Miscellaneous

Yosemite National Park National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Photo by Dan Horner Yosemite Accessibility Guide January 2015 Welcome to Yosemite National Park! The park strives for full and equal participation for all visitors and continually upgrades facilities, programs and services to improve accessibility. This guide outlines a variety of accessible services, facilities, and activities available in Yosemite. Within each area, it describes ways for people with sight, hearing, and mobility impairments to enjoy Yosemite. If you do not need this guide after your visit, please return it to any visitor center or entrance station. The Yosemite Accessibility Guide is available at entrance stations, visitor centers and online at www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/upload/access.pdf. For general park information and descriptions of services, programs and activities, see the Yosemite Guide, available at entrance stations, visitor centers or online at www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/guide.htm. We welcome your comments and suggestions on ways to improve accessibility for visitors to Yosemite National Park. Discrimination on the basis of disability in federally conducted programs or activities of the Department of the Interior is prohibited. Contact Information: Accessibility Coordinator 209‐379‐1035 yose_accessibility@nps.gov United States Department of the Interior NATIONAL PARK SERVICE Yosemite National Park P.O. Box 577 Yosemite, California 95389 IN REPLY REFER TO: P4215 (YOSE‐PM) Message from the Superintendent: Yosemite National Park is a wonderful and beautiful place with towering trees, thundering waterfalls and massive granite formations. Set aside as a National Park in 1890, Yosemite is a place visited by almost four million visitors a year. Yosemite’s goal is to provide the highest level of accessibility to our visitors as possible. Each year has shown marked improvements in both physical and programmatic accessibility at Yosemite. The staff at Yosemite is working hard to correct and resolve accessibility deficiencies throughout the park. By using principles of universal design, Yosemite is committed to providing physical access to the greatest number of individuals. From designing and building new facilities to the rehabilitation of older buildings, accessibility has become a key component of all projects. The park also offers a free fully accessible shuttle bus service in Yosemite Valley to all park visitors. Yosemite has won the following Accessibility Awards: 2010 National Park Service Sustained Park Achievement – Provision and Improvement of Accessibility over a Sustained Period of Time, 2009 National Park Service National Accessibility Achievement Award for Programmatic Achievement – Improving Access to the National Park Service Programs and 2008 Programmatic Accessibility Achievement Award – Deaf Services Program. Yosemite provides American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters for visitors and has added captioning or provides ASL interpreters at all public films shown in the park. Additionally, we have available audio descriptions, podcasts and multiple publications in large print or Braille for visitors with visual impairments. During the last several years, the park has added accessible campsites in Yosemite Valley, Wawona, and the Tioga Road area. The campgrounds where these sites have been added now include accessible restroom facilities, paths of travel, and some campsites with raised tent platforms. Future plans include the addition of more accessible campsites each year until we meet or exceed the required number of accessible campsites. Many picnic areas parkwide have been rehabilitated to include accessible paths of travel, picnic tables, and grills. As Yosemite continues to address current accessibility issues it is important to remember that accessibility is an integral part of our mission. Providing accessible programs and facilities to the broadest population of our visitors is everyone’s task and responsibility. Don L. Neubacher Superintendent Accessibility Guide Yosemite National Park January 2015 Table of Contents 2 General Information 2 2 3 3 3 4 5 5 5 5 6 6 Access Passes Temporary Accessible Parking Placard Parking Service Animals Wheelchairs and Mobility Devices Rules for Use of OPDMDs Wheelchair and Bicycle Rental Shuttle Buses YARTS – Bus Service to Yosemite Telephones, Video Phone & TTYs Deaf Services Program Requesting a Sign Language Interpreter 7 Services 7 7 7 8 8 Sightseeing by Car Tours Trail Rides Gas Post Offices 