Visit Wilderness

Search for a wilderness as the destination for your next outdoor adventure.

Bob Marshall Wilderness Area, Minnesota

Why Visit Wilderness?

Although you can certainly appreciate wilderness from afar—online, on television, or in books—first-hand experiences in nature such as campng or hunting enable you to enjoy the recreational, ecological, spiritual, and health benefits that wilderness areas provide. Wilderness areas provide “outstanding opportunities for solitude or a primitive and unconfined type of recreation,” opportunities to see wildlife, a chance to renew and refresh, and the health benefits of exercising outside. You can even bring your well-behaved dog to many wilderness areas.

Learn more about the diverse ways in which we benefit from wilderness and threats wilderness areas face today.

Location

Yosemite is nestled in the central Sierra on the eastern edge of California and is accessible from multiple directions. Be aware, some roads are closed in winter and may stay closed into June.

Please note that GPS units do not always provide accurate directions to or within Yosemite. Yosemite covers 1,200 square miles and does not have a single address. We do not recommend using GPS units for directions in and around Yosemite.

Gas is available at Wawona and Crane Flat, 24 hours per day with a credit card. Gas is available in summer at Tuolumne Meadows. Gas is not available in Yosemite Valley.

From the west and north

San Francisco/Bay area

Distance: 195 mi / 314 km
Time:4-5 hours
Take I-580 east to I-205 east to Highway 120 east (Manteca) or Highway 140 east (Merced) into Yosemite National Park.

Sacramento

Distance: 176 mi / 283 km
Time: 4 hours
Take Highway 99 south to Highway 120 east (Manteca) or Highway 140 east (Merced) into Yosemite National Park.

Reno & Lake Tahoe

Approximately June through October, conditions permitting
Distance: 218 mi / 351 km (Reno)
Time: 5 hours
Take US 395 south to Lee Vining; take Highway 120 west into Yosemite National Park (open late May/June through October, depending on conditions).

All year
Distance: 315 mi / 507 km (Reno)
Time: 8 hours
Take I-80 or I-50 west to Sacramento; take Highway 99 south to Highway 120 east (Manteca) or Highway 140 east (Merced) into Yosemite National Park.

From the south

Los Angeles area

Distance: 313 mi / 504 km
Time: 6 hours
Take I-5 north (or I-405 north to I-5) to Highway 99 north to Highway 41 north (Fresno) into Yosemite National Park.

San Diego area

Distance: 441 mi / 710 km
Time: 8 hours
Take I-5 north to Highway 99 to Highway 41 north (Fresno) into Yosemite National Park.

Las Vegas

June through October, conditions permitting
Distance: 400 mi / 642 km
Time: 8 hours
Take US-95 North to Tonopah, then US-95/US-6 west to Highway 120. Go west on Highway 120 into Yosemite National Park (open late May/early June through October, depending on conditions).

November through May
Distance: 495 mi / 797 km
Time: 8-10 hours
Take I-15 south to Barstow; Highway 58 west to Bakersfield; take Highway 99 north to Fresno. In Fresno, take Highway 41 north into Yosemite National Park.

Death Valley National Park

June through October
Distance: 270 mi / 435 km
Time: 5 hours Take Highway 190 west to US 395. Take US 395 north to Lee Vining; take Highway 120 east into Yosemite National Park (open late May/early June through October, depending on conditions).

November through May
Distance: 450 mi / 720 km
Time: 9 hours
Take Highway 190 west to US 395; take US 395 south to its junction with Highway 14. Take Highway 14 south to Mojave. In Mojave, take Highway 58 to Bakersfield. From Bakersfield, head north on Highway 99 to Fresno. In Fresno, take Highway 41 north into Yosemite National Park.

General Trip Planning Information

Start planning your Yosemite Wilderness adventure visit by getting more information on backpacking, permits, trails, current conditions and more.

Recreational Opportunities

Backpacking is possible year-round in Yosemite, but is very limited during the winter and early spring due to snow. Peak hiking season runs June through August and some permits can be difficult to obtain. The 211 mile-long John Muir Trail begins in Yosemite Valley and winds through the Park for a few days before heading south into the Ansel Adams Wilderness. The Half Dome cable route is traditionally accessed via the Mist Trail starting in Yosemite Valley from late May through early October. A permit is required to hike to the top of Half Dome when the cables are up. Modern big wall climbing came into its own in Yosemite with such routes as The Nose and Salathe on El Capitan as well as other classic routes on Half Dome, Washington's Column and Sentinel Rock. Free climbing opportunities also abound throughout Yosemite Wilderness including classic routes on Fairview Dome and Cathedral Peak. Ski touring and snowshoeing are popular in the winter particularly along the Glacier Point Road, where several marked ski trails exist. Hetch Hetchy provides the best opportunities for winter hiking. More information on seasons and trail descriptions can be found on the Yosemite website. Yosemite's wilderness lakes and streams entice anglers to search out the big trout. Please Check, Clean, and Dry your equipment when moving from one water body to the next to prevent the spread of invasive species.

Climate and Special Equipment Needs

Trekking in Yosemite requires no special equipment beyond the standard backpacking gear. Elevation ranges from 2900 feet to over 13,000 feet with some of the high passes not be passable until July in a typical year without crampons or ice axe. Traveling in winter requires being prepared for snow camping and over snow travel. Open creek crossings are common throughout the winter.

Safety and Current Conditions

Check current conditions and learn more about wilderness safety before your trip.