Yosemite national Park | history, facts, map, Attractions, hotel and tourist information

 

"Yosemite National Park"

The most interesting thing in the United States is not at all crowded and often standard cities and streets familiar from movies. Natural attractions make the most vivid impressions on their guests. It is because of the national parks that it is worth getting a difficult visa and flying across the ocean. In total, there are a huge number of national parks in the United States, but only 14 of them are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The Big Three: Grand Canyon, Yosemite, and Yellowstone are the best. This article about the incredible Yosemite National Park, its most interesting and hidden corners.

Yosemite National Park is located in the western part of the country in the state of California. Giant rocks, purest rivers, grandiose waterfalls - the mesmerizing beauty of pristine nature in its almost untouched form. A huge number of birds, deer, coyotes and even bears. At the same time, there are ideal roads, good tourist infrastructure. And as a result, about three million people visit Yosemite Park every year.

What are the first things to do before visiting Yosemite Park ?

• Select the season.
• Make your own plan, taking into account your capabilities and desires.
• Leave time in the program for a spontaneous creative maneuver (how can we climb up that nameless rock, or maybe we just sit and admire the sunset by this lake?) 

These three points will save you time and money.

History of Yosemite National Park

The creator of this area was nature itself. About 400 million years ago, the North American Plate covered the Farallon Plate, resulting in the formation of the Sierra Nevada Ridge. Erosion completed a unique process, and as a result, humanity received a unique object with frightening-looking rocks, deep canyons and mountain rivers.

The official opening date of Yosemite is October 1, 1890. Long before the complex was given a protected status, life was in full swing here. In 1833, the first European settlers appeared here, who quickly calculated the possible profit from this place.

After the discovery in 1848 of several gold deposits, "luck seekers" began to flock here, provoking the beginning of the legendary California "Gold Rush". In pursuit of money, gold diggers cared little about the preservation of natural resources, gradually destroying Yosemite. It came to bloody confrontations between local Indian tribes and greedy prospectors.

In 1855, the talented artist T. Ayres and his friend entrepreneur D. Hutchings came to Yosemite. Admiring the beauty of the surrounding landscapes, they publish colorful booklets and guidebooks, thereby attracting tourists here. The rumor about the unprecedented success of the two friends' endeavors quickly reaches the very top, and on June 30, 1864, a document signed by Congress and then US President Abraham Lincoln, called the "Yosemite Grant", is published. The main idea of ​​the decree was the creation of a public park in the eastern part of the Sierra Nevada ridge. To protect this place, stop cutting down rare trees and stop grazing livestock, in 1890 the public park received the status of a national park. In 1916, thanks to the creation of a special service, roads and bike paths were built in Yosemite park.

See also:

National Parks in California

Road and cities near yosemite national park

The ideal and almost the only way to visit Yosemite Park is by renting a car. The park is huge, its area is more than three thousand square meters. kilometers, so transport is necessary. An alternative to the car can be a pre-purchased bus tour. But you immediately become hostage to the standard tourist program, unreasonably high prices and unnecessary company.

     Tip:👉 The highest gasoline prices are not in the US national parks. Highest price at the last gas station before entering the park. People are afraid that it will be even higher further and fill in a full tank at the maximum cost.

The closest major cities with international airports to Yosemite Park are: Los Angeles (500 km 11 hours on the way), San Francisco (300 km 7 hours on the way) and Las Vegas (700 km 15 hours  on the way). When planning a route from Las Vegas, it is worth considering that your path will lie in mountainous terrain and it is quite possible that some roads may be closed from November to May. Very often, travelers start their journey from one city, and end in another or loop the route, drive, for example, from Los Angeles through Yosemite Park, then, visiting San Francisco, return to the City of Angels along the coast.

• Yosemite National Park maps

Yosemite National Park open hours and tickets

      Tip:👉 Don't come to Yosemite on national holidays or even just on weekends. We drove out of the park on one of those days. And we had the good fortune to contemplate a line of cars at the entrance during 15-20 minutes of our continuous movement at a speed of 40-50 km / h. Those. people stood in line for 2 or more hours.