8 Health Concerns & Medical Facilities 9 9 9 9 Weather Elevation Smoke & Fire Medical Facilities ‐ In & Around Yosemite 10 Learning About Yosemite 10 10 11 11 12 Ranger Interpretive Programs Films about Yosemite at Visitor Center On‐Line Resources, Videos & Webcams Publications Environmental Education 13 Lodging, Camping & Picnic Facilities 13 Lodging Information 14 Campground Reservations 15 Picnic Areas 16 Places of Interest in Yosemite 16 Yosemite Valley 20 Northern Yosemite 22 Southern Yosemite 24 Mariposa Grove – Closure Notice 26 Yosemite Valley Accessibility Map 1 Accessibility Guide Yosemite National Park January 2015 General Information Yosemite National Park, set aside in 1890, embraces spectacular mountain and valley scenery in the Sierra Nevada mountain range. Park highlights include Yosemite Valley’s high cliffs and waterfalls; Wawona's history center and historic hotel; the Mariposa Grove of giant sequoias; Glacier Point's spectacular view of Yosemite Valley and the high country (summer through fall); Tuolumne Meadows, a large subalpine meadow surrounded by high mountain peaks (summer through fall); and Hetch Hetchy, a secluded valley with a reservoir formed by a dam on the Tuolumne River. Yosemite offers unparalleled natural views and soundscapes, and natural objects for tactile exploration. These opportunities are available in all areas of the park. Access Passes U.S. citizens or permanent residents who are permanently disabled or blind are eligible for the Interagency Access Pass. This free, lifetime admission pass is valid at National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Reclamation sites. It provides the pass owner and accompanying passengers in a private vehicle free admission to Yosemite National Park. The Access Pass is available at no charge when obtained in person at designated locations or for a $10 processing fee online with proof of eligibility. The pass is nontransferable and does not generally cover or reduce special recreation permit fees or fees charged by concessionaires. Visitors with Access Passes receive a 50 percent discount on camping in Yosemite. In Yosemite, the Access Pass is available at all park entrance stations and visitor centers. Visitors must supply their Access Pass number when making a camping reservation. For more information or to download an application, visit www.nps.gov/fees_passes.htm Temporary Accessible Parking Placard For visitors who are temporarily disabled or do not have their permanent accessible parking placard with them, a temporary placard is available at park entrance stations and visitor centers. When displayed on a vehicle dashboard, the placard allows parking in designated accessible spaces and driving on some paved roads closed to other private‐vehicle traffic such as the Happy Isles Loop Road and Mirror Lake Road. Pedestrians, bicyclists, and shuttle buses share these roads, therefore, emergency flashers must be used, and the speed limit is 15 miles per hour. 2 Accessibility Guide Yosemite National Park January 2015 Parking Designated accessible spaces are marked with the international access symbol and are reserved for vehicles displaying an accessible parking placard or license plate. A map with accessible parking locations, picnic areas, restrooms and camping locations for Yosemite Valley is on the back of this Guide. Service Animals Service animals are defined as dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities. Examples of such work or tasks include guiding people who are blind, alerting people who are deaf, pulling a wheelchair, alerting and protecting a person who is having a seizure, reminding a person with mental illness to take prescribed medications, calming a person with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder during an anxiety attack, or performing other duties. Service animals are working animals, not pets. The work or task a dog has been trained to provide must be directly related to the person’s disability. Dogs whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as service animals. Service animals are allowed in park facilities and on shuttle buses if they meet the legal definition of a service animal found at www.ada.gov/service_animals_2010.htm. Service animals must be leashed at all times, must not disturb wildlife, must not be excessively noisy, and their excrement must be disposed of properly for the area they are in. It is common for other visitors to ask questions, make unwanted remarks, or to report service animals to law enforcement officers if they are not aware the dog is a service animal and allowed to be in