Frommer's National Parks of the American West - Don Laine [427]
Avoiding the Crowds. Yosemite has its highest number of visitors during summer, and especially during school vacations, so the best advice for avoiding crowds is to go when schools are in session. The campgrounds and lodgings are often full from June through
August, and you can expect some crowds in late spring and early fall as well. Because of Yosemite's proximity to California's population centers, you'll also want to try to avoid weekends, especially holiday weekends. Winter is a great time to visit Yosemite—not only is the park virtually empty, but it offers a number of activities, from skiing at Badger Pass to sledding, ice-skating, and snowshoeing. Keep in mind, however, that the high country along Tioga Pass Road is inaccessible to vehicles from mid-fall to early June, depending on snow levels.
Other ways to avoid humanity, at any time of the year, are to explore the less visited sections of the park—which generally means anywhere outside Yosemite Valley—and to walk away from the crowds by getting out on the trails. The farther you go from the trailheads, the fewer people you'll encounter. Time of day is also important. Most people tour the park between 10am and 4pm, meaning that early morning, late afternoon, and early evening are the best times to see the park.
Just the Facts
GETTING THERE & GATEWAYS
Yosemite is a 3½-hour drive from San Francisco and a 6-hour drive from Los Angeles. Many roads lead to Yosemite's four entrances. From the west, the Big Oak Flat Entrance is 88 miles from Manteca on Calif. 120 and passes through the towns of Groveland, Buck Meadows, and Big Oak Flat. The Arch Rock Entrance is 75 miles northeast of Merced on Calif. 140 and passes through Mariposa and El Portal. The South Entrance is 64 miles north of Fresno and passes through Oakhurst, Bass Lake, and Fish Camp. From the east, the Tioga Pass Entrance is the only option. It is 10 miles west of Lee Vining on Calif. 120; the route is usually open only in the summer. To check on statewide road conditions, call ☎ 800/ 427-7623 in California or 916/445-7623 elsewhere.
Daily bus transportation into the park from Merced, Mariposa, and nearby communities is provided by YARTS, the Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System (☎ 877/989-2787 or 209/388-9589; www.yarts.com). Buses are not subject to park entrance delays during peak season. From Merced, there are several departures daily from the airport, Amtrak train station, and Greyhound bus terminal. Round-trip fare is $20 adults, $14 for children under 13 and seniors 65 and older. There are stops in Mariposa at several lodgings and the visitor center, with round-trip rates of $10 adults, $9 for children under 13 and seniors 65 and older.
The Nearest Airports. Fresno-Yosemite International Airport (☎ 559/621-6699), located 90 miles from the South Entrance at Wawona, is the nearest major airport. It serves over 25 cities with more than 100 flights daily. Airlines include Alaska, Allegiant Air, America West/Mesa, American/American Eagle, Continental, Delta, Frontier, Hawaiian, Horizon, Northwest, Skywest, and United. Major car-rental companies are also represented at the airport. A list of toll-free numbers for airlines and car rentals is in the appendix (p. 660). Mariposa Airport (☎ 209/966-2143) has a tiny airstrip with space for 50 private planes.
INFORMATION
Get general information from Superintendent, Yosemite National Park, P.O. Box 577, Yosemite, CA 95389 (☎ 209/ 372-0200, or 209/372-4726 for the hearing impaired; www.nps.gov/yose). The park newspaper, Yosemite Today, is a vital source of information. The Yosemite Association (☎ 209/379-2646; www. yosemite.org)