Yosemite Guide

What You Need to Know NPS Photo NPS Photo Protect Yourself and Your Park NPS Photo NPS Photo Driving in Yosemite in Winter Protect Yourself and Wildlife Never approach or feed any animal. It is dangerous—both to you and the animal—and illegal to do so. Wild animals in Yosemite can transmit diseases, including plague, rabies, and hantavirus. For more information on how to stay safe in Yosemite, visit go.nps.gov/yosafety. Winter road conditions can vary and may require tire chains. Chain requirements are strictly enforced. For updated road and weather conditions for Yosemite National Park, call 209/372-0200. Signs will indicate when chains are required. Here is a summary of chain control signs on Yosemite roads: R1 - All vehicles without mud and snow tires are required to install chains/ cables. Vehicles with *mud and snow tires do not, but must still carry chains. R2 - Chains/cables must be installed on ALL vehicles except 4-wheel/all-wheel drive vehicles with *mud and snow tires. 4-wheel drive vehicles must have 4-wheel drive engaged. R3 - ALL vehicles are required to install chains/ cables, regardless of having *mud and snow tires or 4-wheel/ all-wheel drive capability. NO EXCEPTIONS. *”M+S” will be on the side of your tires if they are mud and snow tires. DISTANCE FROM WILDLIFE: 30 feet = about one bus-length. Yosemite Falls Seasonal Cycle The most common human-related cause of death for a black bear in Yosemite is being hit by a car. Slow down! Driving too fast is almost always the cause of these accidental deaths. Report bear sightings: 209/372-0322. Visitors to Yosemite National Park are the park’s most important guardians. During your visit to Yosemite, please contact a park official if you see any of the following illegal acts: • Feeding or approaching wildlife • Collecting plants, reptiles, or butterfies • Hunting animals • Picking up archeological items, such as arrowheads • Using metal detectors • Driving vehicles into meadows • Biking off of paved roads • Camping outside of designated campgrounds • Possession of weapons inside federal facilities • Possessing or using marijuana, including medical marijuana • Using drones Yosemite is home to numerous waterfalls. The best time to see waterfalls is during spring, when most of the snowmelt occurs. Peak runoff typically occurs in May or June, with some waterfalls (including Yosemite Falls) often only a trickle or completely dry by August. Storms in late fall rejuvenate some of the waterfalls and all of them accumulate frost along their edges many nights during the winter. If you see activities that could harm people or park resources, jot down any descriptions or a vehicle license plate number and call the park dispatch offce at 209/379-1992. Entering a National Park Yosemite is a place where wilderness prevails. Prepare yourself for a wild experience. The National Park Service is bound by its mission to protect Yosemite’s natural and cultural resources for the benefit and enjoyment of future generations. Please be attentive to the regulations in place to protect park resources and those designed for your safety. Fire – Police – Medical Emergency Call or text 911 for emergencies. Medical Clinic (in Yosemite Valley) Open Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm. Phone: 209/372-4637 Road, Weather, and Park Information Check road updates: 209/372-0200 Yosemite Village Garage Offers 24-hour emergency roadside assistance and propane service until 4:30pm. NO gas is available here. Phone: 209/372-1060 Keep in Touch Access for People with Disabilities For a complete list of accessible services, exhibits, and recreational opportunities, pick up a Yosemite Accessibility Guide at any park entrance station or visitor center, or view online at www.nps.gov/yose/ planyourvisit/accessibility.htm, or call a park Accessibility Coordinator at 209/379-1035. Sign Language interpreting is available upon request. Contact Deaf