Yosemite National Park
Eight Tips for Yosemite
To make your trip a memorable one, we have compiled the following travel tips gleaned from park "regulars."
•â€‚ Bring It With You. Read and carry with you the map and all park information issued to you at the entrance station. They are free and useful tools, and have been designed to be easily "stuffable" into a daypack or purse.
•â€‚ Carry Water. No matter what season, it is strongly recommended to carry and drink plenty of water.
•â€‚ Start Early… or Late. During the busy summer months, arrive at popular destinations early, before 9:30 a.m. or come in the late afternoon. These are the best times to see wildlife, hear birds or waterfalls, and avoid crowds.
•â€‚ Park and Ride. Make use of the free year-round shuttle system in Yosemite Valley, or in summer, at Wawona/Mariposa Grove and Tuolumne Meadows. Often a good strategy is to take a shuttle one way and walk back. Park tours are also an excellent way to see the sights while letting someone else drive.
•â€‚ Carry a Flashlight. Yosemite's nightscape can be as spectacular as its sites by day, especially on the nights of a full moon. To preserve the beauty of the night sky, lighting in the park is kept to a minimum. Always carry a flashlight.
•â€‚ Carry Rain Gear. Don't let sudden changes in weather catch you unprepared.
•â€‚ Learn Something New. Yosemite has a number of excellent museums, visitor centers and trailside exhibits. And don't forget the rangers. Many programs are led by rangers dedicated to sharing their love of this park with you!
•â€‚ Come Back! Yosemite is a place awaiting your return. Make it—and other national parks—a family tradition.
Yosemite In Depth
News from the Parks
National Parks Escape, This Time Around
January 8, 2009 - 5:17pm
Unlike the last two years, popular recreation areas in Western Washington have escaped serious damage from this week’s heavy rain. Mount Rainier National Park and Gifford Pinchot National Forest were devastated by flooding in 2007. Last year, flooding hit Olympic National Park.
January 8, 2009 - 5:17pm
Unlike the last two years, popular recreation areas in Western Washington have escaped serious damage from this week’s heavy rain. Mount Rainier National Park and Gifford Pinchot National Forest were devastated by flooding in 2007. Last year, flooding hit Olympic National Park.
Dorgan with Game and Fish
January 8, 2009 - 5:06pm
Sen. Byron Dorgan, (D-N.D.) said he agrees with the North Dakota Game and Fish Department on the elk situation at Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Since the unveiling of the National Park Service’s Draft Elk Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement on Dec. 17, Game and Fish officials have voiced their displeasure that the document did not include their “Alternative G,” as a viable option.
January 8, 2009 - 5:06pm
Sen. Byron Dorgan, (D-N.D.) said he agrees with the North Dakota Game and Fish Department on the elk situation at Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Since the unveiling of the National Park Service’s Draft Elk Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement on Dec. 17, Game and Fish officials have voiced their displeasure that the document did not include their “Alternative G,” as a viable option.
Coming to the Inauguration? Read This First, Then Think Again
January 8, 2009 - 5:05pm
All roads will lead to Washington on Inauguration Day, but many of them will be closed. With packed trains, buses and planes, how will as many as 2 million people who are hoping to witness history crowd into a city whose subway system usually accommodates 718,000 a day?
January 8, 2009 - 5:05pm
All roads will lead to Washington on Inauguration Day, but many of them will be closed. With packed trains, buses and planes, how will as many as 2 million people who are hoping to witness history crowd into a city whose subway system usually accommodates 718,000 a day?
Scientists Ready to Analyze Yellowstone Park Quake Data
January 8, 2009 - 5:01pm
Between Dec. 27 and Jan. 2, more than 500 small earthquakes shook Yellowstone National Park. The swarm of quakes was centered below Yellowstone Lake, beginning southeast of Stevenson Island and migrating north toward Fishing Bridge before quieting.
January 8, 2009 - 5:01pm
Between Dec. 27 and Jan. 2, more than 500 small earthquakes shook Yellowstone National Park. The swarm of quakes was centered below Yellowstone Lake, beginning southeast of Stevenson Island and migrating north toward Fishing Bridge before quieting.
Haleakala National Park Gets New Superintendent
January 8, 2009 - 5:00pm
Sarah Creachbaum, a 15-year veteran of the National Park Service, has been named superintendent of Haleakala National Park.
January 8, 2009 - 5:00pm
Sarah Creachbaum, a 15-year veteran of the National Park Service, has been named superintendent of Haleakala National Park.
