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The Ansel
Adams
Gallery
Village Day-use Parking
Lodge Day-use Parking
(Open May 22, 2015)
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North
Pines
Lower
Pines
Upper
Pines
Trailhead
Parking
LeConte
Memorial
Lodge
Camp 4
Half Dome
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Campground
Reservations
Sentinel
Beach
El Capitan
Picnic Area
Glacier Point
no shuttle service
closed in winter
Swinging
Bridge
Church Bowl
Picnic Area
Cathedral
Beach
Chapel
Medical
Clinic
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Nature Center
at Happy Isles
Recreation
Rentals
Curry
Village
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Camp
The Ahwahnee
Yosemite
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Yosemite
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E6
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To &
To
P1
P2
El Capitan
Shuttle
Year-round Route:
Summer-only Routes:
Valley
Shuttle
Parking
Restroom
Picnic Area
Campground
Walk-In
Campground
Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System
Express
Shuttle
Upper Pines Campground
15
Curry Village Parking
14 20
Recreation Rentals
21
13a
Sentinel Bridge
11
Curry Village
13b
LeConte / Housekeeping Camp
12
8
Yosemite Lodge
LocationStop #
Lower Yosemite Fall
6
Valley Visitor Center
E1
95
Degnan’s Deli
4
The Ahwahnee
3
Camp 4
E2
7
Visitor Parking
1
Yosemite Village
10
2
Bridalveil Fall
E5
Mirror Lake Trailhead
17
Stable
18
Pines Campgrounds
19
El Capitan Picnic Area
E3
El Capitan Crossover
E4
Happy Isles
16
Yosemite Valley
Shuttle System
The Valley Visitor Shuttle operates from 7 am to 10 pm and serves stops in numerical order. Shuttles run daily every 10 to 20 minutes, depending on time of day.
The El Capitan Shuttle operates from 9 am to 6 pm. Shuttles run daily during summer every 30 minutes.
The Express Shuttle operates from 9 am to 6 pm. Shuttles run daily during summer every 20 minutes.
E6
E7 Four Mile Trail
US Department of the Interior
National Park Service
PO Box 577
Yosemite, CA 95389
Third Class Mail
Postage and Fee Paid
US Department of the Interior
G 83
Where to Go and What to Do in Yosemite National Park October 7, 2015 - December 8, 2015
Experience Your America Volume 40, Issue 8
Yosemite Guide
Butterfly basket made by Julia Parker. NPS Photo / YOSE 50160
Service ends Oct 12.
Access for People with Disabilities
Accessible parking, lodging, tours, and activities are available throughout the park.
Y
osemite’s 125th Birthday!
On October 1, 2015, the park
commemorated the 125th anniversary of
the establishment of Yosemite National
Park. President Benjamin Harrison
signed the legislation, thereby creating
the nation’s third National Park. The
establishment of Yosemite National Park
preserved over 1,500 square miles of land
including Tuolumne Meadows, the park’s
high country, Hetch Hetchy, and lands
surrounding Yosemite Valley. Check out
the Anniversary Website at www.nps.gov/
yose/anniversary for information about
events happening all year.
Great Things Are Happening in
the Mariposa Grove!
The Restoration of the Mariposa Grove of
Giant Sequoias Project is now underway!
On July 6, 2015, a temporary closure of
the grove for up to 24 months began. The
restoration project will restore the habitat
and hydrology of the grove and improve
visitors’ experience and enjoyment. Trails
will be improved providing universal access
along with improved restrooms.
Visit the Yosemite Museum
Visit the Yosemite Museum and learn
about Yosemite Indians by exploring
a museum collection that includes
remarkable woven baskets and traditional
dress. Tour the outdoor Indian Village or
talk with an Indian cultural demonstrator.
You can also view historic landscape
paintings of Yosemite in the museum
gallery. The Yosemite Museum is located
in Yosemite Village at shuttle stops #5
and #9.
Take a Photography Class
Learn how to best capture the landscape
of Yosemite by joining a photography
expert from The Ansel Adams Gallery.
Several classes are offered each week.
Some have fees, some are free. Learn more
and sign up at the Ansel Adams Gallery in
Yosemite Village. Shuttle stops #5 and #9.
(See pages 5 and 6 for details.)
Stroll with a Ranger
Learn about the wonders of the park on a
ranger-guided stroll. Programs are offered
daily throughout the park on a variety of
topics including waterfalls, trees, bears,
geology, Yosemite Indians and more.