Services at 209/379-5250 (v/txt). Two weeks advance notice is requested. Assistive Listening Devices are available upon advance request at any visitor center. Accessible parking spaces are available throughout the park. Lose Something in Yosemite? For items lost or found at one of Yosemite’s restaurants, hotels, or lounges, call 209/372-4357. For items lost or found in other areas of the park, call 209/379-1001. www.nps.gov/yose @YosemiteNPS Where can I see wildlife? Wildlife like deer, coyote, and maybe even a bear, can be seen in meadows foraging at twilight and dusk. Please stay on marked paths to protect meadow ecosystems. Is my pet allowed in Yosemite? Pets are allowed in developed areas, on fully paved roads, sidewalks, and bicycle paths (except when signed as not allowing pets), and in all campgrounds except walk-in campgrounds and group campgrounds. Pets must be restrained on a leash not more than six feet long and may not be left unattended. Other regulations also apply. Winter Conditions During the fall and winter, be prepared for changing road conditions. Tioga Road, Glacier Point Road, and the Mariposa Grove Road close after the first major snowstorm. The roads that remain open throughout the park may require tire chains. Check on current road conditions and chain restrictions by calling 209/372-0200 (press 1 then 1). Park Partners Pets are NOT allowed on the shuttle buses or indoor lodging areas, including lobbies and rooms. Yosemite Guide November 30, 2022 - January 31,visit! 2023 @YosemiteNPS @YosemiteNPS Enjoy your Park Map Lake Eleanor To O’Shaughnessy Dam Hetch Hetchy Entrance Hetch Hetchy Road HETCH HETCHY and Lee Vining Closed approx. Nov through May Hetch Hetchy Backpackers’ Campground Tuolumne River White Wolf Closed approx. Nov through May Big Oak Flat Entrance Yosemite Creek Tioga Road Porcupine Flat Closed approx. Nov through May Big Oak Flat Information Station Hodgdon Meadow Tuolumne Grove Merced Grove Trailhead Crane Flat Merced River GLACIER POINT Tunnel View To Merced Tenaya Lake YOSEMITE VALLEY El Portal Tuolumne Meadows Visitor Center Yosemite Valley Visitor Center Tamarack Flat Big Oak Flat Road Road Closed Glacier Point Road Arch Rock Entrance Badger Pass Ski Area Yosemite West (winter only) Wawona Road WAWONA Wawona Campground Wawona Visitor Center Yosemite History Center Mariposa Grove South Entrance 0 Gas Station Ranger Station 5km 5 miles Roads on map are simplifed and do not refect degree of windiness To Fresno NOTE! There are only 2 gas stations in the park and NO GAS in Yosemite Valley. Tioga Pass Entrance Tuolumne Meadows Tioga Road Evergreen Road To Manteca TUOLUMNE MEADOWS (Wilderness Permit Required) Campground Visitor Center Information Center Visitor Centers NPS Photo YOSEMITE VALLEY VISITOR CENTER 2 Maximize your time in Yosemite by reading this Guide and bringing any questions to the nearest visitor center. Talk to park rangers, view exhibits, and learn more about the park. The visitor centers also feature Yosemite Conservancy bookstores, where you can find books, maps, and other souvenir items. Experience Your America Yosemite National Park Yosemite Valley Visitor Center // 9am to 4:30pm, open year-round Tuolumne Meadows Visitor Center // closed for the season Big Oak Flat Information Station // closed for the season Wawona Visitor Center at Hill’s Studio // closed for the season NPS Photo Yosemite Valley NPS Photo Hetch Hetchy Wawona and Mariposa Grove Yosemite Valley is open year round and is known for massive cliff faces like El Capitan and Half Dome and its plunging waterfalls, including the tallest in North America, Yosemite Falls. Yosemite Valley’s meadows are great places to see wildlife and to photograph seasonal scenery. Whether you explore the Valley by foot, car, bicycle or with a tour, you will be in awe and eager to see what’s around the next corner. Road Conditions Yosemite Valley roads remain open year round, chain restrictions