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Yosemite Park Activities
YOSEMITE VALLEY - - Bicycle rentals: There are 12 miles of bikeways
in the Valley. To join in the fun, rent a bike at either Yosemite
Lodge (year-round, weather permitting) or Curry Village (summer only).
Helmets are required for children under 18
years of age and recommended for everyone. They are available free
of charge when renting a bicycle. Child carriers are not available.
However, six-speed bicycles with child trailers, baby joggers, and
wheelchairs may be rented.
Please stay only on the bikeways and public
roads. Riding across meadows, through forests, or on hiking trails
is prohibited by park regulations. Off-trail riding is dangerous,
damages vegetation, and can injure wildlife.
Because of the steep incline of the road to Mirror Lake and the trail
to Lower Yosemite Fall, and because many pedestrians walk on these
routes, rental bicycles are not allowed. Cyclists are asked to park
their bikes at the bottom of these hills and walk to the lake and
to the falls.
River rafting: River rafting on the Merced River provides exhilarating
views of Yosemite Valley. In early summer, rental rafts, complete
with life jackets and paddles, are available at Curry Village.
Due to hazardous rapids and park regulations, do not raft on the Merced
River above the Yosemite Valley Stables or below the Cathedral Beach
Picnic Area. Swimming: Swimming is available at the Curry Village
and Yosemite Lodge swimming pools. Use extreme caution when in the
Merced River as water temperatures can be chilly and the current can
be deceptively swift.
Do not swim above or near waterfalls or rapids.
Swimming in these areas has resulted in several deaths over the years.
Go Climb a RockŪ: Yosemite National Park
offers some of the world's best rock climbing on clean rock surfaces.
It is no coincidence that the Yosemite Mountaineering School and Guide
Service is also among the better rock climbing schools.
Expert instructors guide you through all
the basics, and climbing shoes and gear are available. A basic rock
climbing lesson provides instruction on equipment and the correct
use of hand- and footholds, belays, and rappels.
Intermediate lessons teach setting belay anchors, use of nuts and
runners, more difficult hand- and footholds, direct aid, jamcrack
techniques, and other more advanced procedures.
Summer Snow Climbing, Alpencraft, Snow & Ice, Alpine Climbing, Advanced
Free Climbing, and Direct Aid are among several advanced courses offered.
Private guided climbs and instruction are also available.
Rock climbing lessons are offered every day,
early April through September, conditions permitting. In summer, the
Yosemite Mountaineering School and Guide Service is headquartered
at Tuolumne Meadows. From September to June, the school is located
at Curry Village in Yosemite Valley.
For more information, call (209) 372-8344. Hiking and backpacking:
Yosemite has trails for all abilities. Detailed guides and topographic
maps are on sale in park stores, visitor centers, and at the Wilderness
Center in Yosemite Valley.
Backpacking instruction and guided trips are available through
the Yosemite Mountaineering School and Guide Service, (209) 372-8344.
Guided hikes and trips are also offered by the Yosemite Association.
All of Yosemite is bear country. The most effective method for storing
food in the wilderness is to use plastic bear-resistant canisters.
All other efforts are considered delay tactics
at best, as Yosemite's bears are cleverly able to undo most well-known
food storage methods. Check at the Visitor Center or Wilderness Permit
stations for more information.
Bear-resistant portable food canisters may be rented for $3 per day
or purchased for about $75 at the Curry Village and Tuolumne mountain
shops, the Village Sport Shop, Crane Flat Grocery, the Wawona Store,
and Tuolumne Grocery. In 1998, a distribution system, sponsored by
the Yosemite Association, will be initiated at the Hetch Hetchy entrance.
While hiking, do not leave food in your vehicle; eat it, discard it
(in a bearproof dumpster or trash can), or use a trailhead food storage
locker where available. Permits are required for overnight stays in
Yosemite's backcountry.
Half of the allocated permits are available
up to 24 hours in advance at the Valley Wilderness Center, Tuolumne
Meadows Permit Kiosk, Big Oak Flat Information Station, Hetch Hetchy
Entrance Station, and Wawona Ranger Station. Permits are free when
obtained in person.
The remaining half of the allocated permits
are available through the mail or by calling (209) 372-0740. Written
requests should indicate dates and specific trailheads of entry and
exit into the wilderness, principal destination, number of people,
and any accompanying stock or pack animals.
There is a $3 nonrefundable advance reservation fee per person. For
requests by mail, include a check made payable to the Yosemite Association
or a credit card number with an expiration date. Written requests
should be sent to the Wilderness Center, P.O. Box 545, Yosemite, CA
95389.
To learn about special precautions before you begin your trip, ask
at any permit office or call (209) 372-0200.
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| Nature Notes |
"Climb
the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow
into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own
freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will
drop off like autumn leaves."
-- John Muir, 1901 |
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