locations where pets are generally not allowed. For these reasons, it is recommended that service animals wear a visible identification vest while in the Park. Service‐dogs‐in‐training are not considered service animals and do not meet the legal definition of a service animal. They are pets and therefore must abide by the Yosemite Pet Regulations found at www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/pets.htm. Wheelchairs and Mobility Devices Manual Wheelchair means a device that is propelled by human power, designed for and used by a mobility‐impaired person. Motorized Wheelchair means a self‐propelled wheeled device, designed solely for and used by a mobility‐impaired person for locomotion that is both capable of and suitable for use in indoor pedestrian areas. Use of Wheelchairs and OPDMDs The use of a manual or motorized wheelchair by an individual with limited mobility is allowed to the extent that the same would apply to a pedestrian. The information in this chapter is 3 Accessibility Guide Yosemite National Park January 2015 intended to treat a person using a manual or motorized wheelchair as a pedestrian, and is not intended to restrict the activities of such a person beyond the degree that the activities of a pedestrian are restricted by the same regulations. The use of Other Power Driven Mobility Devices (OPDMDs), while allowed, is restricted to persons with mobility disabilities and such use is limited to paved trails, paved bike paths, and paved multi‐use paths for safety and resource protection. A person using an OPDMD must yield the right of way to pedestrians and persons using wheel chairs. Rules for Use of OPDMDs The following conditions apply:  OPDMDs are not permitted to be operated on park roadways. An OPDMD is only allowed on paved trails, paved bike paths, and paved multi‐use paths.  Operators must be 16 years of age or older.  OPDMDs may not exceed 36 inches in width.  An OPDMD must be placarded and display a universal handicap decal.  Maximum speed while operating an OPDMD cannot exceed 6 mph.  The engine noise level from an OPDMD may not exceed 60 dB measured on the A‐ weighted scale at a distance of 50 feet.  OPDMDs shall not exceed zero emissions during use.  A person riding an OPDMD must always yield to pedestrians.  Group size is limited to no more than four OPDMDs.  Use of an OPDMD is prohibited in undeveloped and designated Wilderness areas.  The use of an OPDMD by a non‐disabled person is prohibited in the park.  Every OPDMD shall be equipped with the following safety mechanisms: – Front, rear, and side reflectors. – A system that enables the operator to bring the OPDMD to a controlled stop. – If the OPDMD is operated between one‐ half hour after sunset and one‐half hour before sunrise, a lamp emitting a white light that, while the OPDMD is in motion, illuminates the area in front of the operator and is visible from a distance of 300 feet in front of the OPDMD. – A sound emitting device that can be activated from time to time by the operator.  No more than one person may ride upon an OPDMD at any time. 4 Accessibility Guide Yosemite National Park January 2015 Wheelchair & Bicycle Rental A limited number of manual wheelchairs and electric scooters are available for rent at the bicycle rental stands at Yosemite Lodge and Curry Village during the summer months. Reservations recommended. The bicycle stand is open during the summer season. When the bicycle stand is closed contact Sean Costello, the bicycle stand manager, for rental information at scostel@delawarenorth.com Bicycles can be rented at Yosemite Lodge and the Curry Village rental stands. A tandem bicycle (for visitors with sight and other impairments) and a hand‐cranked bicycle are available. Reservations are suggested: Call 209‐372‐8319 or 209‐372‐1208. Shuttle Buses Free shuttle buses operate in several areas of the park. All buses are accessible with wheelchair lifts and tie‐downs. Maximum size for wheelchairs on shuttle buses and tour buses is 24 inches wide x 46 inches long with a weight limit on tour buses of 750 pounds. Bus drivers will help passengers on and off buses or notify them of stops. If you need assistance, ask the bus driver. The shuttle bus may accommodate OPDMDs, which meet the size limitation and are suitable for use in indoor pedestrian areas. Shuttle bus service is available in the following locations:     Yosemite Valley: throughout the Yosemite Village area (year‐round) and to El Capitan Bridge and Tuolumne Meadows (summer only). Wawona to Mariposa Grove: from the Wawona Store & Pioneer Gift Shop to