may be in effect. The Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias is the largest sequoia grove in Yosemite and is home to over 500 mature giant sequoias. Park at the Mariposa Grove Welcome Plaza and walk, or snowshoe, to the Grove via a 2-mile hike, one-way, with 500 feet elevation gain. The nearby Yosemite History Center in Wawona is a collection of historic buildings associated with people and events that shaped the national park idea in Yosemite. Distance from Yosemite Valley: 30 mi/48 km (1 hour) Directions From Yosemite Valley, take Wawona Road (Hwy 41). NPS Photo NPS Photo Road Conditions Wawona Road (Hwy 41) remains open year round, with winter tire chain restrictions. Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, a source of drinking water and hydroelectric power for the City of San Francisco, is home to spectacular scenery and offers many wilderness trails. The area’s low elevation makes it a good place to hike in autumn, winter, and spring, and very hot for hiking in the summer. Wilderness permits are available (self-register) while the road is open (8am to 5pm). Distance from Yosemite Valley: 40 mi/64 km (1 ½ hours) Directions From Yosemite Valley, take Big Oak Flat Road (Hwy 120) to Evergreen Road, then turn right. Road Conditions Vehicles and/or trailers over 25 feet long and 8 feet wide are not permitted on the narrow, winding Hetch Hetchy Road. The road is open from 8am to 5pm, with winter tire chain restrictions. Glacier Point Road The Glacier Point Road is closed in winter. During that time, access is only via cross-country skis after Badger Pass Ski Area opens (December 16, conditions permitting). All overnight stays in the area require a wilderness permit. Road Conditions Road is open only to Badger Pass Ski Area when ski area is operating. Tuolumne Meadows and Tioga Road Road Conditions Closed. A Park Ranger Suggests… If you’re visiting Yosemite for a half day: • Walk around one of Yosemite Valley’s meadows. • View the park’s award-winning film, Spirit of Yosemite, at Yosemite Theater in Yosemite Village. • Stop at Tunnel View, El Capitan Meadow, and Valley View for iconic scenic viewpoints. If you’re visiting Yosemite for a full day: • Attend a photo walk, or join a ranger program (see page 8). • Consider a scenic hike to Cook’s Meadow, Mirror Lake, or Vernal Fall. NPS Photo Badger Pass Ski Area NPS Photo Crane Flat and Tuolumne Grove Opens Dec 16, conditions permitting Enjoy a day on the slopes at Badger Pass Ski Area. Live information on winter sports is available by calling 209/372-8430; recorded information is available at 209/372-1000. NPS Photo Photo by Christine W Loberg Distance from Yosemite Valley: 20 mi/32 km (45 minutes) Directions From Yosemite Valley, take Wawona Road (Hwy 41) to Badger Pass Road Junction. Road Conditions Badger Pass Road opens typically opens with the ski area (December 16, conditions permitting), with winter tire chain restrictions. Badger Pass Shuttle (Free) Begins Dec 16, conditions permitting Yosemite Valley to Badger Pass: Curry Village: 8:05am Yosemite Village: 8:10am The Ahwahnee: 8:15am Yosemite Valley Lodge: 8:30am See sequoia groves north of Yosemite Valley that are smaller than the more-famous Mariposa Grove, but typically quieter and require a hike to access them. Park at the Tuolumne Grove parking area located on Tioga Road, and walk one steep mile down to the grove. Or, park at Merced Grove trailhead and walk two steep miles down to the grove. Remember, the walk down is easier than the walk up. Bring water. Snowshoes recommended in winter (depending on conditions). Distance from Yosemite Valley: 16 mi/26 km (30 minutes) Directions From Yosemite Valley, take Big Oak Flat Road (Hwy 120) to Tioga Road Junction at Crane Flat. Road Conditions Big Oak Flat Road (Hwy 120 W) remains open year round, with winter tire chain restrictions. • Visit a sequoia grove at Mariposa Grove, Tuolumne Grove, or Merced