Please be advised: Road and infrastructure repairs are underway in Yosemite resulting in detours and delays. Please drive with extreme caution. Call the National Park Service information line at 209-372-0200 for the latest road and weather updates.
Getting Around Yosemite Valley
Arrive early, leave late: Even on the busiest driving days in Yosemite Valley, traffic doesn’t build up until around 9am or 10am and then subsides at 6pm or 7pm. The same is true in the evening ~ those not fortunate enough to stay in the Valley typically begin their return drives home at 4pm or 5pm, depending on the day of the week and traffic patterns. Take advantage of the quiet times to get into and out of the Valley, and take advantage of alternative transportation while you are here.
Ride the Shuttle Bus: There are many different shuttle bus routes available to Yosemite Park visitors so that you can park your car in a large, day-use lot and commute easily without having to worry about traffic or multiple parking changes. Free hybrid shuttles are available for getting around the Valley floor. Other busses can take you to Tuolumne Meadows, or Glacier Point. You can download a Valley shuttle bus map from the National Park Service that also includes the extended El Capitan loop, available June 16 – September 4. Call (209) 372-4FUN to get more information on other bus tours.
Ride a Bicycle: Biking is one of the best and most fun means of getting around the Valley floor during the busier summer months. Twelve miles of paved bike trails allow traffic-free travel to most places within the Eastern end of Yosemite Valley, including the loop to Happy Isles and the road to Mirror Lake which are closed to personal vehicles not bearing handicapped placards. Not only is this a fun and healthy way to see the park, biking also makes it easy to stop and take pictures. The pace is slow enough that you won’t miss out on the scenery, and there’s no annoying automobile roof over your head obstructing views of the high cliffs and waterfalls. Bicycle rentals are available at the Curry Village Recreation Center and at the Yosemite Lodge Bike Stand, weather conditions permitting.
Walk: And of course the simplest thing method of transportation is to simply walk. Bring your camera, spend a little extra time, and really stop to smell the wildflowers along the way.
Use The Turn Outs
People drive at different speeds. Some are uncomfortable with the curves in the road, or want to enjoy a leisurely sightseeing drive, while others may be late for a tour or an evening program they were hoping to catch.
Unfortunately, passing lanes are relatively rare on the winding, mountain roads within Yosemite, and a line of cars may pile up behind one slower driver. The solution? Turn-outs are built specifically for use by slower cars, enabling them to pull off the road briefly and permit followers to pass. It’s the considerate thing to do, and drivers often receive a grateful wave as they allow others to move at their own pace.
Drive the Speed Limit
We have 3.5 million visitors to the park each year, many of whom are first-time visitors in awe of their natural surroundings. Sometimes drivers do unpredictable things, like stopping in the middle of the road just past a blind corner to take a picture. And our wildlife still hasn’t learned to use the cross-walks. You might come around a corner and find yourself face to face with a 350-pound bear. In 2007, 12 bears were hit by cars. It’s bad for the automobiles and sad for the wildlife. To some people, the 25 and 35-mile-per-hour speed limits may seem slow for the road conditions, but when wildlife dart out of the forest unexpectedly, slower speeds make the difference in saving their lives.
More Travel References
If you are visiting during the winter be sure to check out these winter driving tips.
Get directions for getting to Yosemite.
Check out the current weather in Yosemite.
Find out about current road & trail conditions on the NPS site.