the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias (summer only). Wawona to Yosemite Valley: from the Wawona Hotel to Yosemite Valley at 8:30 a.m. return trip leaves Yosemite Valley at 3:30 p.m. (summer only). Tuolumne Meadows: from Olmsted Point to Tioga Pass (summer only). YARTS – Bus Service to Yosemite The Yosemite Area Regional Transportation Services (YARTS) is the only public transportation service that provides regularly scheduled daily service to Yosemite National Park from Mariposa and Merced. Most YARTS buses are equipped with lifts. However, YARTS requests you contact them at least 48 hours ahead of your trip to ensure that a lift‐equipped bus is available to you. YARTS phone number is 1‐877‐989‐2787 or email them on their website at www.yarts.com/. Telephones, Video Phones & TTYs (Teletypewriter) Cell phone signal strength is marginal in most of Yosemite. There is a video phone located in the lobby of Yosemite Lodge. Pay phones are located throughout the park; most have volume control and many have TTYs. 5 Accessibility Guide Yosemite National Park January 2015 Pay phones with TTYs are available at Yosemite Valley Visitor Center, the lobby of Yosemite Lodge, and on the mezzanine of the Ahwahnee Hotel. Free TTY phone kits are also available for guests to take to their rooms at Yosemite Lodge and the Ahwahnee Hotel. The Wawona Hotel has TTY phone kits to use in conjunction with the phone in the manager’s office. Curry Village has kits, too, which include smoke alarm, light flasher doorbell and shake‐awake, but have no phones in the room in which to use a TTY device. Contact Information for Yosemite National Park is:  TTY general park information – 209‐372‐4726  Videophone general information – 209‐222‐3944  TTY Yosemite lodging reservations – 559‐439‐3002  Online hotel reservations www.yosemitepark.com/lodging.aspx  TTY Yosemite campground reservations – 877‐833‐6777  Online campground reservations www.recreation.gov Using a TTY, deaf callers can also dial 711 to use the free relay service, which provides an operator to assist people who are deaf in making calls to voice‐only numbers. Deaf Services Program Yosemite’s Deaf Services Program provides or makes available interpreting services for all official park programs, including tours, ranger programs, and theater presentations. Requests for sign language interpretation should be made at least two weeks in advance. Interpretypes are available at all park Visitor Centers to assist deaf visitors. Additional information on the Deaf Services Program and sign language videos on the Yosemite’s Deaf Services Program and other topics are available at www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/deafservices.htm. Requesting a Sign Language Interpretation Yosemite contracts with outside ASL interpreters to provide sign language interpretation for visitors to the park, therefore, advance notice (at least two weeks) is required to ensure an ASL interpreter is available. We will make every effort to provide an ASL interpreter, however, last minute requests may be difficult to accommodate due to distance and availability. For ASL interpretation for Yosemite National Park and Yosemite Conservancy programs listed in the Yosemite Guide, contact Deaf Services at 209‐379‐5250 (voice/text) or by email at yose_deaf_services@nps.gov. For sign language interpretation on paid tours provided by DNC, call the Yosemite Lodge tour desk at (209) 372‐1240. Captioning Captioning is available on most of the park’s web videos and the films Spirit of Yosemite and Yosemite: A Gathering of Spirit shown in the Yosemite Theater behind the Valley Visitor Center. 6 Accessibility Guide Yosemite National Park January 2015 Sign Language Videos Yosemite has created several informational sign language videos. Topics include requesting an interpreter, how and where to access the public video phone, how to obtain an Access Pass, and driving in the park. Additional videos are being developed. To view these videos, go to the Deaf Services homepage at www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/deafservices.htm. Assistive Listening Devices Ask at the Yosemite Valley Visitor Center about assistive listening devices for ranger‐led programs, public events and tours in Yosemite Valley, Wawona, Glacier Point and Tuolumne Meadows. Lodging facilities at Curry Village, Yosemite Lodge, and the Ahwahnee have assistive listening devices that are available for interpretive programs at their locations. Guests should contact the DNC Parks & Resorts tour desk at 209‐372‐1240 in advance to request an assistive listening device for a program. Services