Grove. Snowshoes recommended (depending on conditions). If you’re visiting Yosemite for two or more days: • Go downhill or cross-country skiing or snowshoeing at Badger Pass (opens December 16, conditions permitting). • Visit the Yosemite History Center in Wawona. • Take a Yosemite Valley Floor Tour (see page 9). • See Hetch Hetchy, an area once described as Yosemite Valley’s twin. Do you have kids? • Pick up a Junior Ranger booklet and complete the activities to earn a junior ranger badge! Yosemite National Park A Park Guide for Ages 4 to 12 Badger Pass to Yosemite Valley: Badger Pass: 4:30 pm Illustration by Tom Whitworth Yosemite Guide November 30, 2022 - January 31, 2023 3 Services NPS Photo Hospitality Service Hours YOSEMITE VALLEY FOOD & BEVERAGE YOSEMITE VILLAGE Degnan’s Kitchen Breakfast 7am to 11am Lunch 11:30am to 6pm THE AHWAHNEE Closes Jan 3 Dining Room Coffee Bar: 6:30am to 10:30am Breakfast: 7am to 10am Lunch: 11:30am to 2pm Dinner: 5:30pm to 9pm Sunday Brunch: 8am to 2pm Appropriate attire respectfully required for dinner. Reservations strongly recommended for dinner and Sunday Brunch. 209/372-1489 or visit www.opentable.com The Ahwahnee Bar 12pm to 9pm Sweet Shop 8am to 8pm YOSEMITE VALLEY LODGE Base Camp Eatery Breakfast: 6:30am to 10am Lunch: 11am to 3pm Dinner: 4pm to 8pm Mountain Room Lounge Monday - Friday: 4pm to 9pm Saturday - Sunday: 9:30am to 9pm After December 3: Monday - Friday: 4pm to 9pm Saturday: 12pm - 9pm Sunday: 9:30am to 9pm Mountain Room Restaurant Dinner: 5pm to 9pm, last seating at 8:30pm Reservations recommended: www.opentable.com CURRY VILLAGE (Open Dec 16 through Jan 1) Peet’s Coffee Corner 6:30am to 11am Seven Tents Pavilion Breakfast: 7am to 10am Dinner: 5:30pm to 8:30pm BOOKS, GIFTS, APPAREL, & GROCERIES TOURS AND ACTIVITIES Wawona Store & Pioneer Gift Shop 8am to 6pm 8am to 8pm (Dec 16 - Jan 1) YOSEMITE VILLAGE Tour and Activity Desk − Village Store Closed Pizza Deck 12pm to 9pm YOSEMITE VALLEY LODGE YOSEMITE VILLAGE The Ansel Adams Gallery 10am to 3pm, may close for lunch Yosemite Valley Visitor Center 9am to 4:30pm Yosemite Conservancy Bookstore at Yosemite Valley Visitor Center 9am to 4:30pm Tour and Activity Desk 9am to 3pm (Front Desk offers tour booking services after 3 pm) Yosemite Valley Lodge Pool Closed Bike Rentals Closed CURRY VILLAGE Tour and Activity Desk Closed Yosemite Museum 10am to 12am and 1pm to 4pm Mountaineering School Closed (will move to Badger Pass Ski Area when it opens) (may be closed due to limited staffng) Bike Rentals Closed Yosemite Conservancy Bookstore at Yosemite Museum 10am to 4pm, closed for lunch SHOWERS AND LAUNDRY Wilderness Center Closed Village Store 8am to 8pm Closed Jan 2 through Feb 2 THE AHWAHNEE Gift Shop 9am to 7pm YOSEMITE VALLEY LODGE Gift/Grocery 8am to 8pm CURRY VILLAGE Mountain Shop 8am to 8pm Gift/Grocery 8am to 8pm POST OFFICES Yosemite Village Main Offce Monday - Friday: 8:30am to 5pm Saturday: 10am to noon 4 Yosemite Valley Lodge Post Offce Monday - Friday: 12:30pm to 2:45pm Curry Village Bar 1899 12pm to 9pm BOOKS, GIFTS, APPAREL, & GROCERIES Experience Your America Yosemite National Park NPS Photo Shutterstock Photo HOUSEKEEPING CAMP Laundry Closed CURRY VILLAGE Showers Open 24 hours (Dec 16 - Jan 1) Fri, Sat, Sun, & Holidays Only starting Jan 6 WAWONA & MARIPOSA GROVE WAWONA Wawona Visitor Center Closed Yosemite Conservancy Bookstore at Wawona Visitor Center Closed Pine Tree Market 8am to 8pm MARIPOSA GROVE Yosemite Conservancy Depot at Mariposa Grove Welcome Plaza 9am to 5pm (closes Dec 11) POST OFFICE Wawona Post Offce Monday - Friday: 9am to 1pm Saturday: 9am to noon GAS STATION Wawona Service Station 9am to 6pm, Diesel & propane available. Pay at the pump 24 hours with credit or debit card. TOURS AND ACTIVITIES Golf Course & Disc Golf Closed Tennis Courts Closed CRANE FLAT & BIG OAK FLAT GAS STATION FOOD & BEVERAGE Crane Flat Service Station Store is closed. Pay at the pump 24 hours with