NationalParkEntry

CA · Pacific West

Yosemite National Park entry requirements

No timed-entry or vehicle reservation is needed to enter Yosemite in 2026. Entrance is $35 per vehicle. Check any visit date against the official 2026 rules.

Yosemite Valley seen from Tunnel View under a bright overcast sky. The sheer granite face of El Capitan rises on the left, Bridalveil Fall spills down the cliffs on the right, the rounded crown of Half Dome sits in the far distance, and dense conifer forest fills the valley floor.
NPS / Cindy Jacoby · Public domain (work of the U.S. National Park Service)

The 2026 season at Yosemite

This is what applies across the published season. Use the date checker below for a specific day.

Nothing to book at Yosemite National Park in 2026, but 2 access restrictions apply. Some activities need their own permit.

An entrance fee or accepted pass is required on every visit, separately from anything below.

  1. Park entrance

    Required

    You must pay the park entrance fee or show an accepted pass.

    • Private vehicle: $35, valid for 7 days.
    • Motorcycle: $30.
    • Per person on foot or bicycle: $20.
    • An America the Beautiful pass covers this entrance fee. It does not cover any reservation or permit below.
    • All standard passes are valid seven consecutive days. Non-US residents aged 16+ pay an extra $100 per person on top of the standard fee unless admitted on an Annual or America the Beautiful pass. The park is cashless (credit/debit and mobile payment only). People 15 and younger are free.

  2. Timed entry

    Not required

    Nothing here is required in 2026.

    • Peak-hours entrance reservation - DISCONTINUED for 2026, none required. No exceptions needed - no entrance reservation exists in 2026. Entire park, all entrances

  3. Vehicle, road, or corridor

    Required all year

    Hetch Hetchy Road daylight-only access applies on every date in 2026.

    • Hetch Hetchy Road daylight-only access

      Dates
      Jan 1, 2026 – Dec 31, 2026
      Hours
      All day
      Fee
      Not published
      Opens
      No advance booking

      Applies to Hetch Hetchy Road / Hetch Hetchy Entrance

      • No separate fee beyond the park entrance fee.
      • All other park entrances are open 24 hours per day.
      • Wilderness permit holders departing from Hetch Hetchy should confirm gate hours with the park directly.
    • No per-vehicle reservation anywhere in Yosemite: Mariposa Grove Road is restricted to vehicles displaying a disability placard when the free shuttle is running - that is an access restriction, not a reservation.
    • Tioga Road and Glacier Point Road close: Tioga Road opened to bikes on 2026-05-14, one day before vehicles.

  4. Shuttle

    Required on some dates

    Mariposa Grove free shuttle applies during part of 2026.

    • Mariposa Grove free shuttle

      Dates
      May 3, 2026 – Nov 30, 2026
      Hours
      8 a.m. – 7 p.m.
      Fee
      None
      Opens
      No advance booking

      Applies to Mariposa Grove Welcome Plaza near South Entrance to the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias

      • The shuttle is free. Parking at the Welcome Plaza is free but limited.
      • Vehicles displaying a disability placard may drive Mariposa Grove Road to near the Grizzly Giant.
      • When shuttle service is not available visitors may reach the grove on foot.
      • Pets are not allowed on shuttles or anywhere in the Mariposa Grove.
      • No overnight booking affects Mariposa Grove shuttle access.

  5. Your campground or lodging

    Required all year

    Yosemite campground reservation applies on every date in 2026.

    • Yosemite campground reservation

      Dates
      Jan 1, 2026 – Dec 31, 2026
      Hours
      All day
      Fee
      Not published
      Opens
      Rolling window

      Applies to Upper Pines, Lower Pines, North Pines, Camp 4, Wawona, Bridalveil Creek, Hodgdon Meadow, Crane Flat, Tamarack Flat, White Wolf, Yosemite Creek, Porcupine Flat, Tuolumne Meadows

      • Campground fees vary by campground; the park's conditions page does not list per-site prices.
      • Camping or sleeping in a vehicle is only allowed in a campsite you are registered for.
      • Because Yosemite has no entrance reservation in 2026, a campground booking is no longer needed as an entry substitute. It still does not cover the entrance fee.
    • In-park lodging reservation (does not affect park entry in 2026).

