meadows. Snowshoe and cross-country trails for Badger Pass/Glacier Point, Mariposa Grove, and Crane Flat area (these areas are usually snowy from mid December through March).

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  Horseback Riding

  Guided mule rides and both pack and saddle trips are available through DNC Parks & Resorts at Yosemite from spring through fall.

  Overnight boarding facilities, spot packing, and day rides are available from DNC Parks & Resorts at Yosemite (DNC) whose liveries are located within Yosemite National Park. Horse owners are responsible for making advance arrangements for overnight use and reservations are suggested for all services. Information may be obtained by calling DNC at 209-372-4386, or by visiting DNC's website.

  Several commercial pack stations are authorized to provide certain services in Yosemite. If using trailheads within Yosemite, please use DNC. If you are starting outside the park at a US Forest Service trailhead, contact the pack station in the appropriate area.

  In the front country, privately owned stock may be kept overnight only in campgrounds with designated stock sites.

  Stock sites are available seasonally at Wawona Campground, Bridalveil Creek Campground, and Tuolumne Meadows Campground. Reservations are required. There is no stock camp in Yosemite Valley.

  The Wawona and Bridalveil Creek horse camps have two sites each; the Tuolumne Meadows horse camp has four sites. Each site can accommodate up to six people and six head of stock. There is a limit of two vehicles and two stock trailers per parking area.

  Wilderness stock users may also use one of two sites at the Hetch Hetchy Backpackers' Campground.

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  Picnicking

  Picnic areas are available throughout Yosemite on a first-come, first-served basis (reservations are not available) from dawn to dusk.

  Unless otherwise noted, all picnic areas in Yosemite have picnic tables, vault toilets, garbage and recycling receptacles. All picnic areas have grills except Cascades, Lower Yosemite Fall, Church Bowl, Yosemite Creek, and Lembert Dome. No picnic areas have potable water.

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  Water Sports

  Besides the outdoor pools available to the public during summer at Curry Village and Yosemite Lodge swimming is permitted in all bodies of water in the park except Hetch Hetchy Reservoir and above waterfalls. Swimming in the Merced River is a great way to cool off--but help protect the river by entering and exiting only on sandy beaches. Swimming in rivers is not without hazards, including swift currents, cold water, and hazards within the river (e.g., trees).

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  Wildlife Watching

  Yosemite National Park supports more than 400 species of vertebrates including fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. In Yosemite Valley, home to the mule deer and black bear, visitors should watch for species that depend upon meadow habitat. Animals come to feed on the green grasses and use the flowing and standing water found in many meadows. Overall, the park's widespread coniferous forests--with a relatively mild climate and a mixture of plant species--provide a lush habitat for animals to live. Wildlife species typically found include bobcat, gray fox, mountain kingsnake, Gilbert's skink, white-headed woodpecker, brown creeper, spotted owl, and a wide variety of bat species.

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  Winter Sports

  Several marked winter trails are available, generally from mid December through March. Yosemite Valley usually doesn't have sufficient snow for skiing or snowshoeing. Badger Pass ski area is home to the oldest downhill skiing area in California and offers downhill skiing and snowboarding from mid-December through March. DNC Parks & Resorts at Yosemite rents downhill and cross-country skis, snowboards, and snowshoes at Badger Pass. DNC also offers skiing and snowboarding lessons at Badger Pass. Snowshoes (but not skis) are also available for rent at the Crane Flat store. An outdoor ice skating rink in Yosemite Valley (at Curry Village) is open from mid-November to mid-March.