Opening hours: the park is open for visits around the clock, 365 days a year. However, some roads may be closed due to snowfall from November to May or even June.

You can pay in advance here (preferred) or upon arrival (credit card only).

• The most popular ticket to Yosemite Park is the car ticket. All passengers in it also have access to the park. It costs 35 USD and is valid for 7 calendar days. What is great, during this period, you, or rather your car, can leave the park and come back without any additional payment.

• A motorcycle ticket also costs 30 USD for a week, and the fee is charged exclusively for the vehicle.

• If you come here by bike or come on foot, you will be charged 15 USD per person, and children under 15 do not need to pay for their visit to the park.

• It is also possible to purchase an annual pass to visit the park. The Yosemite Annual Pass costs only $ 70, but it is still not very popular.

• If you intend to visit several national parks during your trip, then it is worth buying another Annual Pass. It costs 80 USD and allows you to come to any parks in the United States for one year.

• Tickets do not need to be purchased online in advance. They are quietly purchased at the entrance to the park. There are no entry restrictions, only sometimes you can queue up due to the large influx of people.

• Yosemite Park is open around the clock throughout the year. Just remember that driving in the park at night is below average pleasure. Lanterns on the roads are not provided here.

      Tip:👉 There are very few fixed lanterns in Yosemite Park. Therefore, it will be correct to take a flashlight with you on your trip so as not to stumble over all the oncoming stones after sunset.

Best season to visit yosemite park 

When is the best time to visit Yosemite? Depends on what you want. It should be borne in mind that the weather in the mountains is very changeable and largely depends on the altitude. The height within the park varies from 600 to 4,000 meters. Learn more about Yosemite in summer, fall, winter, or spring, and find out what kind of weather to expect.

Winter:

In winter, it is cold in Yosemite and there is a lot of snow, sometimes up to several tens of meters, but so much of it happens mainly on the hills. Usually, snowfall occurs in the months from November to March.

Winter photos of Yosemite are very beautiful, but personally, if I am not a fan of the cold, I would not go to the park in winter. In any case, the cold is not conducive to long walks, but skiing is the thing.

Spring:

Spring is a transitional period and a time of stormy waterfalls. In the lower reaches, everything blooms, and at the height there is snow. Clear and sunny days can suddenly be replaced by bad weather and storm. Plus, rivers and streams overflow, flooding some areas. So it is better to postpone the trip until May, or even until June.

Summer:

Summer is the highest season to visit Yosemite Park. Sunny, warm and dry, it is very comfortable to live here even in an ordinary tent. Although we must not forget that even this time of year the nights are extremely cold here. At the beginning of summer, the waterfalls are full-flowing, but closer to August they already begin to dry up, and already at the beginning of September many simply disappear, while others remain thin, although picturesque streams. If Tioga Road may still be closed at the beginning of June, then in July you will definitely be able to drive along this incredibly beautiful path through the entire Yosemite Park.

But you have to pay for everything in life. In summer, the park has an incredible number of people. In addition to tourists from the United States and from around the world, children are on vacation, and many schools organize excursions to the park. On the roads there are a huge number of cars, buses, huge queues for entry and traffic jams, traffic jams. At this time, cars are often not allowed on any attractions, and they arrange intercepting parking, sending tourists further on local shuttles. Prices for all accommodation and meals in the park are maximum, there are huge queues everywhere.

Autumn:

Until the end of October, one can expect that it will be warm during the day, but at night it will be noticeably colder than in summer. Autumn, like spring, is a transitional period, so the weather can change quite abruptly and unpredictably.

Important! During the winter, due to snowfalls, some roads are closed (Tioga Road, Glacier Point Road). Before the trip, it is better to clarify such information on the official website.

• What time of year is it better to go to Yosemite?

 Of course, summer is a great time of the year as it is warm and long days. But Yosemite at this time of year is not fully revealed - the waterfalls have dried up, instead of roe deer and deer crowds of admiring tourists roam the park, and hundreds of rock climbers have stuck to the rocks.

