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Yosemite Valley from Tunnel View, with El Capitan on the left and Bridalveil Fall on the right

Yosemite National Park · Sierra Nevada · California

The straight answers on trips to Yosemite

Drive from San Francisco or take a tour? What does entry cost now, and do you still need a reservation? How much of the park can one day really cover?

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Independent — not a tour operatorEvery way in, compared

Trips & tickets

Every paid way into the park

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Small-group Yosemite and giant sequoias day trip from San Francisco

Pick-up from select San Francisco hotels and a van of no more than 15 passengers to Tunnel View, Bridalveil Fall, El Capitan and Yosemite Falls, with free time in the Valley and a 1-mile (1.6 km) walk into a grove of giant sequoias, weather permitting. National Park fees for US residents are included; the park fee for international visitors is collected at the park.

  • Vans of up to 15 passengers
  • Free time in Yosemite Valley
  • 1-mile giant sequoia walk
14 hours A small group from San Francisco
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Yosemite and giant sequoias day trip from San Francisco with early entry

Hotel pick-up in San Francisco and early-bird entry for five hours inside the park: Tunnel View, the base of Bridalveil Fall, El Capitan Meadow, Valley View, 2 to 2.5 hours of free time in Yosemite Valley and a 1-hour-15-minute stop among the giant sequoias of the Tuolumne Grove (from November to March, when that trail is snow-covered, the time goes to the Valley instead). The park entry fee for US residents is included; the $100 fee for non-US residents is not.

  • Five hours inside the park
  • Tuolumne Grove sequoia walk
  • Free audio guide in 8 languages
15 hours The most time in the park from San Francisco
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Yosemite highlights small-group tour from Oakhurst

Pick-up in Coarsegold, Bass Lake, Oakhurst or Fish Camp only, and a guided day of photo stops at Tunnel View, Half Dome, El Capitan and the Valley's waterfalls, with the Mariposa Grove and Glacier Point when they are open, and a picnic lunch included. Park fees for international visitors, where they apply, are collected at the park.

  • Picnic lunch included
  • Mariposa Grove and Glacier Point in season
  • Pick-up around Oakhurst
9 hours Staying south of the park
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All Yosemite tours and tickets

The full Viator listing for Yosemite National Park — day trips from San Francisco, small-group and two-day tours, guided hikes and walks in the Valley, with live prices.

  • Live prices and availability
  • Cancellation terms shown on each product
  • Departures from San Francisco, Oakhurst and Groveland
Varies by product Comparing what is available on your dates
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Planning a trip to Yosemite

Yosemite is not one trip but several, sold by different people: the park's own entrance pass, which you buy at the gate by card; day tours from San Francisco and the Bay Area; small-group and overnight tours that stay near the park; tours from Oakhurst and guided walks from Groveland; the YARTS buses from Merced, Mariposa and Fresno; the park concessioner's bus tours that start in Yosemite Valley; and the Sugar Pine steam railroad just outside the South Entrance.

Which one is right depends on where you are starting, whether you have a car, the season, and how much time you want inside the park rather than on the road. These pages compare them plainly.

Plan it properly

The guides

Yosemite Valley from Tunnel View, with El Capitan on the left and Bridalveil Fall on the right

How to Get to Yosemite from San Francisco, Fresno and Lake Tahoe

Driving routes and times to Yosemite from San Francisco, Fresno and Lake Tahoe, the YARTS buses and Amtrak via Merced, and what to know about parking, chains and the gate.

 The sheer granite face of El Capitan under a cloudy sky

Yosemite Entrance Fees, Tickets and Reservations in 2026

What Yosemite costs to enter in 2026: the $35 vehicle pass, the new $100 nonresident fee, annual passes, whether you need a reservation, Half Dome permits and tour tickets.

 Giant sequoia trunks among green undergrowth in a forest grove

Yosemite Tours Compared: Day Trips, Two-Day Tours, Guided Walks and Park Buses

Yosemite tours side by side: day trips from San Francisco, small-group and sequoia tours, tours from Oakhurst, two-day trips, guided Valley walks, the park's own buses and the Sugar Pine railroad.

The park

Yosemite Valley, the waterfalls and the giant sequoias

Half Dome rising above a forest of dark green pines
Yosemite Falls dropping down a granite cliff above the trees
Giant sequoia trunks among green undergrowth in a forest grove
The sheer granite face of El Capitan under a cloudy sky
Half Dome and the high country seen across the valley from Glacier Point

Photographs licensed from Shutterstock.

Before you book

Quick answers

All questions →
How much does it cost to get into Yosemite?

A private vehicle pays $35, valid for seven consecutive days for everyone inside; a motorcycle $30; and anyone arriving on foot or by bicycle $20 per person. Children under 16 are free. Non-US residents aged 16 and older pay an extra $100 each unless they hold an America the Beautiful pass, and the gates take cards only; our entrance fees and reservations guide has the full table.

Do I need a reservation to visit Yosemite in 2026?

No. The park announced it is not using a timed entry reservation system in 2026, and you simply pay the entrance fee when you arrive. You still need a permit to climb Half Dome while the cables are up, and lodging and campsites should be booked early; our entrance fees and reservations guide covers both.

How far is Yosemite from San Francisco?

About 195 miles, or 4 to 5 hours, by I-580 and I-205 to Highway 120 through Manteca or Highway 140 through Merced. Without a car, Amtrak and Greyhound reach Merced, where YARTS buses continue to Yosemite Valley for $44 round trip; our guide to getting there compares every option.

How do I get to Yosemite from Fresno?

By Highway 41: Fresno to Yosemite Valley is 94 miles, about 2 hours 15 minutes, entering at the South Entrance near the Mariposa Grove. In summer YARTS runs a Highway 41 bus from Fresno to the Valley for $40 round trip; in 2026 it ran from May 22 to September 25.