By car
There are four major entrances into the park. All of these routes are relatively windy mountain roads and appropriate time should be budgeted for them.

 • State Route 120 from the west from Oakdale. This is the fastest route from locations west (Bay Area) and northwest (Sacramento). Route 120 is a bit steep, so RVs and trailers should consider Route 140 instead. In winter, snow makes the lower elevations of Route 140 more attractive.
 • State Route 140 west from Mariposa and Merced. This route mostly travels up the Merced river canyon into Yosemite Valley and is the most scenic western entrance. RV traffic can congest this road a bit too much in summer.
 • State Route 41 north from Fresno and Los Angeles.
 • State Route 120 from the east (Tioga Pass Road) from Lee Vining and points east. This road is "closed in winter" which can be as early as November and as late as June (and never earlier than May).

Note: During summer months traffic becomes heavily congested in Yosemite Valley, and parking can be nearly impossible to find. Summer visitors to Yosemite Valley are therefore highly encouraged to use the YARTS shuttle system (see below) to get into the park.

By train
Amtrak loves to advertise that you can take a train from the Bay Area to Yosemite. The train travels to Merced where you transfer to a bus which takes two hours to get to the park. As the train takes four hours to get to Merced from Emeryville and a car or bus only takes two, this is a pretty slow way to get there. Nevertheless, it's still a good choice for long-distance train travelers or train-lovers.

By bus
Many tour bus companies run tours from the Bay Area. Some will just take you to Yosemite Valley; others provide full tours to see the Giant Sequoias and/or Glacier Point.

 • Extranomical Adventures, Ph: 1-866-231-3752 . Offering one, two, three and five day trips that visit Yosemite Valley and Yosemite's sequoia groves. Bus and minivan trips start at $109 per person. This company provides pickups from downtown San Francisco hotels or from selected East Bay locations.
 • Starline Tours, Ph: 1-800-959-3131 (from the US) or 001-323-463-3333 (abroad). Offers pickups from downtown San Francisco hotels and selected East Bay locations, and offering 3.5 hours in Yosemite Valley for $116 per person.

By shuttle
The Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System (YARTS) offers reasonably-priced transportation into Yosemite Valley from towns east and west of the park including Merced, Mariposa, El Portal, Lee Vining and Mammoth Lakes. Tickets can be purchased ahead of time or from the shuttle driver, and round-trip fares are between $7 (from El Portal) to $20 (from Merced and Mammoth Lakes) into Yosemite Valley. When combined with the free shuttle service that operates within Yosemite Valley YARTS can eliminate many hassles for summer visitors.

By car
In general a car is a great way to tour the park, although during the summer Yosemite Valley can be so crowded that a shuttle bus is a vastly better option. Be aware that the Tioga Pass Road and the road to Glacier Point are seasonal and close as soon as the first major snow falls. Other park roads may close during storms, but in general are always open. Note that the speed limit in all areas of the park is fairly slow, and is strictly enforced by rangers with radar guns; the speed limits are for your own safety on the twisting mountain roads, as well as for the safety of pedestrians and the many animals that use the area. The loop road through Yosemite Valley is now one-way. For many years this was a two-lane road, but motorists traveling slowly to admire the scenery often created a long backup of annoyed drivers, so the Park Service converted most of the roads in the valley into one-way roads to allow passing. As a result, when driving in the valley be aware that a wrong turn can send you on a one-way five-mile detour.

By shuttle
To limit traffic congestion the park service runs several free shuttle buses throughout the park (note that these are not the YARTS system):

 • Yosemite Valley. Shuttles operate from 7:00 AM until 10:00 PM in the eastern portion of Yosemite Valley year-round, stopping at or near all accommodations, shopping areas, and major sights.
 • Wawona-Mariposa Grove. Between spring and fall a free shuttle operates between Wawona and the Mariposa Sequoia Grove. Parking is often full at the grove, so the shuttle then becomes the only option for visiting.
 • Badger Pass Bus. During the ski season a free bus travels twice daily between Yosemite Valley and the ski area.
 • Tuolumne Meadows Shuttle Bus. During the summer season this bus provides access to points in and around Tuolumne Meadows.
 • Tuolumne Meadows Hikers' Bus (fee charged). This bus travels in summer between Yosemite Valley and Tuolumne Meadows, dropping hikers off along the way. To guarantee seating tickets should be purchased one day in advance by calling (209) 372-1240.
 • Glacier Point Hikers' Bus (fee charged). This bus provides service between Yosemite Valley and Glacier Point, making stops along the way. To guarantee seating tickets should be purchased one day in advance by calling (209) 372-1240.

On foot
Although the road network covers the most popular sights in Yosemite, the vast majority of the park's area can only be accessed using the park's network of trails. Trails including the John Muir Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail lead to areas outside of the park's north and south borders.