Things to Know Before Visiting Yosemite National Park, California

Yosemite National Park is one of those places that everyone talks about, but you just truly can’t grasp until you’re there. The scale of the grandeur of Yosemite – especially upon entering Yosemite Valley is unparalleled and is one of those places that feels life-changing when you visit. Aside from preparing for a life-altering visit to a national park, these are the things we think everyone should know before visiting Yosemite National Park for the first time.

Let’s Talk Permits

Entering the Park: The park has the standard park entry fee that ranges from $20 (individual or bike) to $35 (personal vehicle). But during certain parts of the year, timed entry is also required. It’s ranges very much, though. Their entrance reservation schedule can be found here. These are $2 per day. However, if you have any other Yosemite-specific permit or reservation (camping, lodge, Half Dome, etc.) you do not need a timed entry reservation.
Half Dome Permit: To do the chains section of Half Dome you have to have a Half Dome permit. A maximum of 300 people are given permits to climb each day. It’s a lottery system and you pay $10 for an application (you can have up to six people on an application) and then if you get selected, each person pays $10.
Wilderness Permits: This is what you need for backpacking trips in Yosemite. These are $10 of application and $5 if you get it. It’s also a lottery system and you can have up to 6 active reservations at any given time.
Wilderness Climbing Permits: These are required for any overnight climbs on big walls. These are free to get and this page lets you know what you should select for your permit.

This Park Changes Drastically Season to Season – Know What You Might Miss By Visiting in a Certain Season

There are pros and cons to truly every season at Yosemite. I’m going to write a more detailed post on this but some examples are in winter the road to Glacier Point along with access to many of those trails along that road like Taft Point and Sentinel Dome, but certain times you gain the ability to see Firefall. In spring waterfalls are flowing, but certain roads are still potentially closed. In summer you get the insane crowds, but the weather is beautiful. In fall, you get stunning weather and smaller crowds, but the waterfalls may not be flowing.

Prepare to Wait At Tunnel View for Parking, But It’s Worth the Wait

Tunnel View is undoubtedly one of the most epic views of Yosemite Valley. It’s so beautiful that it brought both Matt and me to tears at our first glimpse of it. It’s the first time you get to truly take in the grandeur of Yosemite Valley. It has a small parking lot where you can park from either direction, but there is a lot of congestion here. People are often circling and it can take a bit of time and patience to get your turn to park here, but it’s so worth it. Be polite, be patient and remember we’re all here to see the beauty.

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The Popular Hikes, Waterfalls and Overlooks in the Valley are Popular for a Reason – Just Join the Crowd

Bridal Veil Falls, Yosemite Falls, Glacier Point and a few others are insanely popular spots. Trying to get a parking spot there is extremely touch and the trails themselves are paved and easy to access. Therefore they’re very, very popular. However, popularity may mean less peace, yes, but it doesn’t mean they’re not worth seeing. These spots are stunning and that coupled with accessibility is what makes them so insanely popular.

The “Less Popular” Stuff is Also Worth It

Less popular doesn’t mean less incredible or amazing. Basically, it means that you have to put a little more work into it. However, we did a few different trails that were 3 miles and less that we saw 20 or fewer people on but had some insanely incredible views (Sentinel Dome and Taft Point stand out most in our minds).

This is One of the Most Scenic-From-The-Car Parks We’ve Ever Visited

While we’re lovers of hitting boots to dirt, this park is truly a stunner even from the road. It’s possible to see Yosemite Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, Nevada Falls, Vernal Falls, Half Dome, El Cap and sweeping views of Yosemite Valley all from your car. So, if you’re on a time-crunch or don’t love hiking but love beautiful sites, I highly recommend Yosemite.

Spend As Much Time Here As You Can

I have to say, the only thing I wish I could change about our visit to Yosemite is that we could spend 3x the amount of time there that we did. It is such a special place and there is so much there to explore that we are already planning a full week in Yosemite in the next couple of years.

Most Driving in the Valley is a Big One-Way Loop, So Try Not to Miss Your Turn

Google Maps was pretty efficient in the park – be sure to download offline maps, though, but that said, there is often construction happening so be diligent when looking for where you’re going, otherwise you’ll literally have to drive a large section of the Valley to get where you’re needing to go. Trust us, this happened to us more than once, but, hey, at least it’s a scenic drive.

You’re Not Guaranteed a Parking Spot, Even with a Lodge Reservation

We honestly assumed that the lodge would have designated parking. Especially because you get this thing to put in your car for the duration of your stay. However, you’re not really guaranteed a spot. We were in the section of the lodge directly across from the check-in area and the food hall/shop and people parked in it all the time, making it very hard to find a spot to easily get in and out of our room. This was just surprising and, honestly, a little bit frustrating for us since we had a 10-month-old and 2-year-old we were getting in and out of our room.

