Yosemite National Park Tips | 5 Things to Know Before You Go!

Yosemite National Park Tips | 5 Things to Know Before You Go!

Hey there! If you’re planning a 
trip to Yosemite National Park, here are five things that you 
need to know before you go. My name is Ash and I’m a former park ranger and 
the founder of Dirt In My Shoes. I am here to make your Yosemite National Park vacation 
fantastic. So let’s talk about the five things that you’ll want to know before you 
go. This will help jumpstart your planning process and make sure that you’re ready to 
have a great time in Yosemite National Park. Number one, Yosemite is a large national 
park. So not only is Yosemite really popular, but it is a very large national park with multiple 
entrances, lots of different places you can stay, and several roads that you can drive. And 
so, this is what surprises a lot of people as they’re planning a trip to Yosemite 
versus when they actually get there. is realizing that it does take a long time to 
drive between the points of interest and it can be hard to navigate through the park because 
it is a little bit more complex. So for example, we have the Yosemite National Park map 
right here. You can see that it is rather large. We have Yosemite Valley down in here 
and that’s a really good central location. So, as you can see, we’ve got this road coming 
up here, the Tioga Road is what it’s called. You’ve got this road going south all the way 
down to here. And so it can take a long time to drive between points of interest. 
So for example, from Yosemite Valley up here to the Tuolumne Meadows, so you’ll 
follow the Tioga Road, it’s about 55 miles. If you’re on good highway, you know 
that doesn’t take very long to drive, but because you’re in Yosemite, the speed 
limits are lower, the roads are windy. You’re gaining a lot of elevation as you’re driving 
this Tioga Road to Tuolumne Meadows. And so, that takes the 55 miles and makes it about 
an hour and a half to two hours to drive. So, you’ll just want to keep that in 
mind as you’re planning your trip, as you’re planning your lodging. Because, if you 
book your lodging for somewhere up here, say in the Tuolumne Meadows Lodge or the campground up 
here. Then it’s going to take you a long time to drive to Yosemite Valley or even further 
to get down to the southern area of the park. And so for that reason, I like to know kind of 
the layout of the park before I’m going to book my lodging. In this case, I do like to be in this 
area here because it is more central and Yosemite is such a big park. Knowing that Yosemite is a 
really large national park not only helps with the lodging, but also when you’re planning out 
your days and what you want to do in the park, it makes a big difference to know about how long 
it’s going to take to drive between points of interest and how to plan out your sites so that 
you’re not spending most of your day in the car. If figuring out how to plan your time and how 
to make sure you’re not spending all your time in the car. Seems overwhelming to you then 
click on over to dirt in my shoes You’ll find my National Park trip itineraries and I do have 
one for Yosemite So if you click in here You’ll see that I can help you with your day’s plan 
and make sure that you know exactly when to be where and how long It’s going to take to drive 
between all the sites that you’re hoping to see Number two, book your lodging a year in advance. Yosemite has a lot of options of places 
to stay, and so that’s really nice, especially if you’re wanting to be in the park. 
You do have some really great options. However, they do get snatched up pretty 
quickly, and so if you can, try to book your trip about a year in advance. 
That’s when the hotels open up for reservations. And so if you’re wanting to visit in July of 
2025, then you’ll want to book your lodging July of 2024. If we take a look at the map 
again, then you’ll see typically, again, when I’m trying to book my lodging, I like 
to either be in Yosemite Valley here. It’s nice and central. There are several good lodging 
options here, including hotels and campgrounds. Or if you’re wanting to be just outside of 
the park, kind of in this El Puerto area, Foresta is right in here, Yosemite 
West is right in here. Those are all really great lodging options if 
you’re hoping to be in a good central location for Yosemite. You will also find 
several campgrounds along the Tioga Road. Those are a little bit further out than I 
typically like to be, but they will work, especially if you’re not able to get anything 
in Yosemite Valley. You could book, say, uh, something at White Wolf or Yosemite Creek, 
and then you could spend a few days down in the southern end of the park, too. And 
so that would also break up your lodging. But you’re looking at about a year 
in advance for hotels in Yosemite, and especially the ones in Yosemite Valley, they 
do get Awani. Uh, but if you can get in there, it is a really great location. 
Campgrounds in Yosemite are very competitive. It can be so difficult to get 
a campsite in Yosemite Valley, especially. You’ll see this all about camping post where 
I will map out all of the campgrounds and your options. So you can check that out. But in 
general, if you can get in Yosemite Valley, do try to do that because it is the best location. 
Campground reservations go on sale five months in advance and you’ll see on this website here on 
Yosemite that they do have a list of when you might be staying in the campground and what day 
you’ll want to make your reservations for that. So definitely refer to this as you’re 
planning to get your campsites and if you’re hoping to get reservations for that. 
This process for getting lodging either at a hotel or a campsite may change at any time, 
so definitely be sure to check the official Yosemite NPS site to make sure that you have 
the most up to date information for your trip. Number three, Yosemite is extremely crowded. So 
Yosemite is always in the top ten most visited parks in the U. S., so it does stay very 