Sightseeing by Car Many of Yosemite’s scenic vistas, waterfalls and other points of interest can be seen from park roads and overlooks. Sightseeing guidebooks, maps and other information are available on the park’s website at: www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/touring.htm and at park visitor centers and retail outlets and can be purchased online from Yosemite Conservancy at www.yosemitestore.com. Tours Fee‐based, open‐air Yosemite Valley Floor trams run within the Valley all year. During the summer, fee‐based enclosed motor coaches make trips from Yosemite Valley to Tuolumne Meadows, Glacier Point, and Grand Tour. Accessible tour vehicles for the above trips can be made available by prior arrangement. At least 48‐hour notice is requested to ensure that an accessible tram or bus is available. Contact DNC Parks & Resorts at the Yosemite Lodge tour desk, Curry Village tour desk or Yosemite Village tour desk (summer only). Call 209‐372‐4386 for schedule and fare information. Trail Rides (Seasonal) Stables in Yosemite Valley, Wawona, and Tuolumne Meadows offer trail rides during the summer months. They can tailor rides to specific needs; call at least 24 hours in advance: Yosemite Valley, 209‐372‐8348; Tuolumne Meadows 209‐372‐8427; or Wawona 209‐375‐6502. 7 Accessibility Guide Yosemite National Park January 2015 The restroom at the Yosemite Valley Stables is accessible, the Wawona Stable has an accessible portable toilet, but the restroom at the Tuolumne Meadows Stable is not accessible. More information on trail rides is available at www.yosemitepark.com/mule‐horseback‐rides.aspx. Gas Gas stations are located in El Portal, Wawona, Crane Flat, and (during the summer) Tuolumne Meadows. Pay‐at‐the‐pump service is available with a debit or credit card 24 hours a day. Check Yosemite Guide for more details. Attendants can assist with fuel service during business hours. Post Offices There are post offices located at Yosemite Village, Yosemite Lodge, El Portal, and Wawona. The main post office (located in Yosemite Village) has accessible parking and a letter‐drop box behind the building. Enter from the service road just north of the Degnan’s Deli off Village Drive. Accessible parking is also available at Yosemite Lodge, El Portal, and Wawona Post Offices. Hours of operation are listed below. Post Office Yosemite Village Yosemite Lodge El Portal Wawona Monday – Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. 12:30 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. 1:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Saturday 10:00 a.m. to Noon Closed Closed 9:00 a.m. to Noon Restaurant and Food Service Food service facilities in Yosemite are wheelchair‐accessible except:  Tuolumne Meadows Lodge has two steps and no accessible restroom.  White Wolf Lodge has four steps to reach the dining area. The restroom in the campground is accessible. White Wolf Lodge will be closed for construction during the summer of 2015. Health Concerns & Medical Facilities Weather – Temperatures in Yosemite vary widely depending on season, elevation, and time of day; they can change rapidly and unexpectedly. Summer daytime temperatures usually range from the 90s in Yosemite Valley and Wawona to the 70s in Tuolumne Meadows; nighttime lows usually range from the 50s in Yosemite Valley and Wawona to the 30s in Tuolumne Meadows. Snowy, rainy, or even sunny days are possible in winter, with daytime highs in Yosemite Valley and Wawona ranging from the 30s to 50s and lows in the upper 20s. Pay attention to the weather, and be aware of extreme temperatures. Dress appropriately for the season (in layers, if possible); bring rain gear. Carry and drink plenty of water, and take rest breaks during physical activity. 8 Accessibility Guide Yosemite National Park January 2015 Elevation – Yosemite Valley is 4,200 feet above sea level. Outside the Valley, elevations range from 2,000 feet to nearly 10,000 feet above sea level. In southern Yosemite, Glacier Point is at 7,214 feet; Wawona is at 4,000 feet; and Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias range from 5,600 feet to 6,600 feet. In northern Yosemite, White Wolf is at 8,000 feet; Olmsted Point is 8,300 feet; and Tuolumne Meadows is 8,600 feet elevation. Maximum Elevation on Roads Entering Yosemite Valley: Approach Road From South Wawona Road via Hwy 41 North From West Big Oak Flat Road via Hwy 120 East From West El Portal Road via Hwy 140 East From East (May ‐ Nov) Tioga Road via Hwy 120 West Highest Elevation 6,039 feet at Chinquapin 6,192 feet at Crane Flat 4,200 feet at Yosemite Valley 9,945 feet