Autumn or mid-May is recommended - full-flowing waterfalls, wildflowers in spring and yellow foliage in autumn, a minimum of tourists, reasonable prices. Spring-autumn is the time for romantics and budget travelers. Winter is gourmet time, but remember that auto travelers will need winter tires and chains on wheels. Many roads, including the very beautiful Tioga Road, are closed.

Top tourist attractions places  in Yosemite National Park

Yosemite Park is huge and it is simply unrealistic to write about all the sights. Therefore, I will highlight the most interesting, popular and vice versa "secret".

The park can be rather conditionally divided into several zones.

• wawona attractions

This is not a very popular area in the south of Yosemite Park. It is famous primarily for its Vavona meadow, historical center, non-budget hotel and sequoias.

Mariposa Grove:

In total, about 500 Sequoias live here, many of which are nominal, i.e. have earned their own name for some specific merit. This is a Giant Grizzly with a height of more than 60 meters, and the Fallen Monarch that collapsed 300 years ago without any signs of rotting, and the California Tunnel, one of the few living trees with a tunnel cut through inside, and tall Columbia just under 90 meters, and much more.

Alas, from 2014 to the present day, the Mariposa grove has been closed for reconstruction of the territory and is not yet available for visiting. Therefore, I highly recommend setting aside one day for the Sequoia National Park , which is located just 300 km to the southeast. This is the best place on our planet to see these giant trees.

Pioneer Yosemite History Center:

It will be of interest only to those who are fond of historical reconstruction. Here are the restored stables of the first settlers, houses, an interesting covered bridge. Probably it will be interesting for American schoolchildren, but not for travelers who have traveled half the length of the planet to see all the wonders of Yosemite Park.

      Tip:👉 Come to Yosemite Park for one day, just tease yourself in vain. You will see several breathtaking sights and understand that you definitely need to return here for 3-4 days, or even better for a week.

• YOSEMITE VALLEY Attractions

Unlike the previous area, Yosemite Valley is the most popular spot in the entire park. According to statistics, 90% of visitors visit it, and many stay here for the night in lodges or campgrounds.

Tunnel View:

You cannot miss this observation deck anyway. Upon entering the valley, just after the tunnel, you will have a stunningly beautiful panoramic view of the Yosemite Valley. The forest is like a carpet, softly covering the valley and the mountain giants in the background. Prepare for a stop in advance, after the tunnel you will need to immediately enter the parking lot. In the high season, especially during the day, there are often traffic jams, everyone is trying to stop, cars and buses are piled up. The best time to visit is an hour and a half before sunset.

This is where the Phono Trail starts, 21 km long one way. It passes through popular viewpoints and ends at Glacier Point. The track is difficult, calculate your strength. To simplify the hike, you can start it from Glacier Point and move in the opposite direction from top to bottom.

Glacier Point:

Actually Glacier Point is a separate area, but it sits right above the Yosemite Valley, so I decided to merge them together. Glacier Point is rightfully considered the # 1 in the entire Yosemite Park. It is an observation deck with a 270-degree view of the valley and the majestic cliffs, the pearl of which is undoubtedly the Half Dom. Stunning views! Everything is incredibly beautiful, you can spend several hours here just contemplating the surroundings. You can come here by car and park directly in front of the observation deck, then just a few minutes upstairs and incredible views are at your fingertips. You can explore Glacier Point all day long, but remember that early in the morning and late in the evening before sunset, there are fewer people here, as sightseeing buses leave.

There are also several tracks, the most famous of which are 4 Miles Trail 8 km long one way and Panorama Trail 13.5 km one way. Both of these tracks end in Yosemite Valley. And remember that going down is much easier than climbing up.

Washburn Point:

This observation deck is located along the road to Glacier Point and it is a big mistake not to stop here. The views of Half Dome and the panorama of Yosemite Park are definitely worth your attention. It is very important to see Washburn Point before visiting Glacier Point so that the impressions do not get blurry, because at the top both the views and emotions are much better and stronger. The car park is small, so it's worth arriving early otherwise all the parking spaces may be occupied.