credit or debit card. WAWONA BOOKS, GIFTS, & APPAREL Wawona Hotel Dining Room (Open Dec 16 through Jan 1) Breakfast: 7am to 10am Lunch: 11:30am to 2pm Dinner: 5pm to 8:30pm Lounge Service: 4pm to 9pm Yosemite Conservancy Bookstore at Big Oak Flat Information Station Friday - Tuesday: 9am to 5pm Closes for season Jan 3 Golf Shop & Snack Stand Closed NPS Photo FOOD & BEVERAGE EL PORTAL Religious Services FOOD & BEVERAGE BADGER PASS Opens Dec 16, conditions permitting. El Portal Market 9am to 7pm Skiers Grill (downstairs) 8:30am to 4 pm GAS STATION Snowflake Room (upstairs) 12pm to 4 pm El Portal Service Station 8am to 5pm. Pay at the pump 24 hours with credit or debit card. YOSEMITE COMMUNITY CHURCH Pastor Brent Moore, Resident Minister 209/372-4831 www.YosemiteValleyChapel.org Sunday Services in the Yosemite Chapel 9:15am (year-round) BOOKS, GIFTS, & APPAREL BADGER PASS Opens Dec 16, conditions permitting. Sport Shop 9am to 4pm BADGER PASS SKI AREA Opens Dec 16, conditions permitting. Lift Operation: 9am to 4pm Lift Tickets: 8:30am to 4pm Ski School Desk: 8:30am to 4pm Tubing: 11am to 1pm & 2pm to 4pm Nordic Shop Rentals: 8:30am to 4:30pm Alpine Rentals: 8:30am to 4:30pm Christmas Eve Service Saturday, December 24 at 4pm Above services are subject to change based on COVID-19 policies. Please call the chapel offce for current information about services before you travel. Ice Skating CURRY VILLAGE Opens Nov 18, conditions permitting Service Organizations 12pm to 2:30pm, 3:30pm to 6pm, and 7pm to 9:30pm Weekends and Holidays additional session 8:30am to 11am Yosemite Museum & Indian Cultural Exhibit Visitor Center and Theater Yosemite Conservancy Bookstore Museum Store Photo by Sheree Peshlakai ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS Yosemite Valley Chapel Tuesday: 6:30pm Oakhurst Hotline: 559/683-1662 The following campgrounds are open: Wawona, Upper Pines (reservation required), Camp 4 (tents only, no RVs or trailers), and Hodgdon Meadow. All other campgrounds are currently closed. Sleeping inside a vehicle is only allowed in campsites. You may not park your car or RV in a parking lot or along the side of the road and sleep overnight. Campground Reservations www.recreation.gov (recommended) 877/444-6777 Call Center Hours 7am to 9pm Pacific Time YOSEMITE VILLAGE MAP To Ahwahnee Hotel Valley Wilderness Center Administration Building 10 Post O˜ce 5 Medical Clinic Degnan’s Kitchen & The Loft at Degnan’s 10 10 To Yosemite Falls Shuttle Stop #4 15 Northside D rive Village Store • The Ahwahnee (closes Jan 3) • Yosemite Valley Lodge • Wawona Hotel (open Dec 16 through Jan 1) • Curry Village (open Dec 16 through Jan 1) 5 Shuttle Stop #2 Hiking & Biking Trail Approx. Walking Time (minutes) Lodging Reservations www.travelyosemite.com 888/413-8869 Check the website or phone number above for reservations at each of the following: Shuttle Stop #5 # Camping in winter is limited. Some campgrounds are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Reservations are required for Upper Pines. To check a campground’s status, call 209/372-0266. The Ansel Adams Gallery Yosemite Cemetery Girls Club Camping & Lodging: How to Spend the Night in Yosemite 5 P Roadway To Curry Village Authorized Vehicles (shuttles) 25 Sentinel Crossover P Shuttle Stop #1 Yosemite Guide November 30, 2022 - January 31, 2023 5 Yosemite Valley Shuttle System Yosemite Valley Sh Valleywide Shuttle East Valley Shuttle Y Vall Shutterstock Photo The FREE Yosemite Valley shuttles operate from 7am to 10pm daily and El Capitan serve stops in numerical order. The 8 Valleywide Shuttle services ALL stops; the East Valley Shuttle services only M er selected stops. The Valleywide Shuttle ced Ri v er 9 10 runs approximately every 22 to 32 minutes with a total round trip time of Parking Trailhead approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes. Bathroom Bicycle Rentals Electric Car Charging Station Campground Information Lodging Wilderness Permits Food Service Exhibits Groceries approximately 50 minutes. Expect Theater Book & Souvenir Shop delays during busy periods. See Picnic Area ATM schedules posted at shuttle stops for Picnic Area Post Offce The East Valley Shuttle runs approximately every 18 to 22 minutes with a total round trip time of Seasonal Accessible Spots Available more information. 