10 Best Things to Do in Yosemite National Park
Including waterfalls, wildlife and viewpoints.
Including waterfalls, wildlife and viewpoints.
Read this before you plan your visit to the park.
Hike, climb and backpack your way through this incredible park.
Discover the hidden gems of California’s beautiful—and sometimes rugged—central coast.
Do you know where you're going?
Discover the many hidden gems of Tuolumne County.
Just a half-day's drive south of Yosemite, Sequoia National Park is not to be missed.
Mariposa is the largest of the three groves inside Yosemite with about 500 mature sequoias.
Follow our guide by picking what you want to see in Yosemite.
The ultimate guide to lodging inside Yosemite National Park
Skip the parking hassles in Yosemite
Reservations are required to visit Yosemite National Park during peak season and hours in 2024.
In 2024 Yosemite National Park will once again require reservations for entry during peak visitation seasons and hours at all entrances besides Hetch Hetchy. These include weekends in February, weekends and holidays in spring and early summer, every day in mid-summer, and weekends and holidays in late summer and fall.
Yosemite reservations 2024 February Day-Use Reservations for Firefall: In 2024, day-use reservations are required at all times of day February 10-11, 17-19 and 24-25. April, May and June Peak-Hours Reservation: A reservation, good for three days, is required between 5 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays April 13-June 30. Outside of these peak hours and on non-holiday weekdays, a reservation is not required. July and Early August Peak-Hours Reservation: A reservation, good for three days, is required between 5 a.m. and 4 p.m., every day of the week between July 1 and August 16. Outside of these peak hours, a reservation is not required. Late August, September and October Peak-Hours Reservation: A reservation, good for three days, is required between 5 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays August 17-October 27. Outside of these peak hours and on non-holiday weekdays, a reservation is not required. February Weekend Reservations During Firefall Firefall in Yosemite (Photo by Jeongrae Cho)
If you’re planning to visit Yosemite in February 2024, you make need a reservation. Because of the spectacular “firefall” phenomenon that occurs when the sunset hits Horsetail Fall each February, visitors flock to the park. If you’re planning to visit during the three weekends in February when this occurs, you’ll need a reservation, regardless of whether or not you plan to visit the waterfall.
February 10-12, 17-19 and 24-26, 2024, visitors must make a day-use reservation to visit Yosemite National Park. Half of available reservations will become available on recreation.gov at 8 a.m. PT on December 1, 2023. These reservations are expected to fill up immediately, so for your best chance of snagging one, make an account in advance and log on as soon as reservations open.
The remaining 50% of reservations will be available two days prior to your desired visit date at 8 a.m.
Reservations are not timed and allow unlimited entry for seven consecutive days. There is a non-refundable $2 reservation fee, in addition to your park entrance fee.