Sentinel Dome:

It is also a very popular hotspot among hikers and travelers. It is located on a huge rock and the best views are from the very top of this hemisphere. It is from the very top that you are provided with a magnificent 360-degree panorama. There is no parking and you cannot get there by car. It is worth going here either from Glacier Point or from the parking lot on the Glacier Point Road (in this case, your way to the observation deck will lie through a wonderful forest). The views here are gorgeous, but they more or less repeat the views from Glacier Point. Therefore, if you have limited time, you can skip this point.

Taft Point:

When traveling through Yosemite Park, this place is often overlooked by its route, but in vain. A great, relaxed track, a stunning fairy forest full of squirrels and big black ravens, cliffs at the end of the path, wonderful views and the famous ledge where everyone climbs to take a photo above the cliff. The height is somehow especially felt here, a dizzying abyss right at your feet! As a rule, there are not many people here and no one will bother you to meditate, enjoying the scenery. There are no restrictions or prohibitions, you can walk even along the very edge of the cliff. But be careful, there are deep cracks on the rocks along the way, watch the relief carefully.

If you have enough time, you can combine Sentinel and Taft into one track. It should start from the Sentinel Dome Parking on Glacier Point Road, then go to Sentinel, then Taft, and return to the parking lot. And if time is limited, then I would prioritize Taft Point.

Half Dome:

This huge rock in the form of an irregular hemisphere is a kind of visiting card of Yosemite Park. It is she who is depicted in numerous photographs and postcards. It is her that you will observe being at Glacier Point and Sentinel Dome. But rare tourists see Half Dome up close. There is no road there and to get to this attraction, you need to go to the track. Near Half Dome is just a huge mountain and there is no point in going to it just like that. The idea is that Half Dome can be climbed.

Unlike most of the park's attractions, climbing Half Dome is not easy at all. This can be done only from late May to early October. But only 300 people are allowed on the rock a day with a special permit. To receivepermit must be won in the online lottery . The lottery is paid - 4.5 USD for participation in the drawing and another 8 USD in case of your victory.

A full 12 km one-way trek from the Half Dome Trail is worth a full day. Moreover, it is worth considering that the last one and a half hundred meters you have to walk at an angle of 45-55 degrees holding on to metal braided ropes. Calculate your strength and do not forget to bring plenty of water with you.

El Capitan:

This is another visiting card of the park. A huge granite rock rises a kilometer above the Yosemite Valley like a piece of cake cut off by a giant knife. Its smooth slope is very fond of climbers, and in 2015 two climbers laid a route of difficulty 9A (one of the most difficult) along a steep smooth rock here, being 19 days in the air without getting up on the ground. Also, following the climbers, the slopes of the Captain are periodically tested by extreme base jumpers.

El Capitan is monumental beautiful. You will not be able to ignore its mighty skeleton while in Yosemite Valley. But going to the track on this rock is not very interesting. It is necessary to bypass it and start driving through the Tamarack Flat campground. Ahead is a path of 24 kilometers, while in some sections you will have to remember your climbing skills. At the top, the views are great, but they are far inferior to Glacier Point. And is it worth the candle? Better to enjoy El Capitan from the bottom of the valley.

• yosemite valley waterfalls Attractions

As I wrote above, waterfalls are best observed from late spring to mid-summer. It was at this time that the seething and cascading streams are as deep as possible. However, some trickles can be seen even while in Yosemite Park in late autumn and even winter.

Vernal Fall:

The path to the Vernal waterfall lies through the not very difficult Mist trail. This is a very picturesque route, along the way, in addition to views of the surrounding rocks, you will come across various small animals: lizards, squirrels, hares. Squirrels are arrogant and in general are not afraid of anything, they pose perfectly against the backdrop of the beauty of Yosemite Park. In high season, the waterfall is powerful, everything is wet and slippery. But in the low season, you can approach it almost close and sunbathe, if not cold. If you want, you can go up to the observation deck up to the waterfall, but still the best views are from below. On sunny days, get ready to enjoy the rainbow - splashes and water mist are everywhere. The start of the Mist Trail can be reached by car or local shuttle bus. Trekking time: 1 - 1.5 hours on foot one way.

