Guides

Plan Yosemite properly

Planning guides for the decisions that change your day in Yosemite — how to get there, what you pay at the gate, and which tour.

Yosemite Valley from Tunnel View, with El Capitan on the left and Bridalveil Fall on the right

How to Get to Yosemite from San Francisco, Fresno and Lake Tahoe

Driving routes and times to Yosemite from San Francisco, Fresno and Lake Tahoe, the YARTS buses and Amtrak via Merced, and what to know about parking, chains and the gate.

The sheer granite face of El Capitan under a cloudy sky

Yosemite Entrance Fees, Tickets and Reservations in 2026

What Yosemite costs to enter in 2026: the $35 vehicle pass, the new $100 nonresident fee, annual passes, whether you need a reservation, Half Dome permits and tour tickets.

Giant sequoia trunks among green undergrowth in a forest grove

Yosemite Tours Compared: Day Trips, Two-Day Tours, Guided Walks and Park Buses

Yosemite tours side by side: day trips from San Francisco, small-group and sequoia tours, tours from Oakhurst, two-day trips, guided Valley walks, the park's own buses and the Sugar Pine railroad.