Yosemite
Yosemite Activities & Sightseeing
Yosemite activities and sightseeing are all about the great outdoors and everything you can do to immerse yourself in its wonders. Within the Park, you'll find adventures for all ages and all levels of skill, from tranquil strolls under the stars and family campfire story time to downhill skiing and extreme climbing.
Great adventures are available all year, from snowboarding and snowshoeing in the winter to hiking and swimming in the summer. We even have a golf course at Wawona and an ice skating rink at Curry Village! Whatever you wish to experience during your visit, you're sure to find it within the Park's borders.
Nordic Holiday Races at Yosemite-345th Annual Nordic Holiday Race
Enjoy great skiing and crazy costumes at this fun annual event. The race is comprised of a 16km classic race and a downhill telemark race on Saturday, and a 35km freestyle race on Sunday to scenic Glacier Point and back. $430 registration fee for all three races includes 1/2-day lift ticket and evening awards party.
Spring Fest at Yosemite
Welcome spring with a full day of fun activities at Badger Pass Ski Area. Join in the festivities or just soak in the sun on the Lodge Deck while enjoying front row seats for the entertainment. We have a costume contest, dummy race, and more.
Earth Day at Yosemite National Park
Where better to celebrate Earth Day than in Yosemite? You may expect to enjoy activities such as sampling food from our sustainable and organic salad bar and browsing vendor tables to discover products that can help you to protect the environment. You might also partake in a craft, enjoy a theatrical performance and find out what Park Partners are doing to keep the Park “green” on a guided tour around Yosemite Valley. Whatever your interest you will find plenty of exciting activities to inspire you to make every day Earth Day!
Halloween Family Fun Night
A trail lined with glowing pumpkins leads your family to the fun waiting inside the Happy Isles Nature Center. Come discover how Yosemite National Park celebrates Halloween with crafts, investigation stations, stories and night walks galore! Halloween Family Night is offered in partnership with the National Park Service and DNC Parks & Resorts at Yosemite, Inc.
Dining Events at Yosemite
Dining in Yosemite is truly whatever you desire. Whether you're seeking a quick meal, a boxed lunch for a hike, casual fare or award-winning dining of the highest caliber, you'll find it all within the Park. Yosemite even offers one-of-a-kind culinary events throughout the year. Many of the dining venues are open year-round for the convenience of our guests and many offer outdoor seating during the summer months. If the beautiful Yosemite landscape isn’t enough to lure you here, the impeccable dining should be.
Yosemite Winter Club Events
Yosemite’s Winter Club sponsors many exciting winter activities ranging from an elegant Snow Ball to ski races such as the Ancient Jocks Race (open to participants over 30) that includes a mid-race beverage-stop. Join the Winter Club to receive membership benefits, or simply swing by Badger Pass during one of their events to watch the fun.
Winter Family Celebrations
Join Park Interpreters for an afternoon of crafts, nature walks, stories, demonstrations and
winter fun at a Winter Family Celebration. You might discover what animal made those tracks in the snow or how the original Yosemite inhabitants made jewelry…the possibilities are endless.
Yosemite Winter Activities
Yosemite at winter is a pristine wonderland of bright sunny days, snowy meadows, icicle-draped pines and oaks, alpine-glow sunsets, rainbowed waterfalls and snow-encrusted mountaintops. The breathtaking majesty of a Yosemite winter is simply unparalleled.
Looking for some things to do?
- Badger Pass Ski Area
- Downhill Skiing
- Lessons for the little ones
- Ski School
- Cross-Country Skiing
- Backcountry Ski Tours & Huts
- Snowboarding
- Snow Tubing
- Snowshoeing - including Full Moon Snowshoe Walks
- Ice Skating
- Bus Tours
- Special Events
- Evening Presentations
- Wee Wild Ones - Learning Program for Kids
- Tour historic The Ahwahnee hotel
- Yosemite Ranger Walks & Talks
- Fireside Storytelling
- Winter Family Celebrations - on Holiday weekends
- History of Bracebridge Talks
Yosemite Tours & Guided Activities
What better way to discover the Park's incredible scenery and hidden secrets than by letting our professional guides proudly introduce you to the wonders of the land they call home? You’ll definitely want to allow time for a couple of Yosemite tours if your schedule permits. Your Yosemite Experience will be enhanced by a deeper knowledge and understanding of this most wonderful and enriching.