at Tioga Pass Smoke & Fire – In Yosemite, fire is natural and important for maintaining healthy forests; smoky skies are possible in spring, summer, and fall. Wildland fires – often ignited by lightning – generally are allowed to burn. Trained fire crews use prescribed burns to clear unnatural build‐up of plant material in developed areas. Fires in and around Yosemite can cause smoky conditions in all areas of the park. For more information about air quality in Yosemite and other parks visit www.nps.gov/yose/naturescience/aqmonitoring.htm. Campgrounds can be very smoky. To improve air quality in Yosemite Valley during high visitation months, campfires are limited to the hours between 5:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m., May 1st through September 30th. There are no time restrictions during the rest of the year, however, campfires must always be attended. For a fire update, visitors with respiratory conditions should call 209‐372‐0200 (press 3, then 5) to speak with a ranger during business hours seven days a week or visit the park’s website at www.nps.gov/yose/parkmgmt/firemanagement.htm. Medical Facilities – In & Around Yosemite Yosemite Medical Clinic – The Yosemite Medical Clinic is in Yosemite Village. Services include a limited pharmacy, a laboratory, X‐ray services, and physical therapy. Hours of operation vary seasonally, but emergency services, paramedics, and ambulance service are available 24 hours a day. The emergency rear entrance is accessible to wheelchairs. For clinic hours, see the Yosemite Guide or call 209‐372‐4637. Medical Facilities Outside of Yosemite – Hospitals nearest to Yosemite are located in:  Mariposa (west of the park, off Highway 140)  Oakhurst (south of the park, off Highway 41) Urgent Care facility ONLY.  Mammoth Lakes (southeast of the park off Highway 395; no access in winter) 9 Accessibility Guide Yosemite National Park January 2015 Medical Facilities Outside Yosemite with a Range of Services Include: John C. Fremont Hospital Northern Inyo Hospital Tuolumne General Hospital 5189 Hospital Road 150 Pioneer Lane 101 Hospital Road Mariposa, CA 95338 Bishop, CA 93514 Sonora, CA 95370 209‐966‐3631 760‐873‐5811 209‐533‐7100 Adventist Community Clinic (Urgent Care only) 48677 Victoria Lane Oakhurst, CA 93644 559‐683‐2711 Horizons Unlimited Health Care Mariposa Clinic 5320 Highway 49 North Mariposa, CA 95338 209‐966‐2344 Sonora Regional Medical Center 1000 Greenley Road Sonora, CA 95370 209‐536‐5000 Mercy Medical Center 333 Mercy Avenue Merced, CA 95340 209‐564‐5000 Valley Children’s Hospital 9300 Valley Children’s Place Madera, CA 93638 Mammoth Hospital 185 Sierra Park Road Mammoth Lakes, CA 93546 760‐934‐3311 559‐353‐5150 Learning About Yosemite There are four Visitor Centers in Yosemite located in Wawona, Tuolumne Meadows, Big Oak Flat and Yosemite Valley. Rangers in the park’s Visitor Centers, wilderness centers, nature centers and museums are knowledgeable about Yosemite and are there to assist visitors with information about the park. While at the Visitor Center, explore exhibits and learn about Yosemite’s spectacular landscapes, wildlife, history, natural resources, and how Yosemite has evolved through the centuries. Audio tours are available for Yosemite Valley Visitor Center Exhibit Hall (free) and Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias (fee based). Ranger Interpretive Programs See the Yosemite Guide for a complete list of seasonal ranger activities, which range from campfire programs and all‐day hikes to talks about Yosemite topics. Ask at any visitor center for details, or visit online at www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/guide.htm. Free Films About Yosemite at the Valley Visitor Center Shown on the hour and half hour, Spirit of Yosemite and Yosemite: A Gathering of Spirit are free short films about Yosemite. Yosemite: A Gathering of Spirit is shown on every hour on the hour and Spirit of Yosemite is shown on the half hour in the Yosemite Valley Theater behind the Valley Visitor Center. Both films are captioned and an audio transcription of Spirit of Yosemite is available at the information counter in the Valley Visitor Center. Spirit of Yosemite –The film offers a superb introduction to the magnificent scenery, natural history, and cultural heritage of Yosemite National Park along with information on the historical influences that helped create it. 10 Accessibility Guide Yosemite National Park January 2015 Yosemite: A Gathering of Spirit – In honor of the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Yosemite Grant, filmmakers Ken Burns and Dayton