(See pages 6, 7, 9 and 11 for details.)
Yosemite Art Center Workshops
Yosemite Conservancy invites you to
participate in one of our enriching and
fun plein air art workshops in Yosemite
Valley, held Monday through Saturday
from 9:45am to 2pm. Workshops meet at
the Yosemite Art Center (next to the Village
Store). There is a registration fee of $10
per workshop per person. To sign up in
advance, call 209/372-1442. Walk-ins are
welcome when space is available. The Art
Center is open daily from 9am to 4:30pm
(closed at 12pm for lunch) – come by and
browse our selection of art supplies, gifts
and original artwork! The final week of
workshops for 2015 is October 26-October
31. The Art Center closes for the season on
November 5. (See page 6 for details.)
Go to the Theater
After a day filled with exploring, relax and
enjoy an evening at the theater! Yosemite
Theater presents a variety of shows,
including inspiring films, plays based on
some of the park’s most colorful characters
and celebrations of Yosemite’s culture and
history. The last show for the season is
October 31 — don’t miss your chance to
“meet” John Muir or see renowned rock-
climber Ron Kauk! (See page 6 for show
descriptions and schedules.)
Get Outdoors with Yosemite
Conservancy
Are you looking for a memorable way to
experience Yosemite, tailored to your
interests and ability? Our expert naturalist-
guides will enhance your understanding
of the park as you walk among Yosemite’s
awe-inspiring landscapes. Whether you
want to explore the park’s winter flora
and fauna while taking a gentle snowshoe
walk or learn about Yosemite’s geology
during an exhilarating hike, we’ll help you
create the perfect outdoor experience in
any season. Contact us to plan a Custom
Adventure for your family or group. Visit
yosemiteconservancy.org/adventures or
209/379-2317 x10 to find your adventure
today.
Adventure Out with the Yosemite
Mountaineering School
Yosemite Mountaineering School
provides outdoor adventures for people
of all experience levels. We are here to
help you learn how to enjoy the woods
safely and responsibly. Give us a call to
join one of our group classes or schedule
a custom outing designed specifically for
your group. We offer professional guides
for hiking, backpacking and rock climbing.
Reservations required. Call 209/372-8344
or email [email protected].
Every Kid In A Park
Fourth graders, grab your family and go
enjoy your national parks for FREE! The
Every Kid In A Park initiative was recently
launched to help the next generation of
park visitors, supporters and advocates
create positive attitudes towards public
lands and to give every child the chance
to explore America’s great outdoors and
unique history. Visit www.everykidinapark.
gov for more information.
FREE Interagency 4th Grade Pass
An annual pass for 4th graders and their
families to have free access to any federal
land or water for an entire year. Must
present a paper voucher to obtain pass.
Visit www.everykidinapark.gov for details.
Where to Go and What to Do in Yosemite National Park
What’s Inside:
01 Seasonal Highlights
05 Programs and Events
06 Visitor Services,
Yosemite Valley
07 Visitor Services
Beyond the Valley
08 Safety Information
09 Valley Day Hikes
10 Feature Story
11 Park Partners
Experience Your America Yosemite National Park
Seasonal Highlights
Keep this Guide with you to get the most out of your trip to Yosemite National Park
Upper Yosemite Fall NPS Photo
Get outside and enjoy your park!
Summer offers spectacular views of waterfalls, great hiking, and
endless other opportunities for recreation.
For a complete list of accessible services, recreational opportunities,
and exhibits, pick up an updated Yosemite Accessibility Guide which is
available at park entrance stations, visitor centers, and online at www.
nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/accessibility.htm, or call a park Accessibility
Coordinator at 209/379-1035 for more information.
Accessible parking spaces are available just west of the Yosemite Valley
Visitor Center. To reach these, enter the Valley on Southside Drive. Turn
left on Sentinel Drive. Turn left on Northside Drive, and follow the blue
and white signs.
Sign Language interpreting is available upon request. Contact Deaf
Services at 209/379-5250 (v/txt). Two weeks advance notice is requested.
Assistive Listening Devices are available upon advance request, inquire
at a visitor center.
Audio tours are available for the Yosemite Valley Visitor Center. Refer
to the Accessibility Guide, or contact an Accessibility Coordinator for
more information.
Emergency Information
Emergency Dial 911
Yosemite Village Garage offers 24-hour emergency roadside assistance.