8 9 7 6 North 0 5 Valleywide Shuttle (one way) 10 0 3 4 11 Shuttle Stops Yosemite Village Parking Parking area flls early. Once you fnd a spot, keep it, and use the free shuttle. Dining, shopping, and information are only a 5-10 minute walk from here. Degnan’s Kitchen – Dining, Gift and Grocery, Post Offce, – Less than 5-minute Walk: Visitor Center, Theater, Museum Yosemite Valley Lodge/Yosemite Falls Parking – Dining, Gift and Grocery, Trailhead Four Mile Trail – Trailhead – Less than a 5-minute walk: Restrooms, Parking, Scenic View El Capitan Picnic Area Valley Visitor Center & Museum Village Store – Dining, Gift and Grocery – Less than a 5-minute Walk: Post Offce, Visitor Center, Theater, Museum – Visitor Center, Theater, Museum – Less than 5-minute Walk: Post Offce, Dining, Gift and Grocery – Scenic View Housekeeping Camp/Yosemite Conservation Heritage Center – Facilities closed El Capitan Meadow – Scenic View Curry Village (eastbound) Lower Yosemite Fall The Ahwahnee – Trailhead, Picnic Area, Scenic View – Lodging, Dining, Gift Shop – Lodging, Dining, Gift and Grocery, Amphitheater, Showers Cathedral Beach – Scenic View NPS Photo 6 NPS Photo Experience Your America Yosemite National Park NPS Photo 0. NPS Photo huttle System Yosemite Village Lower Yosemite Fall Yosemite Falls Trail 5 The Ahwahnee 4 3 2 6 Yosemite ley Lodge Mirror Lake 1 7 Housekeeping 12 Camp 19 14 15 Curry Village 11 17 18 16 Four Mile Trail (closed in winter) Happy Isles/ Mist Trail Stops in bold are serviced by the Valleywide Shuttle only 1 Yosemite Village Parking 2 Village Store 9 El Capitan Meadow 10 Cathedral Beach RENTAL .5 Kilometer 0.5 Mile 3 The Ahwahnee 11 Four Mile Trail 4 Degnan’s Kitchen 5 Valley Visitor Center & Museum 12 Housekeeping Camp/ Yosemite Conservation Heritage Center 6 Lower Yosemite Fall 7 Yosemite Valley Lodge/ Yosemite Falls Parking 8 RENTAL 14 Curry Village (eastbound) RENTAL 15 Upper Pines Campground 16 Happy Isles/Mist Trail RENTAL 17 Mirror Lake El Capitan Picnic Area 2 18 Lower Pines Campground 1 19 East Valley Shuttle (one way) 12 18 17 19 Curry Village (westbound) RENTAL 14 15 16 YARTS Upper Pines Campground Lower Pines Campground – Campground – Less than a 5-minute walk: Trailhead Parking, Trailhead – Campground (closed), Amphitheater Curry Village (westbound) Happy Isles/Mist Trail – Lodging, Dining, Gift and Grocery, Amphitheater, Showers – Trailhead Mirror Lake – Trailhead Travel Recommendations The Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System (YARTS) is a public transit system that provides service into Yosemite National Park. Their buses are air-conditioned, bike friendly, wheelchair accessible, and equipped for rider comfort. Save gas, save time, save money, by taking YARTS! For more information and schedules, visit their website at Yarts.com or call them at 877/989-2787. Bring plenty of food and water for potential delays and stop and use restrooms when available. Park your vehicle for the duration of your stay. Driving from site to site increases traffc congestion and can cause frustration for you and your passengers. Ride the free shuttle buses to enjoy Yosemite Valley most easily once parked. Arrive early and stay late, and visit Yosemite during the week. Enjoy the entire Yosemite region—consider visiting gateway communities such as Mariposa, Groveland, Lee Vining, and Oakhurst. Ride a YARTS bus to enter the park. Photo by McKenna McFarland Photo by Sheree Peshlakai Photo by Sheree Peshlakai Yosemite Guide November 30, 2022 - January 31, 2023 7 Events and Programs NPS Photo TIME NPS