Yosemite National Park: The Ultimate Guide
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Yosemite National Park: The Ultimate Guide
Always On PTO
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Yosemite National Park is my favorite national park of all time and one of the most iconic parks in the world. Yosemite is known for the famous Tunnel View, Bridalveil Fall and the granite cliffs of El Capitan and Half Dome. And don't get me wrong, those places are amazing, but there is SO much more to this park that often gets overlooked. Don't do what everyone else is doing — travel to parts of the park that are less explored!
I've been to Yosemite 10+ times and this guide holds map pins and information for all of my favorite hikes, camp spots, hotels, and best places to explore in Yosemite. Use it to craft one big trip, or multiple small trips and choose your own adventure! I've included both the iconic places you have to see (especially if it is your first visit to Yosemite) and also the less touristy spots that you don't want to miss.
Things that are covered:
- Entrances and details around which entrance to use
- Where to stay (hotels, campgrounds, and surrounding town information)
- Hike recommendations
- Things to see
This is a living map, meaning that every time I return to Yosemite and do something new (which is often), I'll add to it, and you'll get all of the updates automatically!
If you find this information helpful, any tips are appreciated for my work.
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Entrances
Yosemite is a MASSIVE national park and there are multiple entrances into it, so you want to make sure you align the way you get into the park with your plans and what you want to see. The first time I went to Yosemite, we stayed near an entrance that was hours away from a lot of the stuff we wanted to see which was a huge mistake and cost us hours of driving. It isn't fun to finish a 15+ mile hike and then have a 2 1/2 hour drive back to your hotel for the evening! Since the park is so big, you will naturally be driving a lot, but having a rough idea of what you want to see while you're in Yosemite and staying near an entrance relative to that will help make your experience much more seamless.
Hetch Hetchy Entrance
@alwaysonpto
The Hetch Hetchy entrance is the farthest north of all entrances on the west side of the park. This is a quieter area of the park, which only sees 1% of total park visitation. If you're traveling from Northern California, it is possible this is an entrance you'll use.
Hetch Hetchy is about 1 hour and 30 minutes away from the valley floor and the road is open only during daylight hours. When the road is closed, there is no access to Hetch Hetchy trailheads.
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Big Oak Flat Entrance
@alwaysonpto
If you're driving from Northern California, this is the most direct route into Yosemite. To enter through the Big Oak Flat Entrance, you will take I-580 east to I-205 east to Highway 120 east via Manteca, California.
The main town closest to this entrance is Groveland (24 miles away) which is a great spot to grab a hotel or Airbnb for your trip.
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Arch Rock Entrance
@alwaysonpto
If you're coming from Northern California, another entrance option is the Arch Rock entrance. When you enter the park through the Arch Rock Entrance, your road turns into El Portal Road, which leads you to the valley floor. This entrance is really cool as you have two house-sized boulders situated on either side of the inbound road, which form an archway for visitors to pass through.
The closest town to this entrance is El Portal, which has gas available 24 hours a day, a market, and campgrounds. It is also near the historic town of Mariposa.
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South Entrance
@alwaysonpto
The South Entrance is one of the more popular gateways into Yosemite Park, and the one that I use most frequently. If you are traveling from southern California or LAX, this is your closest entrance. The closest town to the park entrance on this route is Fish Camp, but I often stay in Oakhurst which has a ton of gas stations, restaurants, and grocery stores.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Always On PTO
Available for hire
Hi there, welcome to my page!
Nearly 10 years ago, I packed up all of my belongings and moved across the US from my childhood home in Massachusetts to Los Angeles. I had no job, and no plan, but just enough ambition to try something new that got me out of my comfort zone.
It wasn't long after arriving in Los Angeles that I discovered my passion for traveling, adventure, and being outdoors. I've been exploring non-stop ever since and have been lucky enough to experience 7 countries, 25 states, and 15 National Parks. I'm an expert in west coast travel, having explored much of California, Arizona, and Utah.
I'm a hiker, camper, and love to explore off the beaten path, which you'll see reflected in all of my guides and itineraries. Because of my full-time job and limited PTO, I plan my travel ambitiously, often times driving or flying somewhere on a Friday after work for a weekend. I try to fit in seeing as much of a destination as I possibly can on my trips (even if that means sacrificing some sleep!).
I'm always thinking about my next adventure and am very excited to help you plan yours! I hope you're able to find some inspiration with my guides and itineraries, and discover a new place that you want to add to your bucket list.
Shop my guides, itineraries, and maps below ⬇
Looking for a customized itinerary?
📧stephanierebecc@gmail.com
What's included
Digital Map
Fully interactive, digital map for finding places nearby
25 places
25 hand-picked places with notes from the creator
1 extra guide
Access to additional guides curated by the creator.
DESTINATION(S) COVERED
Groveland, CA, USA
Yosemite National Park, California, USA
Oakhurst, CA, USA
Yosemite Valley Lodge, Yosemite National Park, Yosemite Lodge Drive, Yosemite Valley, CA, USA
Sierra Nevada, California, USA
Yosemite Village, Yosemite Valley, CA, USA
Tenaya Lake, California, USA
Tenaya at Yosemite, California 41, Fish Camp, CA, USA
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Guide
Guides typically include detailed information and how-to’s about a destination as well as suggested places to try.
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