Duncan bring you the story of the birth of the National Park idea and the individuals who dedicated their lives to creating our National Parks. Online Information, Resources, Videos & Web Cams The Yosemite National Park website has information to assist you in planning your visit and providing information on what you can expect during your stay here. Yosemite Homepage: www.nps.gov/yose/index.htm Plan Your Visit: www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/index.htm Basic Information: http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/basicinfo.htm Things to Do: www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/things2do.htm Camping in Yosemite: www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/campground.htm Hiking in Yosemite: www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/hiking.htm Seasonal Information: www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/hours.htm Deaf Services Homepage: www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/deafservices.htm Videos about Yosemite: www.nps.gov/yose/photosmultimedia/index.htm Webcams: www.nps.gov/yose/photosmultimedia/webcams.htm Publications The Yosemite Guide provides information on activities, services and programs that are offered in Yosemite. There is a symbol next to the program or activity to indicate if it is accessible, however, some programs or activities can be modified to meet your needs. Please contact the provider of the program or the Accessibility Coordinator for more information. Advance notice is required for some activities. Information on obtaining a sign language interpreter can be found at www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/deafservices.htm Yosemite Guide: www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/guide.htm Accessibility Guide: www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/upload/access.pdf Aphasia Guide: www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/upload/aphasia‐guide.pdf 11 Accessibility Guide Yosemite National Park January 2015 Park Publications – including books, maps, and other media about Yosemite – are available at visitor centers, lodging facilities and retail outlets throughout the park, or online at www.yosemiteconservancystore.com/233/Shop.htm. A version of this Accessibility Guide is produced in Braille and is available at the Visitor Center or by contacting the Park’s Accessibility Coordinator at 209‐379‐1138. Park information can be downloaded from the Yosemite’s website at www.nps.gov/yose, and the font size increased to improve readability for those needing large‐print materials. Audio Tours Available for Yosemite Valley Visitor Center Exhibit Hall (free) and Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias (fee based). Environmental Education The National Park Service and two nonprofit park partners, NatureBridge and the Yosemite Conservancy, offer a variety of environmental education programs for children and adults. National Park Service Most educational programs in Yosemite are accessible to students with disabilities. Yosemite staff members work with teachers and school districts to ensure that every student can be included in field trips, camping trips, and other educational park activities. The Environmental Living Program at the Pioneer Yosemite History Center (in Wawona) and the Parks as Classrooms programs serve students with a wide range of specific needs. Bringing students to the ultimate classroom for an engaging learning experience with nature. For further information, contact the park’s Education Branch at 209‐375‐9505. NatureBridge Residential field‐science program for schools and other groups through NatureBridge can be tailored to accommodate specific needs. Sleep in the park and spend your days on the trail engaging in hands‐on science, teambuilding and stewardship activities. For information, contact NatureBridge at 209‐379‐9511, or visit online at www.naturebridge.org. Yosemite Conservancy With advance notice, the Yosemite Conservancy will work with you to develop custom Outdoor Adventures for visitors with disabilities. Experience Yosemite your way with an unforgettable vacation you help create or one of the many pre‐planned events and adventures. For more information, call 209‐379‐2317 or visit online at www.yosemiteconservancy.org. 12 Accessibility Guide Yosemite National Park January 2015 Lodging, Camping & Picnic Facilities Lodging Information Guest lodging in Yosemite is provided by DNC Parks & Resorts at Yosemite, Inc. Reservations are recommended, call 801‐559‐5000 or TTY 559‐439‐3002; online information and reserva