  6. Selected activity

    Required on some dates

    Half Dome cables day-hike permit applies during part of 2026.

    • Half Dome cables day-hike permit

      Dates
      May 22, 2026 – Oct 13, 2026
      Hours
      All day
      Fee
      $10
      Opens
      Lottery

      Applies to Half Dome Trail beyond the base of the subdome

      • $10 non-refundable application fee per application (not per person), plus $10 per person charged only if a permit is awarded. The $10 per-person fee is refundable if cancelled by 11:59 pm Pacific the day before, or if the cables are not up.
      • No permit is needed to hike to Scout Lookout or the base of the subdome.
      • Backpackers, including those staying in Little Yosemite Valley, apply for Half Dome permits with their wilderness permit instead.
      • A Half Dome permit does not include camping, lodging, or overnight accommodation of any kind, and a campground or lodging booking does not include a Half Dome permit.
    Book on recreation.gov

Fees and passes

Private vehicle$35
Motorcycle$30
Per person, on foot or bicycle$20
Valid for7 days
Park annual pass$70

All standard passes are valid seven consecutive days. Non-US residents aged 16+ pay an extra $100 per person on top of the standard fee unless admitted on an Annual or America the Beautiful pass. The park is cashless (credit/debit and mobile payment only). People 15 and younger are free.

An America the Beautiful pass is accepted here. It covers the entrance fee only. It does not cover a timed-entry permit, a vehicle reservation, a parking tag, a shuttle ticket, or an activity permit.

An America the Beautiful pass covers the entrance fee but never a reservation or permit fee. It also waives the $100 non-US-resident surcharge. Resident Annual $80, Non-Resident Annual $250, Senior Annual $20, Senior Lifetime $80, Military/Access/4th Grade/Volunteer free. Fee-free days are stated to apply to US citizens and residents.

Fee-free days

  • Feb 16, 2026
  • May 25, 2026
  • Jun 14, 2026
  • Jul 3, 2026
  • Jul 4, 2026
  • Jul 5, 2026
  • Aug 25, 2026
  • Sep 17, 2026
  • Oct 27, 2026
  • Nov 11, 2026

From 2026 a fee-free day waives the entrance fee for U.S. residents. Other visitors still pay it, plus the $100 nonresident fee where it applies. A fee-free day never waives a reservation, a permit, or a booking fee unless the park says so.

Rules that apply to one area only

These do not apply to the whole park. Where you go changes the answer.

  • All park entrances (South, Arch Rock, Big Oak Flat, Hetch Hetchy, Tioga Pass)Yosemite entrance fee (7-day pass) · Jan 1, 2026 – Dec 31, 2026
  • Half Dome Trail beyond the base of the subdomeHalf Dome cables day-hike permit (lottery) · May 22, 2026 – Oct 13, 2026
  • Mariposa Grove Welcome Plaza near South Entrance to the Mariposa Grove of Giant SequoiasMariposa Grove free shuttle (effectively mandatory when running) · May 3, 2026 – Nov 30, 2026
  • Hetch Hetchy Road / Hetch Hetchy EntranceHetch Hetchy Road daylight-only access · Jan 1, 2026 – Dec 31, 2026
  • Upper Pines, Lower Pines, North Pines, Camp 4, Wawona, Bridalveil Creek, Hodgdon Meadow, Crane Flat, Tamarack Flat, White Wolf, Yosemite Creek, Porcupine Flat, Tuolumne MeadowsYosemite campground reservation (does not affect park entry in 2026) · Jan 1, 2026 – Dec 31, 2026

What a campground or lodging booking does and does not cover

  • Yosemite entrance fee (7-day pass)Not covered by an in-park booking. A campground or lodging reservation does not include the entrance fee; it must be paid separately at the gate or online.
  • Half Dome cables day-hike permit (lottery)Not covered by an in-park booking. A Half Dome permit does not include camping, lodging, or overnight accommodation of any kind, and a campground or lodging booking does not include a Half Dome permit.

Quick answers

Do I need a reservation for Yosemite?
No. Yosemite National Park does not require a timed-entry or vehicle reservation to enter in 2026. The timed-entry programme does not run this season. You still pay the entrance fee ($35 per vehicle) or show an accepted pass.
Is there an entrance fee at Yosemite?
Yes. A private vehicle pass is $35 per vehicle. An America the Beautiful pass is accepted for the entrance fee, and does not cover any reservation or permit.