For up-to-date road, weather, and park information:
209/372-0200
Medical Clinic (in Yosemite Valley)
Monday - Friday, 9am to 5pm , Closed weekends and federal holidays
For emerfency care after 5pm, call 9-1-1.
For more information call 209/372-4637
Lost and Found
To inquire about items lost or found at one of Yosemite’s restaurants,
hotels, lounges, shuttle buses or tour services, call 209/372-4357.
For items lost or found in other areas of the park, email yose_
Yosemite Guide October 7 - December 8, 2015
Experience Your America Yosemite National Park
2
Discover Yosemite
Let your curiosity guide you to new places
Yosemite Valley
1
Yosemite Valley, open all year, is world-famous for its impressive waterfalls, cliffs, and unusual rock formations. You can
get there via Highway 41/Wawona Road from Fresno, Highway 140/El Portal Road from Merced, Highway 120 west/Big
Oak Flat Road from Manteca, and (during summer) via the Tioga Road/Highway 120 east from Lee Vining. Yosemite Valley is
home to massive cliff faces like El Capitan and Half Dome, thunderous waterfalls, including the tallest in North America, and
attractive meadows. While Yosemite Falls slows to a trickle by August, a half-day hike will bring you to impressive Vernal and
Nevada Falls. Walk to Mirror Lake, where you will see reflections of Half Dome. Gaze up at El Capitan, a massive granite monolith
that stands 3,593 feet from base to summit. Whether you explore the valley by foot, bike, car, on horseback, raft, or tour, you
will behold scenery that will leave you breathless and eager to see what’s around the next corner.
Mirror Lake and Mount Watkins. Photo by Christine White Loberg
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Tuolumne
Meadows
Yosemite
Valley
Wawona
Stanislaus
National
Forest
Inyo
National
Forest
Sierra
National
Forest
Sierra
National
Forest
To
Fresno
To
Manteca
To
&
Lee
Vining
To
Merced
Ranger Station
Food Service & Lodging
Gas Station
Campground
0 5 miles5 km
120
41
140
395
120
To
Fresno
To
Manteca
To
Merced
120
140
41
Yosemite
Lodge
Yosemite Village/
Visitor Center
The
Ahwahnee
Curry
Village
Day
Parking
Yosemite
Falls
Bridalveil
Fall
El
Capitan
Valley
View
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Pioneer
Yosemite
History
Center
South
Entrance
Mariposa
Grove
Wawona
Campground
Valley
Visitor
Center
Glacier
Point
El
Portal
Arch Rock
Entrance
Crane
Flat
Merced
Grove
Trailhead
Tuolumne
Grove
Hodgdon
Meadow
Big
Oak
Flat
Entrance
Hetch
Hetchy
Entrance
Lake
Eleanor
O’Shaughnessy
Dam
Tenaya
Lake
Tioga
Pass
Entrance
Hetch
Hetchy
Backpackers'
Campground
(Wilderness
Permit Required)
Yosemite Valley
G
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P
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(Elevation 4,000 feet/1,220 meters)
Hetch Hetchy
To
To
To
Yosemite
West
White
Wolf
Yosemite
Creek
Porcupine
Flat
Foresta
Tamarack
Flat
Bridalveil
Creek
Tunnel
View
Badger Pass
1
2
3
4
5
6
Entrance Fees
Non-commercial car, pickup
truck, RV, or van with 15 or fewer
passenger seats Valid for 7 days
(No per-person fee)
$30/vehicle April through October
$25/vehicle November through March
Motorcycle Valid for 7 days
$15/motorcycle
Individual Valid for 7 days
$15, (In a bus, on foot, bicycle, or horse)
Yosemite Pass
$60, Valid for one year in Yosemite.
Interagency Annual Pass $80
Valid for one year at all federal
recreation sites.
Interagency Senior Pass $10
(Lifetime) For U.S. citizens or permanent
residents 62 and over.
Interagency Access Pass (Free)
(Lifetime) For permanently disabled U.S.
citizens or permanent residents.
Interagency Military Pass (Free)
(Annual) For active duty U.S. military
and dependents
Interagency 4th Grade Pass (Free)
(Annual) For fourth graders and their
families. Must present paper voucher.
