Yosemite Guide

Yosemite Guide Yosemite Guide March 31, 2021 - May 11, 2021 @YosemiteNPS UPDATE Wearing a mask is required in federal buildings and outdoors on federal land when social distancing cannot be maintained. Check local resources, area signage, and our park website for updates, www.nps.gov/yose. Please follow CDC guidance: • Maintain 6 feet of distance between you and others. • Wear a face covering when social distancing is not possible. • Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. • Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze. • Stay home if you feel sick. • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. See page 10 to read reflections on making art from the manager of Yosemite Conservancy’s art programs, and learn how you can get creative during your visit to Yosemite. Yosemite Conservancy Image / Kristin Anderson Experience Your America Yosemite National Park Yosemite Guide March 31, 2021 - May 11, 2021 Experience Your America Yosemite National Park Yosemite Guide March 31, 2021 - May 11, 2021 Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System Yosemite Valley Map Campground Valley Visitor Center Parking Upper Yosemite Fall Picnic Area Restroom Hetch Hetchy Walk-In Campground Yosemite Village Lower Yosemite Fall i te ai Tr ll Fa The Ahwahnee se U p p er Yo Yosemite Valley Lodge Camp 4 Yosemite Falls Parking Swinging Bridge Housekeeping Camp Yosemite Village Parking il Sentinel Beach Lower Pines North Pines ra T te r i le wi n n Curry Village 8836 ft 2693 m Curry Village Parking Upper Pines Trailhead Parking i d cl o Fo Half Dome Campground Reservations se ur M 1 mile El Capitan Picnic Area Chapel Yosemite Conservation Heritage Center (YCHC) Wawona 1 km Mirror Lake seasonal Yosemite Valley Map 0 Medical Church Bowl Clinic Picnic Area m Yosemite Valley Area in inset: N The Ansel Adams Gallery l Tuolumne Meadows Glacier Point Happy Isles Art and Nature Center closed in winter Vernal Fall 72I4 ft 2I99 m Cathedral Beach & oo Mist Trail r ai l pT Bridalveil Fall ho rse s on l y Merc ed R iver Nevada Fall The Yosemite Valley Shuttle System will not be operating during the Spring 2021 season. il ve al id Br na wo Wa ad Ro l Va L le y Cree k Winter Weather Driving and Chain Control Information: Illilouette Fall Winter road conditions through Yosemite can vary widely and may require tire chains. Chain requirements are strictly enforced. For updated 24-hour road and weather conditions for Yosemite National Park, please call 209/3720200. Signs will indicate when chains are required. Here is a summary of chain control signs on Yosemite roads: R1 - All vehicles without mud and snow tires are required to install chains/cables. Vehicles with mud and snow tires do not, but must still carry chains. See chain control regulations on www.nps. gov/yose for vehicles towing trailers. R2 - Chains/cables must be installed on ALL vehicles except 4-wheel/all-wheel drive vehicles with mud and snow tires. Fourwheel drive vehicles must have 4-wheel drive engaged. R3 - ALL vehicles are required to install chains/cables, regardless of having mud and snow tires or 4-wheel/all-wheel drive capability, NO EXCEPTIONS. *“M+S” will be on the side of your tires if they are mud and snow tires. i Experience Your America Yosemite National Park Yosemite Guide March 31, 2021 - May 11, 2021 Things to Do Winter in Yosemite THINGS TO DO IN YOSEMITE VALLEY Custom Yosemite Experiences Join a Yosemite Conservancy naturalist guide or art instructor for a customized experience SAFETY ALERT that fits your interests and schedule. For your safety and the safety of other visitors and employees, we encourage you to follow Custom Adventures: Experience the park CDC guidance to reduce the spread of on personalized day hikes, birding walks, COVID-19. stargazing programs and backpacking trips. Learn more: yosemite.org/customadventures. Practice social distancing. Maintain a distance of at least 6 feet