Official links, coverage, and sources

When reservations are released

  • Yosemite entrance feeSold at entrance stations (credit/debit only) or in advance on Recreation.gov.
  • Half Dome cables day-hike permitAwarded by lottery. Preseason lottery applications are accepted March 1-31 (eastern time), with results in mid-April; 225 permits per day. A daily lottery runs during the season with an application window two days before the hike date, from midnight to 4 pm Pacific time, and notification late that night.
  • Yosemite campground reservationReleased on a rolling window. Reservations are available up to five months in advance on Recreation.gov and are strongly recommended. All currently open campgrounds are reservation-only; none are first-come, first-served as of 2026-07-26.

Official booking and park information

What this does not cover

  • Road, weather, and fire closures that change day to day. Check the park’s alerts page.
  • Backcountry and wilderness permits beyond the headline permits listed above.
  • Commercial use authorizations, filming permits, and group-size rules.
  • Availability. We tell you what is required, not whether anything is left.
  • Individual campsite and lodge availability, which is handled by the booking system.

Effective dates and sources

  • Fees and passesNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to Park entrancePrivate Vehicle $35.00 This fee is valid for seven consecutive days for a non-commercial car, pickup truck, RV, or van with 15 or fewer passenger seats. This fee covers the vehicle and everyone inside of it. Per-person nonresident fees still apply.
  • Fees & Passes - Yosemite National ParkNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to Yosemite entrance feeThe fee for a Standard entrance pass is $20.00–$35.00. Non-US residents (16 and over) must pay an additional $100 per person fee unless admitted with an Annual or America the Beautiful Pass.
  • Entrance Reservations - Yosemite National ParkNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to Peak-hours entrance reservationYosemite National Park today announced it will no longer use a timed reservation system in 2026. The decision follows a comprehensive evaluation of traffic patterns, parking availability and visitor use during the 2025 season.
  • Entrance Reservations - Yosemite National ParkNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to No per-vehicle reservation anywhere in YosemiteWithout a reservation system in place, Yosemite will broaden its use of operational strategies that proved effective during the 2025 season.
  • Half Dome Permits for Day Hikers - Yosemite National ParkNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to Half Dome cables day-hike permitPermits to hike to the top of Half Dome are required seven days per week when the cables are up... The cables are normally up the Friday before the last Monday in May (Memorial Day) and the last day to use the cables is the day after the second Monday in October.
  • Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias - Yosemite National ParkNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to Mariposa Grove free shuttleWhen the Mariposa Grove Road is open (approximately mid-April through November), it is only open to vehicles displaying a disability placard. Shuttle Hours for 2026: May 3 through September 23: 8 am to 7 pm (last bus leaves Mariposa Grove at 8:00 pm).
  • Current Conditions - Yosemite National ParkNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to Hetch Hetchy Road daylight-only accessHetch Hetchy Road: Open sunrise to sunset (closed when it is snowing or snow is forecast overnight; call number above for updates).
  • Tioga and Glacier Point Roads Plowing and Road Opening Update - Yosemite National ParkNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to Tioga Road and Glacier Point Road closeTioga Road is typically open to vehicles from late May or June until sometime in November. Plowing typically begins around April 15. Glacier Point Road is typically open to vehicles from sometime in May until sometime in November.
  • Current Conditions - Yosemite National ParkNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to Yosemite campground reservationReservations are available up to five months in advance and are strongly recommended. If you don't have a reservation, get details about camping without a reservation.
  • Current Conditions - Yosemite National ParkNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to In-park lodging reservationVisit Yosemite Hospitality's website for lodging information (including information about Housekeeping Camp and High Sierra Camps). Reservations are available and recommended up to 366 days in advance.

Something wrong here?

Park rules change, sometimes at short notice. If a line on this page does not match what the park publishes, tell us and we will fix it and re-check the source.

corrections@nationalparkentry.com· Last factual change 2026-08-05 · Sources last reviewed 2026-07-26

Nearest other national parks

Chosen by distance from Yosemite, not by editorial preference.