Reservations
Campground Reservations
877/444-6777
www.recreation.gov
Lodging Reservations
801/559-5000
www.yosemitepark.com
Regional Info
Yosemite Area Regional
Transportation System (YARTS)
www.yarts.com
Highway 120 West
Yosemite Chamber of Commerce
800/449-9120 or 209/962-0429
Tuolumne County Visitors Bureau
800/446-1333
www.tcvb.comHighway 41
Yosemite Sierra Visitors Bureau
559/683-4636
www.yosemitethisyear.com
Highway 132/49
Coulterville Visitor Center
209/878-3329
Highway 140/49
Calif. Welcome Center, Merced
800/446-5353 or 209/724-8104
www.yosemite-gateway.org
Mariposa County Visitor Center
866/425-3366 or 209/966-7081
Yosemite Mariposa County
Tourism Bureau
209/742-4567
www.homeofyosemite.com
Highway 120 East
Lee Vining Chamber of
Commerce and Mono Lake
Visitor Center, 760/647-6629
www.leevining.com
The Tioga Road and Glacier Point Road close after
the first significant snowfall. Overnight parking on
these roads ends October 15. For current road and
weather information, please call 209/372-0200.
Yosemite Guide October 7 - December 8, 2015
3
Glacier Point
2
Glacier Point provides a commanding view overlooking Yosemite Valley,
Half Dome, and Yosemite’s high country. It is located 30 miles (one-hour
drive) from both, Yosemite Valley and Wawona, taking the Wawona Road
(Highway 41), to Chinquapin, then turning onto Glacier Point Road. At Glacier
Point, a short, paved, and wheelchair-accessible trail takes you to an exhilarating
view, as you stand 3,214 feet above Yosemite Valley. The road stays open as
weather permits, however, overnight parking along it ends October 15. When
the road is snow-covered and conditions permit, a system of cross-country ski tracks
are maintained on it.
Wawona and Mariposa Grove
3
The Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias is located 36 miles (1 ¼ hours) south
of Yosemite Valley via the Wawona Road (Highway 41), two miles from the
park’s South Entrance. Starting July 6, 2015, the Mariposa Grove of Giant
Sequoias will close for restoration, see page 7 for details.The nearby Pioneer
Yosemite History Center in Wawona is a collection of historic buildings associated
with people and events that shaped the national park idea in Yosemite. Enjoy a
horse-drawn stage ride, or hike one of the scenic trails. For more information, visit
the Wawona Visitor Center at Hill’s Studio, adjacent to the historic Wawona Hotel.
This was once a painting studio for the 19th-century artist Thomas Hill.
Crane Flat and Tuolumne Grove
4
Crane Flat is located 16 miles from Yosemite Valley at the junction of the Big
Oak Flat and Tioga Roads. A number of hikes through pleasant meadows are
available—when snow covers the ground these turn into delightful ski and snowshoe
tracks. To see giant sequoias, park at the Tuolumne Grove parking area located on
the Tioga Road, and walk one steep mile down to the Tuolumne Grove of Giant
Sequoias. Or, park at Merced Grove trailhead and walk two steep miles down to
this small grove. These groves north of Yosemite Valley are smaller than the more-
famous Mariposa Grove, but are quieter and offlimits to vehicles. Remember that
the walk down is easier than the walk back up.
Tuolumne Meadows and Tioga Road
5
The Tioga Road offers a 39-mile scenic drive past forests, meadows, lakes,
and granite domes. The road closes after the first big snowfall, and
overnight parking ends on October 15. The road’s elevation ranges from 6,200 to
nearly 10,000 feet. Tuolumne Meadows embodies the high-country of the Sierra
Nevada. The Wild and Scenic Tuolumne River winds through broad sub-alpine
meadows surrounded by granite domes and peaks. It is the jumping off place for
countless hikes, whether you venture out for a day or a week. In winter, Tuolumne
Meadows is often reached by skiers via the Snow Creek Trail from the Mirror Lake
trailhead, a short distance east of Yosemite Valley.
Hetch Hetchy
6
Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, a source of drinking water and hydroelectric power
for the City of San Francisco, is home to spectacular scenery and the starting
point for many wilderness trails. The area’s low elevation makes it a good place to
hike in autumn and winter. The Hetch Hetchy Reservoir is located 40 miles (1 hour
15 minutes) from Yosemite Valley via the Big Oak Flat Road (Highway 120W) and the
Evergreen Road. The Hetch Hetchy Road is open from 8am to 7pm through October
31, then 8am to 5pm through March 31. Vehicles and/or trailers over 25 feet long, and
RVs and other vehicles over 8 feet wide are not permitted on the narrow, winding
Hetch Hetchy Road.