between Custom Art Classes: Explore nature through you and others. drawing, painting, sketching and journaling. Wash hands using soap and water or use hand sanitizer frequently. We also offer creative activities for kids! Learn Wear a facecovering when social Looking for ways to connect with Yosemite more: yosemite.org/custom-art. Pacific Dogwood, Yosemite Valley. NPS Image / Christine Loberg distancing cannot be maintained. adventure or art class. Cover your mouth and nose when How Will COVID-19 Impact My Visit? you cough or sneeze. Following guidance from federal, state, and local public health authorities and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, we are increasing access and services in a phased approach at Yosemite Additionally, avoid touching your eyes, nose, National Park. Visit the park website, www.nps.gov/yose, for more updates and safety information. and mouth, and most importantly, stay home if you feel sick. Download the Yosemite app for an interactive map, hiking trails, and park updates. See page 11 for more information. WELCOME Ask A Ranger Not open or available at this time Unavailable in early 2021 An outdoor visitor contact station is located behind Yosemite Valley Visitor Center. Visitor Centers are closed until further notice. All shuttles and tours are canceled during this time Most roads and trails are open. Some trails may be closed or re-routed. Some campgrounds are currently closed. Yosemite Theater and Yosemite Museum will be closed during this time. Campgrounds in Yosemite Valley are open, reservations required, see page 7. Most programs are canceled until further notice There is no first come, first served camping. Select dining and shopping establishments are open and encourage social distancing. signs to direct you to the exact location. Open 9am to 4:30pm, then hours will change to 9am to 5pm beginning February 13 walking and hiking possibilities. Stop by the outdoor visitor contact station behind the and updated weather and trail conditions. Bicycling Experience several miles of bicycle paths that wind through Yosemite Valley. Use your own Lodge or Curry Village, conditions permitting. See page 6 for Bike Stand hours, beginning April 9. Bicycles are only allowed on paved roads and paved bike paths. Yosemite Conservation Heritage Center Tuolumne Meadows Lodge and services are closed during this time. The Sierra Club’s Yosemite Conservation Heritage Center (formerly Le Conte Memorial Lodge) will not be open from May 1 through July 31, 2021 due to COVID-19. behind the Yosemite Valley Visitor Center to get park information and updates. Look for Yosemite Valley has plenty of year-round bicycle or rent one from Yosemite Valley Drop by the visitor contact station located ask your Yosemite-related questions and to Walking and Hiking Yosemite Valley Visitor Center for trail maps Currently open and available Park App from home? Contact us to schedule a virtual In addition, all evening programs have been What Does 6-ft Look Like? cancelled for the entire season due to social The wing span of a bald eagle is distancing requirements. Call 209/347-7300 roughly 6 feet long. While social for information and updates. distancing, imagine the length of a soaring eagles’ wing span between you and others. Entering a National Park Yosemite is a place where wilderness prevails. Prepare yourself for a wild experience. The National Park Service is bound by its mission to protect Yosemite's natural and cultural resources for the benefit and enjoyment of future generations. Please, be attentive to the regulations in place to protect park resources (page 9) and those designed for your safety (page 8). Fire – Police – Medical Emergency: Dial 911 Medical Clinic (in Yosemite Valley) Open 7 days per week from 9am to 7pm. Medical Clinic Phone: (209) 372-4637. Road, Weather, and Park Information: (209) 372-0200 Yosemite Village Garage - 8am to 5pm, 24 hour AAA towing, NO