Yosemite Falls:

This is the highest cascade of waterfalls in Yosemite Park. Divided into three parts, it is even included in the top 20 waterfalls of our planet, the water here falls from a height of over 700 meters. Alas, full-flowing in late spring and early summer, in August-September, the waterfalls practically dry up.
It's easy to get to the Lower Waterfall. Start off Nоrthside Drive. The track is called the Lower Yosemite Fall Trail. The length of the track is less than a kilometer one way, along it you will quickly reach the observation deck. And then, if you wish, you will have to jump a little on huge boulders and get closer to the Lower Waterfall. But in general, nothing complicated.
Or you can go to the full-fledged Yosemite Falls Trail and climb the falls. It is significantly more difficult than the Lower Yosemite Fall Trail and Mist Trail, the trail starts near Camp 4 and lasts about 6 km one way. Above, great views of the valley and waterfalls. On this track, you should lay a full day at least.
If you choose between Yosemite Falls and Vernan Fall, then you should make a choice towards the highest waterfalls, but only if they are deep, i.e. in May - half of July. In autumn, for example, it makes no sense to go there, devote your day to Vernan Fall.

Nevada Fall:

Excellent views of the valley, rocks and at the end of the path another waterfall that falls from a height of 180 meters. Yes, there is definitely no way to get here by car. In order to look at Nevada Fall, you should start your journey with the already familiar Mist Trail track, go through the Vernan waterfall, and move on. After reaching the magnificent Nevada Falls and enjoying the power of nature, you should return back by another road. With John Muir Trail, the views will be different, from my point of view, even more impressive. You will have to spend almost the whole day on this road.

By the way, both Vernal and Nevada are perfectly visible from the Glacier Point observation deck. But only when the waterfalls are deep. In early September, I did not consider anything at all. So, in late summer and early autumn, you shouldn't go to Nevade, waste your time. Better stay at Velnan Fall.

BridalVeil Fall:

BridalVeil fall is most beautiful fall. And the waterfall itself is considered one of the most beautiful in the park. It is he who is so clearly visible from the Tunnel View observation deck, but during the low water season Bridalveil disappears almost completely. A huge plus is that the waterfall is located almost next to the road and it is extremely easy to call in here. And the minus is the same - since it is easy to call in here, there are a huge number of people here. The parking lot is almost always full, often people leave their cars right on the road and go to watch the waterfall on foot. It is worth stopping here at the very beginning, when all the beauty is still ahead.

Horsetail Fall:

Horsetail, is a small, ephemeral waterfall that flows over the eastern edge of El Capitan in Yosemite Valley. It is good only a few days a year in the month of February. It was then at a certain angle, in the evening at sunset, you can catch the last rays of the outgoing sun, which will illuminate the falling water and turn it into a fiery stream of incandescent lava. The spectacle is breathtaking, but it is leveled by a bunch of additional conditions: the month of February, at sunset, if there is sun. There are too many components to talk about this phenomenon as a real possible event in your life. Although if you set this goal, then why not?

• TIOGA ROAD Attractions

If you visit Yosemite Park in August - September, then, most likely, you will not see the grandiose waterfalls. But the scenic Tioga road is definitely open and it would be a big mistake not to take advantage of this fact. The road passes through mountainous terrain, but there is no serpentine, the asphalt is in perfect condition, it is extremely comfortable to drive. Despite the fact that the length of this path is only about 100 km, it is worth laying on Tioga Road all day long - it is worth stopping here often, walking, taking pictures ...
All guidebooks describe this road as something extraordinarily beautiful. Does this mean you will enjoy great views all the way? Of course not. Here, as elsewhere, there are some of the best spots.

May Lake:

A short trek to the magnificent May Lake will take you 4 hours round trip. The lake is lost and hidden in the mountains, around the forest, pine trees and Mount Hoffman. If you have set aside one day for the Tioga road, then, as an alternative, it is better to stop near Lake Tenaya, save time. If time is in abundance, then you can climb Mount Hoffman, from there are beautiful views.

Olmsted Point:

This place has stunning views of the surroundings. endless forests, majestic mountains, blue lakes. But for some reason everyone immediately goes to look at the famous Half Dome. Although the best view here will be the view of Lake Tenaya in the afternoon closer to sunset. Olmsted Point often has beautiful clouds, even though the Yosemite Valley has empty blue skies. There is no need to leave the road anywhere, the observation deck is located right next to the road.