View from Glacier Point. Photo by Christine White Loberg
The Mariposa Grove Museum. Photo by Pam Meierding
Cathedral Peak. Photo by Christine White Loberg
Bridge over the Tuolumne River at Tuolumne Meadows. Photo by John Sun
Hetch Hetchy. Photo by Clarisa Flores
DID YOU KNOW?
•
•
•
Want the Guide on your Apple or Android device?
Get the App!
Search NPS-Yosemite in app stores or at nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit to download the
offi cial park app for up-to-date listings of programs, services, an interactive map, and more!
iPhone/iPad
Android
Some of Yosemite’s most iconic features have original Ahwahneechee
names - Yosemite Valley is also known as Ahwahnee, Bridalveil Fall as
Pohono and El Capitan as Tutokanula.
The largest Indian village in Yosemite Valley was located behind the
Yosemite Museum. Currently, there is a reconstructed Indian Village
there, which is still actively used by local American Indian communities
for ceremonies and special gatherings.
To this day, the descendants of Yosemite’s native people still use willow,
red bud, tule, bracken fern and other native materials gathered in
Yosemite to make traditional baskets for storage, food gathering, or to
cook in and serve with.
Experience Your America Yosemite National Park
4
Experience the Incomparable Yosemite Valley
Yosemite Valley embraces one of the world’s most outstanding concentrations of waterfalls, granite walls, meadows,
wildflowers, and trees. The Valley also harbors a rich collection of human stories, from American Indian lore to the birth of
the National Park movement.
Yosemite Valley
Spectacular vistas in the heart of the park
Yosemite Valley
An unlimited array of possibilities await
you in Yosemite Valley. Most involve
sightseeing and learning about the
scenery. See pages 5 and 6 for more
information on park programs and visitor
services available.
Naturalist Programs
Naturalists give walks and talks every day
about Yosemite’s natural and cultural
history. See pages 5 and 6 for scheduled
walks, talks, and evening programs.
Walking and Hiking
Yosemite Valley has a wide range of
walking and hiking possibilities. Stop by a
visitor center for a trail map and the most
current trail conditions, or see page 9 for
a list of popular Valley day hikes.
Sightseeing
Some of the famous landmarks in Yosemite
Valley include:
• Lower Yosemite Fall is an easy
30-minute loop trail starting from
shuttle stop #6. (Upper and Lower
Yosemite Falls will be dry until rain
and snow return.) This hike features
educational exhibits, a picnic area, and
is accessible to the mobility impaired.
• Bridalveil Fall is a year-round
waterfall that can be visited on your
way into or out of the Valley. Winds
swirling about the cliff blow the wispy
water into a delicate free-fall.
• El Capitan is a massive granite
monolith that stands 3,593 feet
from base to summit. From spring
to fall, climbers come from all
over the globe to scale El Capitan.
Note: Please stay on foot paths to avoid
damaging delicate meadows.
• Half Dome, Yosemite’s most
distinctive monument, dominates
most views in Yosemite Valley. Forces
of uplift, erosion from rivers and
glaciers, and rockfall all shaped this
iconic feature into what we see today.
Cook’s Meadow, Sentinel Bridge and
Glacier Point all provide stunning
views of Half Dome.
• Happy Isles is easily reached by the
free shuttle bus at stop #16. Cross
the footbridges onto the Isles or
wander through outdoor exhibits
detailing Yosemite’s geologic story.
Shuttle buses may not go to stop #16
when road is snow-covered or icy.
• Tunnel View, along the Wawona
Road (Hwy 41), provides a view that
showcases Yosemite Valley. Capture
breathtaking views of El Capitan,
Bridalveil Fall and Half Dome. It is
particularly spectacular at sunset or
after the clearing of a storm.
Tours
Tours listed depart from Yosemite Lodge,
weather permitting. Check Tour and
Activity Desk for times.
The Valley Floor Tour is a 26-mile,
two-hour, guided tour of Yosemite Valley.
It departs several times daily.
The Glacier Point Tour is a four-hour,
round-trip tour that leaves Yosemite
Lodge at 8:30am, 10am and 1:30pm
daily, conditions permitting and when
the Glacier Point Road is open. One-way
tickets are available for those who want to
hike down from Glacier Point. Closed for
the season October 26 or when the Glacier
Point Road closes.
