Area
Not just a great valley, but a shrine to human foresight, the strength of granite, the power of glaciers, the persistence of life, and the tranquility of the High Sierra. First protected in 1864, Yosemite National Park is best known for its waterfalls, but within its nearly 1,200 square miles, you can find deep valleys, grand meadows, ancient giant sequoias, a vast wilderness area, and much more.
Yosemite National Park is a wonderful and beautiful place with towering trees, thundering waterfalls and massive granite formations. Set aside as a national park in 1890, Yosemite is a place visited by almost four million visitors each year. Yosemite's goal is to provide the highest level of accessibility to our visitors as possible. Each year has shown marked improvements in both physical and programmatic accessibility at Yosemite.
The staff at Yosemite is working hard to correct and resolve accessibility deficiencies throughout the park. By using principles of universal design, Yosemite is committed to providing physical access to the greatest number of individuals. From designing and building new facilities to the rehabilitation of older buildings, accessibility has become a key component of all projects. The park also offers a free fully accessible shuttle bus service in Yosemite Valley to all park visitors.
For more information, download the park's accessibility guide [2 MB PDF], which describes access to areas, facilities, and services for people with disabilities. In addition, our Deaf Services Program is dedicated to connecting the Deaf community to everything Yosemite has to offer. Finally, we have a visual guide to visiting Yosemite Valley for people with aphasia [1.5 MB PDF].
Audio description for the park brochure is available using the UniDescription app, available for iOS and Android devices.
More information on the Yosemite National Park website.
More information on the Yosemite National Park website.
More information on pets in Yosemite National Park can be found on the website.
Entrance fee is $35.00.
This fee is valid for seven days.
You can drive to Yosemite year-round and enter via Highways 41, 140, and 120 from the west. Tioga Pass Entrance (via Highway 120 from the east) is closed from approximately November through late May or June. Hetch Hetchy is open all year but may close intermittently due to snow. Please note that GPS units do not always provide accurate directions to or within Yosemite.
Yosemite National Park covers nearly 1,200 square miles (3,100 square km) in the Sierra Nevada, with elevations ranging from about 2,000 feet (600 m) to 13,000 ft (4,000 m). Yosemite receives 95% of its precipitation between October and May (and over 75% between November and March). Most of Yosemite is blanketed in snow from about November through May. (Yosemite Valley can be rainy or snowy in any given winter storm.)