Tenaya Lake:

An amazingly beautiful mountain lake. Here you can go to the Tenaya Lake Trail track to bypass half of the lake, go to the other side of it and move on. The official track is huge and there is no point in going on it, it will be enough to be limited to one segment next to the lake 4 km long. Also, do not forget that the lake is located at an altitude of 2.5 kilometers above sea level. They often stop here by car, go to the lake, admire the views, come back and pass the lake to stop on the other side of it. This option is suitable for those who have little time, i.e. almost everyone. There are many living creatures in the forests surrounding the lake, we saw both deer and coyotes.

Tuolumne Meadows:

These meadows are often included in the top attractions of Yosemite Park. But they seemed a little too simple to me. The views are not bad, but not enough to go from here to the track. Although there are many different trekking routes around, paths so that if you really want to, you can wander through the local meadows. One of the local attractions is the Lembert Dome - a huge triangular rock. However, even she is much inferior in scenic beauty to the
sights of Glacier Point. So, it is enough to enjoy the landscape next to the road a little and move on.

There is even a visitor center, but still I would not recommend wasting my time on it.

Tioga Lake:

Despite the sonorous name, this lake is much inferior to Tenaya Lake. It is worth stopping for a while to take some photos, but you should not think about any walking tour near Tioga Lake. Make the most of your time.

And yes! I completely forgot 🙂 You have already left Yosemite Park. Congratulations, you drove right through it. But there is no need to stop, there is still a lot of interesting things ahead.

• Outside Yosemite park Attractions

If, moving from the park to the east along the Tioga road, you leave the national park, then after 20 kilometers on your way you will begin to meet attractions for which it is worth leaving Yosemite for a while.

Mono Lake:

After 20 km after leaving Yosemite Park, you will run into a large and strange lake. This is the famous Mono lake. Due to the high salt content (2 times greater than in the ocean) fish are not found here at all, but small crustaceans live in the water - the favorite food of numerous birds living on these shores. Previously, Mono Lake was absolutely gigantic, but after an active intake of water for Los Angeles, it became very shallow, its water level dropped by 15 meters. And on the surface there were calcareous-tuff pyramidal formations.

Today, they are actively fighting for the salvation of Lake Mono, but even now you can easily see white-yellow pyramids along its edges. The sight is a little strange, as if you are on another planet. Allocate a couple of hours to hike to the lake, such a sight should not be missed.

Bodie:

Bodie was founded in the mid-19th century near the California-Nevada border. Someone William Bodie found a gold mine here. Work began to boil and after thirty years the city had more than 10 thousand inhabitants. The infrastructure was created, houses were built, a railway was laid. But then gold prices began to fall, mining degenerated, the city decayed. Gold mining was stopped here in 1960 and the city died out, not a single inhabitant remained in it. But the dry climate perfectly preserved many buildings. And now Bodie is the best-preserved ghost town in the United States.

Today it is a historical park . About two hundred buildings have been preserved in their original form, including a church, school, gas station, shops, etc. A very strange sight when you walk through a dead city, look into empty windows and see there a trading store with a two-centimeter layer of dust on the shelves and goods, or an old stagecoach with rotten springs abandoned alone in a barn, or a thoroughly rusted ancient car. Since no one is engaged in restoration here, houses are slowly starting to sink. And this adds even more realism, the city is dying right before your eyes. There are not very many people here, and for some reason Bodie is not popular with our travelers, although I have not seen anything similar to this place in any country.

The town of Bodie is located to the north of Mono, here from the lake you will cover 50 km in 1.5 hours, and the last 10 km you will have to drag along a dirt road. Do not skip the 270th turn on Body Road, it is not very noticeable, but rather use your navigator. The pact is open from mid-April to the end of October from 9 am to 6 pm, and in November to mid-April from 9 am to 4 pm. However, due to weather conditions, this schedule may change. Entry is paid, you will have to pay 8 USD for the right to see the dead ghost town of Bodie.

How long does it take to visit Yosemite National Park?