gas, propane service until 4:30pm. (209) 372-1060 Access for People with Disabilities Upcoming Park Projects For a complete list of accessible services, exhibits, and recreational opportunities, pick up a Yosemite Accessibility Guide at any park entrance station or visitor center, or view online at www.nps.gov/ yose/planyourvisit/accessibility.htm, or call a park Accessibility Coordinator at (209) 379-1035. Bridalveil Fall Rehabilitation Project Why: To rehabilitate visitor facilities at the base of Bridalveil Fall and surrounding area, and to protect natural and cultural resources in the area. When: 2020 - 2021 Visitor Impact: Trail, comfort station and parking lot may not be available due to construction. Sign Language interpreting is available upon request. Contact Deaf Services at (209) 379-5250 (v/txt). Two weeks advance notice is requested. Assistive Listening Devices available upon advance request at any visitor center. Audio tours available at Yosemite Valley Visitor Center. Refer to the Accessibility Guide, or contact an Accessibility Coordinator for more information. Tioga Road Rehabilitation Plan Why: To make safety improvements and manage roadside parking and traffic flow while preserving natural and cultural resources along the road. When: 2020 and 2021 seasons Visitor Impact: 30-minute traffic delays along Tioga Road due to construction. Accessible parking spaces available west of Yosemite Valley Visitor Center. Where to Go and What to Do in Yosemite National Park Inside: 01 Things to Do 04 Exhibits and Programs 05 Services 07 Permit Information 09 Protecting Yourself 10 Feature Story Back Yosemite Valley Map 1 Experience Your America Yosemite National Park Discover Yosemite Let your curiosity guide you to new places Entrance Fees Non-commercial car, truck, RV, or van with 15 or fewer passenger seats (No per-person fee) Vehicle Valid for 7 days $35/Vehicle Motorcycle Valid for 7 days $30/motorcycle Walking Yosemite Valley Valley Visitor Center We strongly recommend moving around the Upper Yosemite Fall east end of Yosemite Valley on foot or bike if possible. On the map below, the numbers time between each destination, represented Yosemite Valley Lodge 5 30 Chapel 5 Yosemite Falls Parking Housekeeping Camp El Capitan Picnic Area 5 Cathedral Beach Average Walking Times Campground Parking Picnic Area Restroom Walk-In Campground Families (Free) Must present paper voucher Interagency 4th Grade Pass (Free) - Glacier Point Must present paper voucher. Wawona U.S.Fresno 5th Grade Voucher (Free) 0 1 mile Badger The Tioga Road and Glacier Point1 km Road, beyond N Pass, may still be closed due to snow and ice. For current road and weather information, please call 209/372-0200. 6 Must present paper voucher. E3 Reservations E4 Campground Reservations (877) 444-6777; www.recreation.gov Lodging Reservations (888) 413-8869 www.travelyosemite.com Group Sales Office: (888) 339-3481 5 Regional Info Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System (YARTS) www.yarts.com 4 1 Highway 41 Yosemite Sierra Visitors Bureau (559) 683-4636; www.yosemitethisyear.com 2 Highway 132/49 Coulterville Visitor Center (209) 878-3329 Highway 140/49 California Welcome Center, Merced (800) 446-5353 or (209) 724-8104 www.yosemite-gateway.org Mariposa County Visitor Center (866) 425-3366 or (209) 966-7081 2 25 Walking Routes R na wo Star Gold Wa Highway 120 East Lee Vining Chamber of Commerce and Mono Lake Visitor Center, (760) 647-6629, www.leevining.com Upper Pines Yosemite Valley Walking Map U.S. Military VeteransBridalveil (Free) Must present suitable IDFall d oa Yosemite Mariposa County Tourism Bureau (209) 742-4567; www.yosemite.com Campground Reservations Curry Village Parking Interagency Military Pass (Free) (Annual) For active duty U.S. military and dependents. Tuolumne County Visitors Bureau (800) 446-1333; www.tcvb.com North Pines Curry Village Sentinel Beach Interagency Annual Senior Pass $20 For