Parking in the Valley is Kind-Of Shit in General

It’s hard to find a place to park for lodging, yes, but also the trailhead parking lots are small and can be hard to find a spot. Which is a big reason why they have the shuttle system. We did use the shuttle a bit, but we were there in the “off season” for the shuttle and didn’t find it to be the most efficient thing at that time, but it got us where we needed to go when it was the only option to the Mirror Lake Trailhead.

Basecamp Eatery is Pretty Legit

There are a few options of where to eat in here for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Plus, considering it’s in the middle of a national park, the prices are really reasonable. We ate at the Craggy Chicken a lot while we were there. There are several other small and pretty tasty eateries around Yosemite, as well as fine dining options.

There’s Also a Starbucks Next to Basecamp Eatery

I’m a slave to coffee. I’m not afraid to say it, but I am a little ashemed to say that I spent waaaaay too much money at Starbucks in Yosemite. But, guys, if you’re Starbucks App users, you can order ahead – be sure to do it with plenty of time in advance because it is very busy – and it’s open bright and early at 6:30 every morning. We started every morning in Yosemite with pastries and coffee or cocoa. Many stars were earned.

There’s So Much More to This Park That Yosemite Valley

While we spent most of our visit in the Yosemite Valley, there is so much more to explore that’s just as beautiful in its own different ways! Mariposa Grove is filled with sequoias, Tuolumne Meadows is the high country of Yosemite and Hetch Hetchy which is quite far away from the rest of the park, but still beautiful.

Bring Binoculars with You

Not only should binoculars be on your list for birdwatching and other wildlife spotting, but also to scope out the incredible feats being accomplished by rock climbers that many of us only dream of doing. It’s so cool to sit in the El Cap and watch the climbers make their way up this iconic rock face that shaped rock climbing as it is today.

Don’t Miss Checking Out the Climbers on El Cap At Night

When we were coming down from a sunset hike on Sentinel Dome, we noticed that we could see headlamps all over El Cap. Some climbers were still pushing to the top, while others were setting up their hanging camps on the side of the mountain. It feels like a nature-lover’s fairy tale to see the lights hovering up above. Plus, you can’t always see just how many people are up on the mountain in broad daylight, but the headlamps and flashlights give away just how many people are up on El Cap on any given day.

Gear We Recommend for Your Trip to Yosemite

PROPER FOOTWEAR: Hiking definitely requires proper footwearMy two favorite shoes for hiking in Yosemite are my teva sandals and my Merrell hiking boots. I love these boots so much because I like the ankle support, but the tevas are really nice for shorter hikes, hikes with river crossings and to wear around camp. Also, I think these Merrell hiking socks are the best socks I’ve ever put on my feet. Matt has also become obsessed with these socks for hiking!
A DAYPACK: A well-fitting daypack that’s the appropriate size for the adventure you’re about to go on is so important. I love my Osprey Daylite because it fits me super well, it’s perfect for day hikes. I like that it’s on the small side because it means that I won’t overstuff it, but it’s also big enough for all my day hike needs. If I’m going on a longer hike I recently got this Deuter pack for hikes that will require a little more distance. This is what I would take to do Half Dome, for example.
WHAT’S IN MY DAYPACK? On a day of adventure you’ll find a water bottle or two, We personally love these 32 ounce widemouth Nalgene bottles because they’re easy to clean and also fit into the bottle-holder pouch of every backpack I’ve ever bought including my Osprey Daylite, snacks (my go-to’s are beef jerky, peanut butter and honey crackers, granola bars, peanut M&Ms, and fresh fruit), a reusable stasher bag for all my trash and some sort of layer – rain jacket, flannel or jacket.
NEED A PLACE TO KEEP YOUR MEMORIES? I wrote a national park journal with fun facts and tips for visiting each of the 63 Parks. I love that I get to fill this out with my family as we travel across the country.
CARRYING KIDS ON A HIKE? We cannot recommend the Deuter Kid Comfort Carrier enough for little ones who can independently sit up. (Want to know more why, here’s our in-depth review of it!) However, if your baby is too young for a Deuter, we loved our LILLEBaby carrier.
TRAVELERS INSURANCE: If you’re planning to have an adventurous trip you might look into travel insurance.

Yosemite is such a special place. I know that it can be hard to believe that this park will live up to the hype, but for us it exceeded the hype. I hope that these tips help you to make the best trip you possibly can to Yosemite! Have you been to Yosemite? Did we miss anything?

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