It will take 3 days to see the main attractions of Yosemite , this is the minimum time you need to plan to visit the park. The main principle works - do not rush.

Why three days? Because that was the amount of time it took to convince even such a skeptic as Theodore Roosevelt to give these places the status of a national park. I am sure that you will be convinced of this in a couple of hours and hurry to re-plan your travel itinerary in favor of Yosemite National park.

Interesting facts about Yosemite Park

• Origin of name: It comes from the name of a tribe of Indians who lived in the valley and whom the colonialists resettled and burned their settlements. And although the Indians themselves called themselves Avanichi, because of their aggressive behavior, other tribes gave them the name Yosemite, which means “those who kill”.
• Since 1870, the most popular sight in Yosemite has been the fiery waterfall - when a huge pile of burning logs were pushed from the top of the Glacier point cliff, which from afar gave the impression of a firefall.
• El Capitan rock is the largest granite monolith in the world.
• In 1870, the grasslands of Yosemite were used as grazing land for tens of thousands of sheep, threatening the park's natural balance.
• In 1903, US President Theodore Roosevelt came to California and asked the naturalist John Muir to take him on a hike in Yosemite for a few days. In those years, the boundaries of the park were very different from the real ones. But the president was so impressed by spending the night under the huge sequoias that he included the famous Yosemite Valley into Yosemite.
• The president of the park visited the Winter Olympics in Switzerland in 1928 and decided to bring sports fun to Yosemite in order to attract tourists in the winter season - ski slopes and an ice rink were built, which are still working.
• The most expensive and prestigious hotel in Yosemite - Avani - was rented by the US Navy in 1943 and turned into a military hospital, the main focus of which was neuropsychiatry. Doctors hoped that the tranquility of the park and the surrounding nature would help PTSD patients heal. But it was soon discovered that the mountains surrounding the hotel made patients claustrophobic, while isolation and distance from everything, on the contrary, contributed to boredom and immersion in depressive thoughts.
• Mountains in Yosemite continue to grow at a rate of 30 cm per 1000 years.
• Yosemite has about 500 giant sequoias that can live up to 3,000 years and are the largest living creatures on earth (they are larger than dinosaurs and blue whales).
• Some Disney cartoons feature landscapes from Yosemite. For example, in the cartoon "Rapunzel", her tower stands right in front of Yosemite Falls - the highest waterfall in the park. Also, the Yosemite Valley can be seen several times in the cartoon "Tinker Bell"!

Hotel, campings, lodges and Accommodation in Yosemite Park

Almost like any national park in the United States, Yosemite has a large number of hotels, lodges and campgrounds. They are all very different and are scattered throughout the huge park. But one thing unites them - all accommodation in Yosemite cannot be called budget. Think of it simply as a fee for visiting a national park, an additional fee for the right to touch the wonderful and unique. The most profitable and interesting options are sorted out 4-5 months before the start of the trip.

For booking, use standard sites and aggregators, but you can also use the official website (sometimes buggy at the booking stage) or other specialized service . And don't forget that it is forbidden to sleep in cars in Yosemite Park. An exception is specialized trailers in special parking lots.

Hotels:

Pros:
- Comfortable and warm at any time of the day
- Many work all year round
- As a rule, there are in any places that you are interested in

Cons:
- Very expensive

Only one minus is very expensive, but often it outweighs all other pluses. Hotel prices here start from 200 USD per room per night! To justify such a high price, I can say that the hotels here are usually good, excellent beds, quiet, warm and comfortable. Shower and toilet right in your room, and you start to appreciate it after a couple of days in the park.

campings:

Pros:
- The most budget accommodation in the park.

Cons:
- A tent and sleeping bags are required - It
is very cold at night, even in summer
- Toilet and shower - "in the yard"
- A tent, sleeping bags, etc. are required.

      Tip:👉 Camping sites generally do not have electricity. Therefore, carefully consider where you will charge your devices. To be left without a camera in Yosemite Park is like gouging out one eye. You can, for example, stop by the nearest lodge and there, in the company of other guests, replenish your gadgets with electricity. Nobody will check whether you live here or not.

