Families and groups
Leans DIY on entry cost
One $35 vehicle fee covers everyone in the car, so a party of five pays $7 each to enter. A per-seat tour price has no such discount, so compare it with your whole-car cost.
Source: NPS fees, Oct 26, 2026
California · National Park
Yosemite: tour or DIY?
Checked Oct 26, 2026 · Source: NPS
Yosemite charges $35 per private vehicle, good for 7 days, according to the National Park Service (checked Oct 26, 2026). Visitors 16 and older who live outside the US pay an extra $100 unless they hold a pass. One fee covers the whole car, so a party of four pays $8.75 each to enter, which favors driving yourself.
Our verdict, from the fee data
DIY wins on entry cost for groups
The $35 vehicle fee is paid once for everyone in the car. A tour only beats driving yourself if it saves you real money or time on fuel, parking, shuttles and planning.
We do not print tour prices here because we do not have a live, licensed feed for them. Enter a real quote in the calculator and we prefill this park’s fee.
| Party | Entrance total | Per person |
|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $35 | $35 |
| 2 people | $35 | $17.50 |
| 4 people | $35 | $8.75 |
| 6 people | $35 | $5.83 |
Arithmetic on the NPS fee of $35. The vehicle fee covers all passengers, so cost per person falls as the group grows. Non-US residents 16+ add $100 each.
Entrance fees
| Fee | Cost | Notes from NPS |
|---|---|---|
| Entrance - Private Vehicle | $35 | This fee is valid for seven consecutive days for a non-commercial car, pickup truck, RV, or van with 15 or fewer passenger seats. This fee covers the vehicle and everyone inside of it. Per-person nonresident fees still apply. |
| Entrance - Motorcycle | $30 | Valid for 7 days. Admits up to 2 private, non-commercial motorcycles with up to 4 total passengers. Per-person nonresident fees still apply. |
| Entrance - Per Person | $20 | This fee is valid for seven consecutive days for people entering on foot, a bicycle, a horse, or a non-commercial bus or van. People 15 years and younger are free. |
| Entrance - Non-commercial Groups | $300 | The per-person fee is $20 to a maximum of $300 per vehicle. People 15 years and younger are free. |
| Entrance - Education/Academic Groups | $0 | An educational fee waiver is available for educational and scientific groups that are accredited or tax-exempt for educational purposes planning a trip for educational or scientific purposes related to Yosemite that is not primarily recreational. |
| Commercial Entrance - Per Person | $20 | The fee is $20 per person for any resident 16 years or older. For any nonresident the fee is $100 per person for anyone 16 years or older. This fee is valid for seven consecutive days. |
| Nonresident | $100 | Each non-US resident aged 16 and older visiting Yosemite National Park must pay a $100 nonresident fee (in addition to the standard entrance fee), unless admitted with an Annual or America the Beautiful Pass. |
| Commercial Entrance - Mini-bus | $200 | This fee is valid for seven consecutive days. For any nonresident there is an additional fee of $100 per person for anyone 16 years or older. A commercial use authorization is required. |
| Commercial Entrance - Motor Coach | $300 | This fee is valid for seven consecutive days. For any nonresident there is an additional fee of $100 per person for anyone 16 years or older. A commercial use authorization is required. |
Source: nps.gov fees and passes for Yosemite via the NPS API, checked Oct 26, 2026. Fees change; confirm before you go.
Visiting from outside the US? Yosemite is one of 11 parks that charge non-US residents aged 16+ a $100 nonresident fee on top of the regular entrance fee, unless they hold an annual or America the Beautiful pass. The Non-Resident Annual Pass costs $250. Source: nps.gov passes, checked Oct 26, 2026.
Pass math
- The $80 America the Beautiful Resident Annual Pass equals 3 visits at $35 per vehicle, here or at any other fee site.
- Seniors 62+ pay $20 for an annual pass or $80 for lifetime.
- Yosemite also sells its own pass: Annual Entrance - Park, $70.
When it is busiest
NPS recreation visits by month, 2025. July had 14% of the year; February was the quietest month, with about 20% of the busiest month’s visits.