U.S. citizens or permanent residents 62 and over. Highway 120 West Yosemite Chamber of Commerce (800) 449-9120 or (209) 962-0429 Lower Pines Yosemite Village Parking Swinging Bridge Interagency Senior Pass $80 (Lifetime) For U.S. citizens or permanent residents 62 and over. To The Ahwahnee 10 10 Camp 4 Interagency Annual Pass $80 Valid for one year at all federal recreation sites. To Medical Clinic 20 Yosemite Pass $70, Valid for one year in Yosemite. Interagency Access Pass (Free) - El Portal & Mariposa (Lifetime) For permanently disabled U.S. citizens or permanent residents. - San Francisco W by the red circles. Individual Valid for 7 days $20 (In a bus, on foot, bicycle, or horse), To Yosemite Village Lower Yosemite Fall in the white circles show the average walking 3 Mariposa Road is closed to vehicles Yosemite Guide March 31, 2021 - May 11, 2021 Yosemite Valley 1 Yosemite Valley is world-famous for its impressive waterfalls, cliffs, and unusual rock formations. It is open year round and can be reached via Highway 41 from Fresno, Highway 140 from Merced, Highway 120 West from Manteca, and via the Tioga Road (Highway 120 East) from Lee Vining in summer. The Valley is known for massive cliff faces like El Capitan and Half Dome, its plunging waterfalls including the tallest in North America, and its attractive meadows. While Yosemite Falls will be dry until rain and snow recharge it, a moderate hike will take you to Vernal and Nevada Falls. Yosemite’s meadows are great places to see wildlife and to photograph fall and winter scenery. Admire El Capitan, the massive granite monolith that stands 3,593 feet from base to summit. Whether you explore the Valley by foot or car, the scenery will leave you in awe and eager to see what’s around the next corner. Glacier Point Road 2 Glacier Point, an overlook with a commanding view of Yosemite Valley, Half Dome, Wild flowers in Yosemite Valley. NPS Image / Christine White Loberg and Yosemite’s high country, is located 30 miles (1 hour) from Yosemite Valley. The road stays open as weather permits, however, overnight parking along it ends October 15. Glacier Point Road closes beyond the Badger Pass Ski Area after the first significant snow fall. When the road is snow-covered and conditions permit, a system of cross-country ski tracks are maintained on it. From Yosemite Valley, take the Wawona Road (Highway 41), then turn left onto Glacier Point Road. At Glacier Point, a short, paved, and wheelchairaccessible trail leads you to a stunning view looking into Yosemite Valley. Wawona and Mariposa Grove 3 The Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias is located 36 miles (1¼ hours) south of Yosemite Valley via the Wawona Road (Highway 41), two miles from the park’s south entrance station. While the Mariposa Grove Road closes to cars in the winter, approximately from the end of November until mid-March, the road is open to hikers, snowshoers, and skiers, and all trails in the grove remain open for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. The The view from Glacier Point. NPS Image / Sarah Gulick nearby Pioneer Yosemite History Center in Wawona is a collection of historic buildings associated with people and events that shaped the national park idea in Yosemite. Crane Flat and Tuolumne Grove 4 Crane Flat is located 16 miles from Yosemite Valley at the junction of the Big Oak Flat and Tioga Roads. A number of hikes through pleasant meadows are available— when snow covers the ground these turn into delightful ski and snowshoe tracks. To see giant sequoias, park at the Tuolumne Grove parking area located on the Tioga Road, and walk one steep mile down to the Tuolumne Grove of Giant Sequoias. Or, park at Merced Grove trailhead and walk two steep miles down to this small grove. These groves north of Yosemite Valley are smaller than the more-famous Mariposa Grove, but are quieter and off limits to vehicles. Remember that the walk down is