The cheapest accommodation in Yosemite National Park is camping with tents. Prices start at USD 30-40 per tent, per night. Nearby there is all the infrastructure, showers, toilets. You can often rent a tent, but more often you will have to carry it and your sleeping bags with you. In some campsites it is possible to reserve a place , but most often they operate on the principle of first-come, first-served - first arrived, first served, i.e. in the order of physical arrival at the campsite. Most of the campsites are open from July to September, but there are a few that can accommodate you even in winter. Just do not forget that even in summer it is very cold here at night, the temperature can drop to +5 degrees Celsius.

Lodges with stationary tents:

Pros:
- Average price for accommodation
- You sleep not on the ground, but on a bed
- You don't need a tent

Cons:

- It is very cold at night, even in summer
- Toilet and shower - "in the yard"

The cost starts from 90 - 100 USD per tent per night and this is the average price option. This accommodation consists of stationary tents located in their pre-planned locations. Inside there are several small beds, blankets, a safe, a light bulb. But, as a rule, there are no sockets, and for recharging you need to go to a special building, where every evening in the company of a large number of people you will have to charge cameras and gadgets.

     

Advice: If you are going to live not in a stationary hotel, but in a camping or camp, then you will have to get electricity in a specially designated place. There are a lot of such "lucky ones", so the usual "tee" will be one of the most useful devices in this case.

Despite the fact that you will not sleep on the ground, it is still very cold in the morning. True, there are stationary heated tents, but this is more the exception than the rule.

Toilets and showers are shared. Each tent is attached to its own sanitary zone, which is very convenient and there are no queues even in the morning and in the evening.

Hotels outside the park

Pros:
- The price is significantly lower
- Comfortable sleep

Cons:

- It is necessary to overcome an additional way from the hotel to the park and back by car

Prices for accommodation outside the territory of Yosemite Park are significantly lower and you can choose a comfortable option that will not make a big hole in your budget. But I would recommend living outside the park only to those who came here for just one night. Otherwise, every day you will have to make an additional way to the entrance to the park and come back. Every day you will waste precious time on the road instead of already nominated to the sights. In addition, there is a risk of getting stuck in a traffic jam at the entrance to the park.

Food in Yosemite Park:

In general, the USA is not a country for gourmets. No, there are great restaurants and outstanding cuisines from different countries, but they all drown in the dense middle layer of fast food and mediocre food. Yosemite also has a variety of food outlets, depending on the area you are in, you have to choose where to have breakfast, lunch and dinner. You won't be able to cook yourself, there are no kitchens here, and food should be removed to places inaccessible to wild animals. Cafes and restaurants in Yosemite are located in places of congestion of hotels and lodges, but campgrounds, as a rule, are completely devoid of this. You can also drink coffee and eat a sandwich at gas stations, there are several of them in the national park.

      Tip:👉 On your way to Yosemite National Park, do not be lazy to stop by any hypermarket and buy a lot of water with you. For a week for two we took about 25 liters in various bottles, large and small. They used everything. I calculated that if we bought water in the national park, our expenses would increase by 100-120 USD.

Before entering the national park, you should stop by a large supermarket and have a good purchase of dry fruits, jerky, energy and bars and water. In the park itself, everything will not be cheap, and, unfortunately, not very tasty. At least in the places that we ate, we never liked anything. As always, when there is no competition. And it is better not to take soups here, instead they serve some kind of porridge of indistinct vegetables with pieces of dry freeze-dried chicken.

Yosemite Park Safety:

The biggest danger in the national park, in addition to getting injuries of varying severity, is wild animals. Yosemite is home to many animals, birds and the largest predator of these places is the black bear. Therefore, NO food should be left in the car or in the tent. Even in plastic bags. An exception is unsweetened bottled water. Lemonades, Coca-Cola are also prohibited. To store this kind of food, there are so-called "bear boxes" everywhere, massive steel structures that the clubfoot can neither break nor open. Take these rules seriously, there are many cases when bears broke glass, climbed into cars and tents if they smell food. And they have a very delicate sense of smell.

Of course, in one article it is impossible to fit all the nuances and details that come up when preparing a visit to Yosemite National Park. Therefore, if you have any questions - write in the comments, we will be happy to help you!

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