BusierQuietest month
Show the numbers
| Month | Recreation visits |
|---|---|
| January | 135,684 |
| February | 120,601 |
| March | 155,758 |
| April | 297,621 |
| May | 454,491 |
| June | 584,333 |
| July | 616,551 |
| August | 594,060 |
| September | 487,733 |
| October | 445,779 |
| November | 234,709 |
| December | 151,093 |
Source: NPS IRMA Stats, recreation visitors, 2025, pulled Oct 26, 2026.
Alerts right now
1 active NPS alert when we checked on Oct 26, 2026. Showing the most serious first.
Information No overnight parking on Tioga & Glacier Point Roads
Overnight parking is not allowed on Tioga Road and Glacier Point Road, including all parking lots reachable from these roads. Details on nps.gov
Source: NPS API alerts, checked Oct 26, 2026. Conditions change by the hour; check the park page before you drive.
Hours and access
Yosemite National Park is open 24 hours per day, 365 days per year.
Source: NPS API operating hours, checked Oct 26, 2026.
What NPS lists to do here
- Arts and Culture
- Astronomy
- Auto and ATV
- Backcountry Camping
- Backcountry Hiking
- Biking
- Birdwatching
- Boating
- Bookstore and Park Store
- Camping
- Climbing
- Fishing
- Food
- Guided Tours
- Hands-On
- Hiking
- Horse Trekking
- Horseback Riding
- Ice Skating
- Junior Ranger Program
- Living History
- Museum Exhibits
- Paddling
- Park Film
- +9 more
Source: NPS API activity tags, checked Oct 26, 2026.
Got a tour quote for Yosemite?
Put it next to your own costs and see the break-even.
Open the calculator for YosemiteWho fits what at Yosemite
Built from NPS and NOAA data, not opinion. “Leans” is a plain reading of the fee model, not a recommendation.
Seniors (62+)
A senior pass cuts DIY cost
US residents aged 62 and over can buy an annual pass for $20 or a lifetime pass for $80. The NPS API we use has no per-park accessibility data, so check the park page for trail and shuttle accessibility before choosing.
Source: nps.gov passes, Oct 26, 2026
Visitors without a car
Check transit first
The NPS data we pulled lists no shuttle or transit service for Yosemite. It does tag Boating, Guided Tours, Horse Trekking and Horseback Riding. If you will not have a car, confirm how to get around before assuming DIY works.
Source: NPS activities, Oct 26, 2026
First-timers
Start at a visitor center
The NPS lists 4 visitor centers, 4 with passport stamps. It also publishes 8 self-guided tours, taking 30 min to 3 h, which cost nothing beyond entry.
Source: NPS visitor centers and tours, Oct 26, 2026
Short visits
Entry is valid 7 days
The vehicle fee is good for 7 days, so a one-day trip pays the same gate fee as a long one. NPS self-guided tours here run up to 3 h. February was the quietest month in 2025, which helps if you only have a day.
Source: NPS fees and IRMA Stats, Oct 26, 2026
What to book ahead
Check reservations early
The NPS campground listings (16) tag 1456 sites as reservable and 0 as first-come; those tags can lag, so confirm on the park page.
Source: NPS alerts and campgrounds, Oct 26, 2026
Season
July is busiest
July drew 14% of 2025 recreation visits; its average high is 89°F at the nearest NOAA station. February was quietest, with an average high of 51°F. Mild months below the average crowd: February, March and November.
Source: NPS IRMA Stats; NOAA normals 1991–2020 (YOSEMITE PARK HQ, 11 km away)
Parking and shuttles
1 related alert
“No overnight parking on Tioga & Glacier Point Roads” (active NPS alerts on Oct 26, 2026).
Source: NPS alerts, Oct 26, 2026
Questions
How much does it cost to enter Yosemite by car?
The NPS lists $35 per private vehicle for 7 days (checked Oct 26, 2026). The fee covers every passenger in the vehicle.
Is there an extra fee for visitors from outside the US at Yosemite?
Yes. Yosemite is one of 11 parks where non-US residents aged 16 and over pay a $100 nonresident fee on top of the entrance fee, unless they hold an annual or America the Beautiful pass (NPS, checked Oct 26, 2026).
When is Yosemite busiest?
July had the most recreation visits in 2025 (14% of the year). February had the fewest, so July drew about 5.1 times as many visits. Source: NPS IRMA Stats.
More parks in California
TourOrDIY is independent and not affiliated with the National Park Service. Numbers are copied from NPS public data on Oct 26, 2026 and may have changed. See the accuracy disclaimer and our method.