easier than the walk back up. Tuolumne Meadows and Tioga Road 5 Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias. NPS Image / Jeffrey Trust The Tioga Road offers a 39-mile scenic drive past forests, meadows, lakes, and granite domes. The road closes after the first big snowfall, and overnight parking ends on October 15. The road’s elevation ranges from 6,200 feet to just under 10,000 feet. Tuolumne Meadows embodies the high-country of the Sierra Nevada. The Wild and Scenic Tuolumne River winds through broad sub-alpine meadows surrounded by granite domes and peaks. It is the jumping off place for countless hikes, whether you venture out for a day or a week. In winter, Tuolumne Meadows is often reached by skiers via the Snow Creek Trail from the Mirror Lake trailhead, a short distance east of Yosemite Valley. Hetch Hetchy 6 Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, a source of drinking water and hydroelectric power for the City of San Francisco, is home to spectacular scenery and the starting point for many wilderness trails. The area’s low elevation makes it a good place to hike in autumn and winter. The Hetch Hetchy Reservoir is located 40 miles (1¼ hour) from Yosemite Valley via the Big Oak Flat Road (Highway 120W) and the Evergreen Road. The Hetch Hetchy Cathedral Peak. NPS Image Road is open from 8am to 5pm. Vehicles and/or trailers over 25 feet long, and RVs and other vehicles over 8 feet wide are not permitted on the narrow, winding Hetch Hetchy Road. Buy Your Site Pass on Recreation.gov Purchase your Yosemite National Park site pass on Recreation.gov before you arrive. Your site pass can easily be downloaded on your phone or tablet, or be printed to be displayed when you arrive. Learn more at https://www. recreation.gov/sitepass/74296 Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. NPS Image 3 Experience Your America Yosemite National Park Yosemite Valley Information, Art, and Exhibits Yosemite Valley Visitor Center and Bookstore Art Classes: Outdoor art classes start April 5. Register: yosemite.org/art. Classes meet in front of the Valley Visitor Center and are A visitor contact station is available behind offered every weekday (Monday–Friday, 10 the visitor center for information and updates am–2 pm) through October, and are taught by from 9am to 5pm. The Yosemite Conservancy professional artists. Bookstore will operate as an outdoor “to-go” store, daily from 9am to 5pm. YOSEMITE THEATER Closed Spring and Summer of 2021 Yosemite Museum Apr 5-9 Nature Drawing with Watercolor Apr 12-16 Watercolor with Steve Curl Apr 19-23 Watercolor with Jennifer Bentson Apr 26-30 Watercolor with Jo Neal Graves May 3-7 Mosaics in Yosemite May 10-14 Watercolor with Grace Fong Closed Spring and Summer of 2021 Learn more about all our upcoming programs INDIAN CULTURAL VILLAGE in the park: yosemite.org/experience. Walk through the reconstructed Indian Village of Ahwahnee and learn about the structures the Ahwahneechee lived in and the The Ansel Adams Gallery plants they used for survival. Check out the The Ansel Adams Gallery is open seven days interactive displays and see the ceremonial per week from 10am to 3pm. We are located roundhouse, bark houses, and sweathouse in the heart of Yosemite Valley, between the members of the local tribes still actively Visitor Center and main Post Office. Join us use for ceremonies and special gatherings. on an unforgettable photography excursion, Located behind the Yosemite Museum in or step inside the Gallery to experience a Yosemite Village. unique variety of fine arts, hand-crafts, and an extraordinary collection of Ansel Adams YOSEMITE RENAISSANCE ART EXHIBIT original photographs and exclusive editions. Yosemite Renaissance has supported the arts We offer half-day photography classes and in Yosemite since 1985. If you are an artist private guided tours led by a resident staff inspired by Yosemite and the California Sierra photographer. Classes