Photo Shutterstock Photo PROGRAMS DURATION EXCEPTIONS LOCATION 9:00am In the Field: Creative Smartphone Photography Space is limited, reserve in advance at anseladams.com or by calling 209/372-4413. $ (TAAG) 3 hrs 9:30am Snowshoe Walk: Explore the Forest in winter (conditions permitting) Space is limited, based on snowshoe availability. Meet at Badger Pass Ranger Station for a naturalist led tour of winter landscape. Snowshoes provided. Bring warm clothing. Expect a moderately-strenuous experience. Not recommended for children under 10 years old. 2 hrs 1:00pm In the Field: Creative Smartphone Photography Space is limited, reserve in advance at anseladams.com or by calling 209/372-4413. $ (TAAG) 3 hrs Yosemite Valley 1:00pm In the Footsteps of Ansel Adams Space is limited, reserve in advance at anseladams.com or by calling 209/372-4413. $ (TAAG) 4 hrs Yosemite Valley 1:00pm Ansel Adams’s Legacy and Your Digital Camera Space is limited, reserve in advance at anseladams.com or by calling 209/372-4413. $ (TAAG) 4 hrs Yosemite Valley 2:00pm Family Ranger Talk Meet in front of the Valley Visitor Center (NPS) 15 mins Yosemite Valley Programs especially for children and their families. X Programs are offered on marked days NPS National Park Service YC Yosemite Conservancy Shutterstock Photo SU M Yosemite Valley Begins January 11, 2023 Badger Pass YH Yosemite Hospitality SC Sierra Club TU W TH F SA X X X X X X X X X X X TAAG The Ansel Adams Gallery $ Programs with a fee PROGRAMS ACCESSIBILITY Indicates facilities accessible to visitors in wheelchairs. Short, steep inclines may be encountered. Contact 209/379-5250 (v/txt) to request a sign language interpreter. Advanced notice of two weeks is requested, but not required. Assistive Listening Devices are available upon advanced request for any public program. Inquire at any visitor center or tour desk. Indian Village of Ahwahnee. NPS Photo INDIAN CULTURAL VILLAGE Walk through the reconstructed Indian Village of Ahwahnee and learn about the structures the Ahwahneechee lived in and the plants they used for survival. View the interactive displays and see the ceremonial roundhouse, bark houses, and sweathouse members of the local tribes still use. Located behind the Yosemite Museum in Yosemite Village. Yosemite Renaissance 37 Exhibit The exhibit showcases works related to Yosemite National Park and the California Sierra Nevada region. For over 150 years, artists have played an important role in the establishment of our state and national parks, inspiring people to visit iconic natural sites, and to protect our parks, wild lands and natural resources. The 37th annual exhibit is in the Yosemite Museum Gallery through December 18. The Call to Artists for Yosemite Renaissance 38 is live on SmarterEntry.com. Please help us to preserve and protect our parks and wild lands through art! We encourage artists and photographers to apply Learn more: www.yosemiterenaissance.org Catch me if You Can - oil painting by Theresa Grams 8 Experience Your America Yosemite National Park Go to www.nps.gov/yose or the park app to see the web events calendar for more program information. Program offerings and hours are subject to change. Shutterstock Photo NPS Photo NPS Photo Yosemite Valley (NPS) Ask a ranger your questions, become a Junior Ranger, explore exhibits, and find park resources at the Yosemite Valley Visitor Center, open from 9am to 4:30pm. Visit the Yosemite Valley Theater to watch The Spirit of Yosemite. The first showing is at 9:30am, and the last showing is at 4pm. Yosemite Museum features stories from Native tribes and is open from 10am to 4pm, closed for lunch. The museum may be closed on some days due to staffing levels. Yosemite Hospitality The Ansel Adams Gallery The Ansel Adams Gallery is open daily, 10am to 3pm and is located in Yosemite Village. The Gallery may close for lunch. Step inside the Gallery to experience a variety of fine arts, handcrafts, and a