Yosemite Rock Climbing
The Yosemite Mountaineering School and Guide Service has been a tradition in Yosemite rock climbing since 1969. Our guides can take you where you want to go, from learning your first knots, in our beginner Go Climb A Rock classes, to multi-day ascents of El Capitan for the more experienced. As the only guide service permitted to operate within Yosemite National Park, we know Yosemite better than anyone, and would love sharing our knowledge and skills with you.
Many of our climbing guides are also AMGA certified, and have decades of climbing experience in the park. All of our guides also hold Wilderness First Responder or Wilderness EMT certifications.
Yosemite Biking
Explore Yosemite at your own pace as you enjoy the flat terrain and spectacular views of Yosemite Valley. Over 12 miles of paved bike trails in Yosemite National Park take you to some of the most picturesque spots in the park. The floor of Yosemite Valley is predominantly flat, with an occasional mild incline, making for easy cruising. Rental bikes are available for all ages of riders along with trailers and helmets. For the visually or physically impaired, we have a tandem bike and a hand crank bike. Bikes can be rented from early Spring to late Fall.
Don't forget to pick up a water bottle or other hydration system to take along for the ride! Available in most shops throughout Yosemite.
Yosemite Mule & Horseback Rides
Experience the breath-taking views and majestic scenery of Yosemite National Park by mule or horseback. When you are ready to saddle up, there are plenty of options. We have three stables within the park boundaries, each offering unique scenery and a memorable experience. Visit one, or all three, to see more of the park. Two-hour, four-hour and all day rides are available. Saddle up.
Yosemite Kids Attractions
Yosemite National Park is a wonderful family-friendly destination, offering educational and enriching experiences for all ages. Many of our Yosemite kids programs are designed to bring your family closer to nature and closer together.
Yosemite Golf
Yosemite's Wawona Golf Course was the first regulation course in the Sierra Nevada when it opened in 1918, and has provided golfers challenging but rewarding rounds ever since. Designed by Walter G. Favarque to blend seamlessly into its spectacular surroundings, this nine-hole, par-35 national park golf course measures 3,050 yards and includes two par-five holes and three par-three holes. Different tee positions per side provide a par-70, 18-hole format. Golfers of every level enjoy the rolling terrain, variety of challenging holes and tranquil setting of this historic course.
Evening Programs at Yosemite Park
Yosemite National Park offers an excellent variety of fun and interesting activities and programs that reach far beyond nature tours and outdoor sports. Over the years, a number of interpretive Yosemite camp activities have been created to depict the legend of the National Park through song, story, art and theater. These programs help to complete our visitors' understanding of this amazing national treasure.
Yosemite Rafting & Water Sports
Stay cool on a warm day by spending some time down by the water. Whether you serious about fishing, or just serious about fun, the many rivers and lakes in Yosemite can provide just the right source of recreation.
Rafting
Rent a raft and float leisurely down the Merced River. It’s fun, relaxing, and the views from the river are unbeatable.
Swimming
Whether you are interested in lounging by the river, or at one of our swimming pools, this is a restful and refreshing way to spend an afternoon.
Fishing
Yosemite has spectacular fishing in both the front and backcountry. Fishing licenses are available at select locations within the park.
Nature & History Programs at Yosemite
We want you to connect with Yosemite. Form a lasting impression of Yosemite by learning more about our park’s history and natural features. There are a wide variety of programs, offered in different locations throughout Yosemite, to help you fully appreciate the richness and value of this unique place. |
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