crowded. You’re looking at Three million plus visitors per year visiting this 
park, most of them coming during the summer months. So you’ll want to keep that in 
mind as you’re planning your trip to Yosemite, so that you can control what you can control and 
make sure that you have a good plan in place. So what that typically means is, if 
you can time your visit really well, if you have a good plan, if you know which 
areas get the busiest, and how to find parking, and how to use the shuttle system, all of those 
things. That will make your trip so much more seamless and smooth, and you’ll be able to 
find more solitude, you’ll feel more peace, and you won’t have to be circling parking 
lots and being bogged down by crowds. A few things that Yosemite has in place to 
take care of some of the crowding issues, as you will see, sometimes they do require a 
reservation to enter the park. So you’ll find that information here on the homepage, or under, 
if you click alerts under the current conditions page. For It will give you more information 
about what to expect while you’re there. The other thing that you’ll want 
to keep in mind is that Yosemite does have a shuttle that you can take. 
primarily through the Yosemite Valley area of the park. So the Yosemite Valley 
area is the busiest part of the park. This is where you’ll get those iconic views of 
the granite cliffs and all the waterfalls. And so a lot of people like to be in here. 
This Yosemite Valley shuttle system will get you around. I do recommend using this 
shuttle system. It’s not mandatory. You don’t have to take it. But a lot of 
the parking lots in Yosemite Valley are really small and not meant to have cars 
just moving in and out of them all the time. And so you’ll want to park and then take 
the shuttle to get to all the places that you want to go. I used to hate visiting 
Yosemite because it just always felt so busy, but the truth is once you figure out how 
to really navigate through this park, it doesn’t have to feel busy at all. And 
so I now love visiting Yosemite because I’m able to beat the crowds and I’m able to 
get the parking spaces without a problem. So if you’re wanting any help with that, again, 
I have a Yosemite itinerary on dirt in my shoes that will walk you through all that and help you 
navigate the Yosemite Valley shuttle system. So I do provide more help for that, but just know 
that if you go to Yosemite and you have a good plan in place and you’re able to get in there and 
get parking, then it is a really nice vacation. You can have a great time. even despite the 
millions of people that visit this park each year. Number four, Yosemite is a seasonal national park. 
So what I mean by that is that not everything stays open year round. A lot of times when you 
start visiting the mountainous national parks, you’ll notice that they do have a pretty 
distinct summer and winter season. So Yosemite is no exception to that. And 
you will find something starting to close down in the late fall and they will stay 
closed through the spring until they can reopen for the summer months. June through 
September is the high season in Yosemite. The waterfalls peak in May and June 
so you’ll get a really good flow. You’ll be able to see those beautiful 
big waterfalls flowing really well at that time. The waterfalls in Yosemite do 
often dry up by August. So keep that in mind if you’re planning a later summer 
trip or into the fall that there is a really good chance that the waterfalls will 
be dry. Yosemite Valley itself is usually accessible year round and they do have some 
really fun winter activities that you can do. So by no means does the park completely 
close down during the winter. What you’ll see as far as closures is the Glacier Point 
Road and the Tioga Road. So on the map here, uh, the Tioga Road is this road here that 
goes through the northern part of Yosemite up to the Tuolumne Meadows. And this road 
closes down from about November through May. It typically reopens around the beginning 
of June for the summer season. This road reaches 10, 000 feet above sea level. It’s a 
very high road and so they do have to clear snow from it to get it open. And it does have 
a shorter season than the rest of the park. The other closure that you’ll often see during 
the off season is the Glacier Point Road. That is this road right here. And this one 
takes you out to Glacier Point. Now the whole road doesn’t actually close. It does stay 
open to this ski area here. So Yosemite does have an actual ski area in the park, which is 
really cool. So again, it’s by no means not a good place to go during the winter, but you just 
will want to keep in mind that the Glacier Point road beyond the Badger Pass ski area does 
stay closed for a good portion of the year. It typically reopens a little bit earlier than 
the Tioga Roads, so you’re talking maybe mid May, beginning of May sometimes, just depending 
on the snow levels. It’s important to know what is open in Yosemite before you plan your 
trip. You’ll want to make sure that you plan your trip. With those closures in mind because 
if you really have your heart set on going to Glacier Point But you plan your trip for some 
time in April or early May the road may not be open at that time So that’s why it’s important 
to know that Yosemite is somewhat seasonal. There are some closures there Those are typically 
the number one emails I get about people planning their trips to Yosemite and then they’ll email me 
and say We planned our trip for the end of April, and we didn’t realize that, uh, this road isn’t 
open, and this road isn’t open, and it can be a really sad realization when that comes up, so just 
keep that in mind as you’re planning your trip. If you need any help determining the best time 
of year to visit Yosemite, you can click on over to Dirt In My Shoes. I have a whole post about 
the best time to visit Yosemite. And I break it down by month, so I give my recommendations, 
but then I also give you everything that you need to know by month in Yosemite so that you can 