collection of Ansel Adams’ original photographs. They offer half-day or full-day photography classes and private guided tours led by a resident staff photographer. Classes leave from The Gallery and require reservations. Call ahead for reservations at 209/372-4413 or visit anseladams. com/photography-education. • Exhibition: Nov 6 - Jan 7 “Ansel Adams and The Eternal The Yosemite Mountaineering School offers winter activities from the Badger West: 60 Years of Photographs” Pass Ski Area. Call 209/372-8344. Sierra Club In Yosemite Valley, reserve your spot on a Valley Floor Tour, offered daily at 10am and 2pm. The Sierra Club’s Yosemite Conservation Heritage Center Visit travelyosemite.com or call (formerly LeConte Memorial Lodge) 888/413-8869 to book your is closed for the winter season until adventure. May 2023. Yosemite Conservancy Join Yosemite Conservancy for a memorable experience in the park! Take an Outdoor Adventure or plan your own Custom Adventure with one of their naturalists. Advanced registration is required. Learn more and sign up at yosemite.org/custom-adventures. Visit yosemite.org to find the latest updates from their team, learn more about the organization, and browse their full program calendar. Wawona & Mariposa Grove Visit the Yosemite History Center and experience life in the early days of Yosemite National Park. Take a self-guided tour of the area. While the Mariposa Grove Road closes to cars in the winter, approximately from the end of November until mid-March, the road is open to hikers, snowshoers, and skiers, and all trails in the grove remain open for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. NPS Photo Hetch Hetchy, Hodgdon Meadow, & Crane Flat The Big Oak Flat Information Station Bookstore is open Fri-Tues from 9am to 5pm (closes Jan 3). Selfregistration wilderness permits for the Crane Flat area and Tioga Road trailheads are only available on the front porch of the information station. Self-registration wilderness permits for the Hetch Hetchy trailheads are only available at the Hetch Hetchy Entrance Station kiosk daily from 8 am to 5 pm. Please come prepared with your own bear canister. GET THE OFFICIAL NPS APP NOW! Glacier Point The Glacier Point Road is closed. When the road is snow-covered and conditions permit, a system of cross-country ski tracks are maintained on it. Downhill and Nordic activities take place only after the Badger Pass Ski Area opens for the season. Self-registration wilderness permits for the Glacier Point Road trailheads only are available at the Badger Pass A-Frame, conditions permitting. Tuolumne Meadows Search “National Park Service” in the app stores or use the QR code. The Tioga Road closes for winter after the frst big snowfall. In winter, Tuolumne Meadows is only accessible by overnight cross-country ski trips. Self-registration wilderness permits available at the Tuolumne Meadows Wilderness Center and/or the Big Oak Flat Informatoin Station and Yosemite Valley Visitor Center. Photo by Caitlin Lee-Roney Yosemite Guide November 30, 2022 - January 31, 2023 9 Hiking NPS Photo NPS Photo Yosemite Valley FEATURE NPS Photo Be prepared for snow and icy conditions on all trails. TRAIL/DESTINATION DESCRIPTION DISTANCE/TIME STARTING POINT DIFFICULTY/ELEVATION Mirror Lake/Meadow (Dry in summer and fall) When flled in winter and spring, the lake offers beautiful refections of surrounding cliffs, otherwise a scenic meadow. 2 mi/3.2 km round-trip, 1 hour -OR5 miles/8 km, 2 hours In Yosemite Valley, begin at Mirror Lake, Shuttle Stop #17 Easy; fat Lower Yosemite Fall A short trail rewards visitors with views of Upper and Lower Yosemite Falls. This waterfall may be dry in late summer and early fall. Expect lots of spray in spring and early summer. 1.0 mi/1.6 km round-trip, 20 minutes In Yosemite Valley, begin at Lower Yosemite Fall Trailhead, Shuttle Stop #6 Easy; fat Columbia Rock via Yosemite Falls Trail Enjoy overlooking Yosemite Va