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.
Junior Ranger booklets at every visitor center. Top trails by age — filtered by our hand-checked minimum age, shade and restrooms:
Dogs are restricted to paved roads, campgrounds and parking areas — almost no trails. Where they can't go, we map the nearest boarding and 24/7 vets.
Free shuttle loops the valley stops — park once and ride between trailheads and viewpoints.
Official details →Half Dome cables permit · preseason lottery (March) + daily lottery
Official details →Peak-hours entry reservation · required on busy summer days (~6am–2pm)
Official details →Coverage is patchy in Yosemite Valley and absent in the high country. Download maps first.
Crane Flat / El Portal (no gas in the valley)
Yosemite Valley EV chargers
No active NPS alerts for Yosemite National Park right now. ✦
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Turtleback Dome & Air Quality · live view
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The sweet spot for Yosemite National Park is May–June — right now: warm, calmer valley — climbers' season on el cap.
7 trails
| Trail | Length | Gain | Dog | Kids | Stroller | Shade | Restrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valley Loop (paved sections) | 6.5 mi | 100 ft | Yes | 4+ | Yes | 45% | Yes |
| Bridalveil Fall | 0.5 mi | 80 ft | No | 3+ | Yes | 30% | Yes |
| Lower Yosemite Fall | 1.2 mi | 50 ft | No | 3+ | Yes | 40% | Yes |
| Mirror Lake | 2 mi | 100 ft | No | 5+ | No | 50% | Yes |
| Mariposa Grove (Grizzly Giant Loop) | 2 mi | 300 ft | No | 5+ | No | 80% | Yes |
| Mist Trail to Vernal Fall | 3 mi | 1000 ft | No | 8+ | No | 40% | Yes |
| Half Dome | 16 mi | 4800 ft | No | 14+ | No | 30% | No |
Which side of Yosemite National Park actually saves you drive time — with live rates, not "top-10 from nowhere".
Wake up inside the gate — first light at the trailhead, no morning commute.
Check availability →Rooms minutes from the entrance with pools, breakfast and parking.
Check rates →PARTNER LINKS · RATES SHOWN ON THE PARTNER SITE
Where to fly in, as the National Park Service lists them.
MCEMerced Airport2 hours to Yosemite Valley
FATFresno-Yosemite International Airport1.5 hours to Wawona (2.5 hours to Yosemite Valley)
MMHMammoth Yosemite Airport1 hour to Tuolumne Meadows when Tioga Road is open (2.5 hours to Yosemite Valley)
+1 more · NPS directions
A car is essential at most parks — book early for summer and holiday weekends.
Compare cars →Where lots fill by 8 AM and which shuttle skips the stress — see "Know before you go" above.
Boat, wildlife and scenic tours matched to Yosemite National Park.
See tours →Vets, urgent care and groceries around Yosemite National Park — the block you hope you never need.
Get a heads-up before timed-entry and lottery windows open — plus new guides for the parks you care about.
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7 trails, each with its own page — distance, elevation gain, water and restroom data where the park publishes it. Valley Loop (paved sections) is the first in the table above.
Half Dome — 4,800 ft of gain over 16.0 miles. Gain is what decides how hard a day feels; the mileage on its own is the number that misleads people.
Yosemite National Park grades D on our A–D pet-policy scale. Dogs are restricted to paved roads, campgrounds and parking areas — almost no trails. Leashes (6 ft max) are required everywhere.
Our age-rated trails here start at 3+, and 6 of them suit kids 8 and under.
Merced Airport (MCE) — 2 hours to Yosemite Valley. We list 4 gateway airports for this park.
Yes — 3 official National Park Service webcams are embedded on this page, so you can see the conditions before you drive.
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