The Grand Tour includes the Yosemite
Valley, Glacier Point, and the Mariposa
Grove. The tour departs Yosemite Lodge
at 8:45am daily, conditions permitting.
Due to the Mariposa Grove Restoration
Project, The Grand Tour will not be
available until the summer of 2017.
Call 209/372-1240 for reservations or
inquire at the Tour and Activity Desk in
the Yosemite Lodge, 7:30am to 5pm.
Winter Sports
Badger Pass Ski Area is tentatively
scheduled to open on December 11 and
the ice rink at Curry Village is scheduled
to open on November 20, weather and
conditions permitting. Live information
on winter sports is available by calling
209/372-8340, or recorded information
is available at 209/372-1000.
Yosemite Valley in winter. Photo by Sheree Peshlakai
POST OFFICE
Yosemite Village
Main Office
Monday - Friday: 8:30am to 5pm
Saturday: 10am to noon
Yosemite Lodge
Post Office
Monday - Friday: 12:30pm to 2:45pm
El Portal
Post Office
Monday - Friday: 8:30am to 5pm
Closed for lunch from 12:30pm to 1:30pm
Wawona Post Office
Monday - Friday: 9am to 5pm
Saturday: 9am to noon
BOOKS, GIFTS, & APPAREL
Yosemite Village
The Ansel Adams Gallery
9am to 5pm
Yosemite Conservancy Bookstore
Inside Yosemite Valley Visitor Center
9am to 5pm
Yosemite Museum Store
9am to 5pm, May close for lunch
Village Store
8am to 8pm
Habitat Yosemite
11am to 4pm Thursday - Sunday only
Closed for the season Nov 29
Sport Shop
10am to 4pm
The Ahwahnee
The Ahwahnee Gift Shop
8am to 8pm
The Ahwahnee Sweet Shop
7am to 10pm
Yosemite Lodge
Gift/Grocery
8am to 7pm
Nature Shop
11am to 6pm
Curry Village
Mountain Shop
9am to 5pm
Mountaineering School
8:30am to 12pm, 1pm to 4:30pm
Closed for the season Nov 15
Curry Village Gift/Grocery
9am to 7pm
Wawona Area
Wawona Store and Pioneer Gift Shop
8am to 6pm
Yosemite Guide October 7 - December 8, 2015
5
YOSEMITE VALLEY
Sunday
10:00am JUNIOR RANGER TALK 15 mins. Front of Yosemite Valley Visitor Center, near shuttle stop #5/9. (NPS) &
10:00am ASL Nature Walk (October 26 only) 1 hr. The Ahwahnee back lawn. This program will be presented in American Sign Language only. (DNC)
11:00am Ask A Climber (October 12 only) 4 hrs. Join a ranger at the El Capitan Bridge for this informal program. Use telescopes to observe climbers on El Capitan and learn about climbing
in Yosemite. (NPS) &
1:30pm Beginner Art Workshop (October 12 & 19 only) 1.5 hrs. Yosemite Art Center (YC) $
2:00pm Ranger Walk - Bears 1.5 hrs. Shuttle stop #6. (NPS) &
7:00pm Evening Program 1 hr. Check local listings for topic & venue. Yosemite Lodge at the Falls. (DNC) &
8:30pm NIGHT PROWL 1.5 hrs. Conditions permitting. Explore Yosemite at night! Tickets and information available at any tour & activity desk. (DNC) & $
Monday
9:00am Camera Walk 1.5 hrs. Sign up in advance at The Ansel Adams Gallery and meet at the Ahwahnee Hotel. (TAAG) &
10:00am Art Workshop (October 13 & 20 only) 4 hrs. Yosemite Art Center. For more information see page 6. (YC) $
11:00am Ask A Climber (October 13 only) 4 hrs. Join a ranger at the El Capitan Bridge for this informal program. Use telescopes to observe climbers on El Capitan and learn about climbing
in Yosemite. (NPS) &
2:00pm Ranger Walk-Yosemite’s First People 1.5 hrs. Front of Yosemite Museum, near shuttle stop #5/9. (NPS) &
4:00pm Naturalist Stroll 1 hr. Check local listings for topic. The Ahwahnee back lawn. (DNC) &
7:00pm Ranger Program 1 hr. Check local listings for topic & venue. Yosemite Lodge at the Falls. (NPS/DNC) &
8:30pm STARRY SKIES OVER YOSEMITE WALK 1 hr. Conditions permitting. Tickets and information available at any tour & activity desk. (DNC) & $
