FAQ
The short version of everything in the guides — what people actually ask before they go.
A private vehicle pays $35, valid for seven consecutive days for everyone inside; a motorcycle $30; and anyone arriving on foot or by bicycle $20 per person. Children under 16 are free. Non-US residents aged 16 and older pay an extra $100 each unless they hold an America the Beautiful pass, and the gates take cards only; our entrance fees and reservations guide has the full table.
No. The park announced it is not using a timed entry reservation system in 2026, and you simply pay the entrance fee when you arrive. You still need a permit to climb Half Dome while the cables are up, and lodging and campsites should be booked early; our entrance fees and reservations guide covers both.
About 195 miles, or 4 to 5 hours, by I-580 and I-205 to Highway 120 through Manteca or Highway 140 through Merced. Without a car, Amtrak and Greyhound reach Merced, where YARTS buses continue to Yosemite Valley for $44 round trip; our guide to getting there compares every option.
By Highway 41: Fresno to Yosemite Valley is 94 miles, about 2 hours 15 minutes, entering at the South Entrance near the Mariposa Grove. In summer YARTS runs a Highway 41 bus from Fresno to the Valley for $40 round trip; in 2026 it ran from May 22 to September 25.
From spring through fall, the park's traffic page says to arrive before 8 am, after which parking is usually full, and Saturdays and holiday weekends are the busiest. Parking is free; once you find a space, leave the car and use the free Valley shuttle, which runs every 12 to 22 minutes from 7 am to 10 pm.
You can see Yosemite Valley in one day: Tunnel View, Bridalveil Fall, El Capitan and the 1-mile loop to Lower Yosemite Fall. Glacier Point is an hour's drive each way from the Valley and the Mariposa Grove 1 hour 15 minutes, so a day trip from San Francisco rarely fits all three; a tour from Oakhurst, closer to all of them, can include each in season. Our tours compared guide shows what each kind of day trip covers.
For the waterfalls, spring: runoff peaks in May or June, and Yosemite Falls is often a trickle or dry by August. Glacier Point Road and Tioga Road open from about late May to November, while from November through March you should expect tire chain requirements anywhere in the park.
On your own you drive, pay $35 per vehicle at the gate and need to be parked in the Valley early. A tour from San Francisco or Oakhurst handles the driving and parking; check whether it includes the entrance fee and, for non-US visitors, the $100 nonresident fee. The tours page compares them.