leave from the Gallery Nevada region, this is the show for you! The A view of Half Dome from Sentinel Bridge, Yosemite Valley. NPS Image competition is open to artists word-wide and offers $4000 in cash awards. The organization seeks to encourage the public to protect and preserve our parks and wild lands through art. The exhibit will open at Yosemite Gateway Art Center in Oakhurst in March, Kings Art Center in Hanford in June, Carnegie Arts Center in Turlock in August, and the Yosemite Museum Gallery in October. Visit www. yosemiterenaissance.org to learn more. Yosemite Conservancy ADVENTURES AND ART CLASSES Join Yosemite Conservancy for a memorable park experience! Preregistration is required for all Conservancy adventures and art classes. Outdoor Adventures: Our naturalist guides Wednesdays (Except May 5) lead day hikes, backpacking trips, art retreats • person. and more. Register: yosemite.org/adventures. • Apr 17-18 Apr 22-24 9am–11am: A Stroll Through Time $10/ 12pm–2pm: Stagecoach Stories $10/ person. Birding: Intro Weekend Yosemite Field School: Climate Change Thursdays May 1 Day Hike: Nature Journaling • May 9 Day Hike: Yosemite Valley Waterfalls 5pm–7pm: Yosemite Valley Sunset Walk $10/person. • 8pm–9pm: Yosemite Valley Stargazing $25/person. Naturalist Walks: Join a Yosemite Conservancy Naturalist for a stroll in the Valley. Advanced Fridays (Except April 2 and 9) registration required: yosemite.org/adventures. • 8am–10am: Birding in Yosemite Valley (binoculars available) $10/person. Maximum group size of 9 people (no exceptions). • 11am–1pm: Nature Journaling (journals available) $15/person. Yosemite Bike Share The free Yosemite Bike Share will open for the season in late spring, depending on weather and road safety. When it opens, you can use the bike share for short trips (up to two hours) in Yosemite Valley. 1. 2. 3. Get connected: Download the Yosemite Bike Share mobile app for Apple/iOS or Android in advance. Get a bike: Use the app to unlock a bike at one of the Yosemite Bike Share stations, located at the Yosemite Village Parking Area and on the Village mall (between the Valley Wilderness Center and the Valley Visitor Center). Get pedaling: Ride safely! Use the helmet provided with the bike (or wear your own) and stay on roads and paved bike paths. Visit yosemite.org/yosemite-bike-share to learn more about this program, see a map of bike paths and plan your routes. 4 every day and require reservations. Private guides are first-come first-serve and require advance reservations. Excursions have been modified to limit group size and accommodate social distancing for guest safety. Call ahead for reservations 209/372- 4413 or visit anseladams. com/photographyeducation. Current Exhibition Ansel Adams & The Spirit of Yosemite April 1, 2021 - June 5, 2021 On exhibition will be a selection of rare and iconic original photographs by Ansel Adams that celebrate his life’s work, his passion for the arts and environment and the Spirit of Yosemite. Yosemite Guide March 31, 2021 - May 11, 2021 Services in Yosemite Schedule All available operations and hours of operations are subject to change. Check local resources and area signage in light of changing public health requirements related to COVID-19. Curry Village Bike Stand / NPS Image Hours listed are core hours and may be extended during peak visitation. Food and Drink YOSEMITE VILLAGE Degnan’s Kitchen 7am to 11am; 11:30am to 6pm The Loft at Degnan’s Closed for the Season THE AHWAHNEE Dining Room Breakfast: 7am to 10am Lunch: 11:30am to 2pm Dinner: 5:30pm to 8:30pm The Ahwahnee Bar 2pm to 9pm YOSEMITE VALLEY LODGE Starbucks Coffee Sunday-Thursday, 7am to 3pm, open daily beginning April 5 Base Camp Eatery Breakfast: 7am to 10am Lunch: 11am to 2pm Dinner: 4pm to 8pm Mountain Room Bar 5pm to 9pm Mountain Room Restaurant Temporarily closed due to COVID-19 CURRY VILLAGE Coffee Corner 6:30am to 11am Pizza Deck 12pm to 8pm, beginning