make sure you plan your trip for the right time. And the last thing you’ll want to know before visiting Yosemite is that Yosemite is a 
hiker’s paradise. So if you love to hike, Yosemite is a great place to go. There are so 
many epic, beautiful, wonderful trails. You can see those gorgeous granite cliffs. You 
can see the waterfalls. You’ve got lakes. You’ve got rivers. You’ve got wildlife. 
Just all the best stuff can be found in Yosemite National Park. In addition 
to some of those just regular trails, there are some extremely epic bucket list hikes 
that you’ll want to check out if you love to hike and are hoping to further discover 
Yosemite. The first one being Half Dome. So Half Dome is that giant granite formation that 
is so iconic in Yosemite and you can actually hike to the top of it. So you do need permits to 
hike this trail and it is not a traditional trail. You’re actually climbing up cables 
that the park rangers put up every year and you’re holding on to these cables and you’re 
working your way up to the top of the dome. So that is a very epic bucket list hike for 
most hikers and it’s a great one to add to your itinerary. Another trail that you might be 
interested in is the John Muir Trail. This is over 200 miles. It travels from Yosemite Valley. 
to Mount Whitney, which is the highest mountain in California. And so you can go through some of 
the best scenery in Yosemite along this trail. This one’s really popular because although 
it is a multi day backpacking trip, you know, usually people take about 10 to 14 days 
to do the entire John Muir trail. It’s a short enough trail that it’s not 
too complicated to plan a multi day backpacking trip here. Another one that you 
may have heard of is the Pacific Crest Trail. This trail is 2, 650 miles. It goes 
from Mexico to Canada and it travels right through Yosemite. And so that’s a really 
exciting, fun one if you’re looking for a big, long through hike or if you’re just wanting 
to section hike it. You will find sections of the Pacific Crest Trail in Yosemite. The 
John Muir Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail actually overlap a lot in this park, and so 
if you’re going to hike the John Muir Trail, you will see a lot of the Pacific 
Crest Trail that goes through Yosemite. Another option if you’re looking for a 
really unique backpacking opportunity is Yosemite has High Sierra Camps, and 
what these are basically are they’re rustic tents or cabins that are set up. in 
various places around Yosemite and you can hike between them. And so this information is 
all here but it’s a super cool opportunity. There are five of these and you’ll see on 
the map here. So, they mostly center around the Tuolumne Meadows area out here, and then 
you can just cycle around and go actually in a circle and hit all five of them if you 
want. What these are is they provide the bedding and the beds and the food, and so you 
don’t have to carry everything on your back. It’s more like day hiking between each camp, 
which is a really cool experience. Another option if you’re just looking for a day hike 
and you’re not wanting to go backpacking and you’re not wanting anything too difficult. 
is the Mist Trail. And the Mist Trail is one of Yosemite’s most famous trails because 
it travels up the side of a waterfall. Uh, you get misted from this waterfall. 
You’ll be drenched if you plan your trip in June or July. And it’s just a really, 
really fabulous hike. You’ll go to the top of Vernal Fall. If you want to continue, 
you can actually go to the top of Nevada Fall. You can get some great views of the 
waterfalls from up here and the granite domes. The Mist Trail is about six miles round 
trip. You can shorten it depending on how far you want to go and so that’s a really 
great option. This list of trails is by no means an exhaustive list of what you’ll find 
in Yosemite. There are some really good ones that aren’t as well known. And if you love to 
hike, this park is just so fantastic for that. You can get out on the trail, you 
can see some incredible things, and really find some nice solitude and great 
photo ops as you hit the trail in Yosemite. Okay, there you go. The five things you need to know 
before visiting Yosemite National Park. I am so excited for you to visit this national park. I am 
here for every step of the trip planning process. So if you’re just getting started and you’re 
looking for basic information on When to go, how many days to spend there, where 
to stay. I can help you with that. If you’ve already booked all of that and 
figured all that out, then I can help you with your day to day schedule. So be 
sure to click over to Dirt In My Shoes, find the Yosemite information that I 
have there for you and have a great trip.

Check out these Yosemite National Park tips before you head out on your vacation! Here are 5 things you need to know before you go!

You’ll learn about the crowds, areas, lodging, when to go, and what makes this park so awesome.

0:38 Yosemite is a large national park
3:22 Book your lodging a year in advance
5:56 Yosemite National Park is crowded
8:43 Yosemite National Park is a seasonal national park
12:13 Yosemite is a hiker’s paradise

These tips will get you started with your Yosemite trip plans, but you can get a fully planned, hour-by-hour trip itinerary here: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/yosemite-itinerary/

My goal is to make national park trip planning easy!
⭐️ Yosemite Ultimate Trip Planning Guide https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/yosemite-national-park/
⭐️ Yosemite Can’t-Miss List: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/12-things-cant-miss-first-trip-yosemite/
⭐️ Yosemite National Park Itinerary: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/yosemite-itinerary/

Connect with Ash at Dirt In My Shoes
YouTube: @DirtInMyShoes
Podcast: https://anchor.fm/exploringthenationalparks
Website: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com
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