Yosemite National Park
Consistently one of the country’s most-visited national parks, Yosemite deserves its fame. Its towering giant sequoias are dwarfed only by its immense granite cliffs and waterfalls. Buses serve the park year-round from Merced; routes to the Mariposa Grove, the Eastern Sierras, and Fresno are seasonal (May to September).
Getting to Yosemite from the San Francisco Bay Area
To get to the Yosemite Valley from the Bay Area, take the Amtrak San Joaquins and transfer to a YARTS bus in Merced. The trip takes six hours or more, depending on the itinerary chosen; tickets can be booked through the Amtrak website or from a ticket agent.
Book tickets in advance; YARTS offers both reservations and walk-on service, but there is a discount for passengers transfering from Amtrak, and the walk-on service does not guarantee space.
In the Yosemite Valley, YARTS offers service to the three main lodging areas at Curry Village, Yosemite Village, and the Yosemite Valley Lodge.
Getting to Yosemite from Fresno
During summer season, YARTS offers service from Fresno to the Yosemite Valley. For passengers coming via Amtrak, book tickets through the Amtrak website or from a ticket agent; for passengers coming from the Fresno Yosemite Airport, tickets can be booked on the YARTS website.
Getting around the Park
The National Park Service runs a free shuttle system around the Valley with access to trailheads, campgrounds and hotels, and restaurants. Without a car, Glacier Point is only accessible via a 9.6mi round trip hike, and the Mariposa Grove and Wawona Lodge and Store are only accessible during summer with the YARTS Fresno/Hwy 41 bus is running. Trails along Tioga Road to Tuolumne Meadows can be reached in the summer using the Yosemite Valley-Tuolumne Meadows Hikers Bus. For more information, see the National Parks Service’s guide to public transportation in Yosemite National Park.
Transit accessible lodging
Hotels and campgrounds in the Valley can be reached year-round; Wawona Lodge can only be reached when the YARTS Fresno/Hwy 41 bus is running. See the National Parks Service’s guide to lodging in Yosemite National Park.