April 2 Bar 1899 12pm to 8pm, beginning April 2 Meadow Grill 7am to 10am, 11am to 7pm, beginning April 3 WAWONA AREA Wawona Hotel Temporarily Closed Groceries YOSEMITE VILLAGE Village Store 9am to 7pm, 8am to 8pm beginning April 2 YOSEMITE VALLEY LODGE Gift/Grocery 10am to 6pm CURRY VILLAGE Gift/Grocery 10am to 6pm, beginning April 2 EL PORTAL El Portal Market 10am to 6pm WAWONA Wawona Store & Pioneer Gift Shop 9am to 7pm, beginning April 2 Books, Gifts, & Apparel YOSEMITE VILLAGE Yosemite Conservancy Bookstore at Yosemite Valley Visitor Center 9am to 5pm daily (operating as an outdoor “to-go” store) Yosemite Museum Store Temporarily closed due to COVID-19 The Ansel Adams Gallery 10am to 3pm Village Store 9am to 7pm, 8am to 8pm beginning April 2 RELIGIOUS SERVICES YOSEMITE COMMUNITY CHURCH (THE CHAPEL) Resident Minister: Pastor Brent Moore 209/372-4831 – www.YosemiteValleyChapel.org www.YosemiteValleyChapelWeddings.org SUNDAY CHAPEL SERVICES: 9:15am – Year-round 11am – Labor Day to Memorial Day EASTER WEEK SERVICES Maunday Thursday Service (April 1) – 7pm Good Friday (April 2) – 12pm and 7pm EASTER SUNDAY SERVICES (April 4): Lower Pines Campground – 7am Chapel - 9:15am and 11am MARRIAGE RENEWAL: May 2 at 9:15am and 11am *Subject to Covid -19 policies. Please call the chapel for current information before you travel. CHURCH OF CHRIST (Non-denominational) El Portal Chapel / Worship: Sunday 11am 209/379-2100 OUR LADY OF THE SNOWS Catholic Mass Sunday - 10am (year - round) Yosemite Theater at Valley Visitor Center, Yosemite Village SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS No meetings at this time Oakhurst Hotline: 559/683-1662 THE AHWAHNEE Gift Shop 9am to 7pm Sweet Shop 11am to 6pm YOSEMITE VALLEY LODGE Gift/Grocery 10am to 6pm CURRY VILLAGE Gift/Grocery 10am to 6pm, beginning April 2 Yosemite Mountain Shop 12pm to 4:30pm, April 2 only 8:30am to 4:30pm, beginning April 3 GLACIER POINT Glacier Point Gift Shop 9am to 5pm, beginning May 7 WAWONA Wawona Store & Pioneer Gift Shop 9am to 5pm Recreation CURRY VILLAGE Bike Stand 8am to 6pm, beginning April 9 Yosemite Mountaineering School 8:30am to 12pm; 1pm to 4:30pm, beginning May 21 YOSEMITE VALLEY LODGE Bike Stand 10am to 5pm, 8am to 6pm, beginning April 9 Gas Stations EL PORTAL Pay 24 hours with credit or debit card WAWONA SERVICE STATION Pay 24 hours with credit or debit card. CRANE FLAT Pay 24 hours with credit or debit card General Services Medical Clinic - Yosemite Valley (209) 372-4637 For emergency care CALL 9-1-1 Monday - Friday: 9am to 5pm, Closed during federal holidays Yosemite Village Garage Towing available 24 hours NO gas in Yosemite Valley. 11am to 3pm Post Offices YOSEMITE VILLAGE Main Office Monday - Friday: 8:30am to 5pm Saturday: 10am to noon YOSEMITE VALLEY LODGE Monday - Friday: 12:30pm to 2:45pm EL PORTAL Monday - Friday: 8:30am to 5pm Closed 12:30pm to 1:30pm WAWONA 9am to 5pm NPS Image 5 Experience Your America Yosemite National Park Hiking Mist Trail, NPS Image / Sheree Peshlakai Choose Your Adventure PARK UPDATE • Please practice social distancing while walking on trails. • Expect trail closures. What better way to enjoy the beauty of Yosemite than on foot. Ask a ranger at any visitor contact station for updated trail conditions and one of several free day-hike handouts. Yosemite Valley Day Hikes* STARTING POINT DISTANCE / TIME DIFFICULTY / ELEVATION Bridalveil Fall - CLOSED due to Construction Bridalveil Fall Parking Area 0.5 mile round-trip, 20 minutes Easy Lower Yosemite Fall Across from Yosemite Valley Lodge 1.0 mile round-trip, 20 minutes Easy Upper Yosemite Fall Trail to Columbia Rock Camp 4, across from Yosemite Valley Lodge 2 miles round-trip, 2–3 hours Strenuous 1,000-foot gain Top of Upper Yosemite Fall Same as above 7.2 miles round-trip, 6–8 hours Very Strenuous 2,700-foot gain Know Before You Go: Mirror Lake (A seasonal lake) East of North Pines Campground 2 miles round-trip, 1 hour Easy • Stay away from swift-moving water Vernal Fall Footbridge Happy Isles 1.4 miles round-trip, 1–2 hours Moderate, 400-foot gain *Top of Vernal Fall Happy Isles 3 miles round-trip, 2–4 hours Strenuous 1,000-foot gain Top of Nevada Fall Happy Isles 5 miles round-trip, 5–6 hours Strenuous 1,900-foot gain *Four Mile Trail to Glacier Point (Partially closed in winter) Southside Drive 4.8 miles one-way, 3–4 hours one-way Very Strenuous, 3,200-foot gain Valley Floor Loop Lower Yosemite Fall Trailhead 13 miles full loop, 5–7 hours full loop Moderate • Some trails may be re-routed to accommodate social distancing protocol. Please comply with all posted signs. • Always supervise children closely. • Never swim upstream from a waterfall. TRAIL / DESTINATION *Trails may be closed due to unsafe conditions. Ask a ranger for current conditions and heed all warning and closure signs! WALKS/HIKES TO DO IN WAWONA HIKES IN CRANE FLAT Pioneer Yosemite History Center Tuolumne Grove Merced Grove Go back to a time of horse-drawn wagons, a The trailhead for this grove of about 25 Yosemite’s quietest stand of sequoias is the covered bridge, and log cabins. A visit to the sequoias is near the intersection of the Big Merced Grove, a group of approximately 20 Pioneer Yosemite History Center explores Yo- Oak Flat Road and Tioga Road at Crane Flat. big trees accessible only on foot. It’s a three- semite’s history and interpretive signs explain The former route of the Big Oak Flat Road mile round-trip hike (about three hours) into how Yosemite was the inspiration for national leads downhill from the parking area into the the grove. The trail drops down 1.5 miles parks across America and around the world. grove. The trail drops 500 feet (150 meters) making this a moderately strenuous hike on in one mile. The way down can seem much the uphill portion. There is no potable water at Mariposa Grove easier than the uphill return to the parking the parking area or down in the grove. Be sure Located near Yosemite’s South Entrance, lot. The trip is moderately strenuous on the to bring drinking water with you. The grove the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequioas is the uphill portion. Within the Tuolumne Grove is located 3½ miles north of Crane Flat and park’s largest stand of giant sequoias, with there is an easy, half-mile, self-guided nature 4½ miles south of the Big Oak Flat Entrance about 500 trees in the grove. Shuttles will trail. There is no potable water at the parking along the Big Oak Flat Road (Highway 120 not operate during the 2021 season, expect a area or in the grove. Be sure to bring drinking West). The trail is marked by a sign and a post two-mile, one-way walk to reach the grove. water with you. labeled B-10. Interpretive signs provide a self-guiding tour once in the grove. 6 A tunnel tree in Tuolumne Grove. NPS Photo Yosemite Guide March 31, 2021 - May 11, 2021 Permit Information Camping, Hiking, and Wilderness Use Wilderness Permits CAMPING RESERVATIONS For the 2021 season, campgrounds that will Wilderness permits are required year-round be open are Upper, Lower and North Pines, for all overnight trips into the Yosemite Wawona, Bridalveil Creek and Tuolumne Wilderness. Self-registration quota sheets Meadows. Campground reservations are and permits are available at Yosemite Valley available up to five months in advance and Visitor Center, Hill’s Studio in Wawona, Big are released on the 15th of each month at Oak Flat Information Station, and the Hetch 7am Pacific time. Log onto the website or call Hetchy Entrance Station. Bear canisters as soon as possible as most campgrounds fill are only available for rent at the Yosemite within a few minutes of the opening period. Conservancy Bookstore in the Valley Visitor Camp 4 will be available via a one-day-in- Center. For summer trips, reservations are advance lottery on recreation.gov, and each taken 24 weeks (168 days) in advance of the site will be