Tuesday
9:00am Camera Walk 1.5 hrs. Sign up in advance and meet at The Ansel Adams Gallery. (TAAG) &
10:00am Art Workshop (October 14 & 21 only) 4 hrs. Yosemite Art Center. For more information see page 6. (YC) $
11:00am Ask A Climber (October 14 only) 4 hrs. Join a ranger at the El Capitan Bridge for this informal program. Use telescopes to observe climbers on El Capitan and learn about climbing
in Yosemite. (NPS) &
1:00pm In the Footsteps of Ansel Adams photography class 4 hrs. Sign up and meet at The Ansel Adams Gallery. (TAAG) $
2:00pm Ranger Walk - Geology 1.5 hrs. Front of Yosemite Valley Visitor Center, near shuttle stop #5/9. (NPS) &
7:00pm Ranger Program 1 hr. Check local listings for topic & venue. Yosemite Lodge at the Falls. (NPS) &
Wednesday
10:00am Art Workshop (October 8, 15, 22 only) 4 hrs. Yosemite Art Center. For more information see page 6. (YC) $
11:00am Ask A Climber (October 8 & 15 only) 4 hrs. Join a ranger at the El Capitan Bridge for this informal program. Use telescopes to observe climbers on El Capitan and learn about
climbing in Yosemite. (NPS) &
2:00pm Ranger Walk - Inspiring Generations 1.5 hrs. Front of Yosemite Valley Visitor Center, near shuttle stop #5/9. (NPS) &
7:00pm Yosemite Theater: Conversation with a Tramp: An Evening with John Muir (October 8 and 15 only) 1.5 hrs. Live performance with stories of wilderness and local
characters by Lee Stetson. Purchase tickets at Valley Visitor Center Bookstore. (YC) $
7:00pm Ranger Program 1 hr. Check local listings for topic & venue. Yosemite Lodge at the Falls. (NPS) &
8:30pm NIGHT PROWL 1.5 hrs. (Except November 19 and 26) Conditions permitting. Explore Yosemite at night! Tickets and information available at any tour & activity desk. (DNC) & $
Thursday
9:00am Camera Walk 1.5 hrs. Sign up in advance and meet at The Ansel Adams Gallery. (TAAG) &
10:00am Art Workshop (October 9, 16 & 23 only) 4 hrs. Yosemite Art Center. For more information see page 6. (YC) $
11:00am Ask A Climber (October 9 only) 4 hrs. Join a ranger at the El Capitan Bridge for this informal program. Use telescopes to observe climbers on El Capitan and learn about climbing
in Yosemite. (NPS) &
1:00pm Using Your Digital Camera 4 hrs. Sign up and meet at The Ansel Adams Gallery. (TAAG) $
2:00pm Ranger Walk - Trees 1.5 hrs. The Ahwahnee, shuttle stop #3. (NPS)
4:00pm Naturalist Stroll 1 hr. Check local listings for topic. The Ahwahnee back lawn. (DNC) &
7:00pm Yosemite Theater: Muir Among the Animals (October 9 & 16 only) 1.5 hrs. Live performance with tales of animals and adventure for the whole family performed by Lee
Stetson. Purchase tickets at Valley Visitor Center Bookstore. (YC) $
7:00pm FIRESIDE STORYTELLING FOR ALL AGES 1 hr. The Ahwahnee Great Lounge. (DNC) &
7:00pm Evening Program 1 hr. Check local listings for topic & venue. Yosemite Lodge at the Falls. (DNC) &
8:30pm NIGHT PROWL 1.5 hrs. Conditions permitting. Explore Yosemite at night! Tickets and information available at any tour & activity desk. (DNC) & $
Friday
10:00am Art Workshop (October 10, 17 & 24 only) 4 hrs. Yosemite Art Center. For more information see page 6. (YC) $
11:00am Ask A Climber (October 10 only) 4 hrs. Join a ranger at the El Capitan Bridge for this informal program. Use telescopes to observe climbers on El Capitan and learn about climbing
in Yosemite. (NPS) &
1:00pm Family Crafts (October 10, 17 & 24 only) 2 hrs. Drop-in craft program at Yosemite Art Center. (YC) $
2:00pm Ranger Walk - Wild About Wildlife 1.5 hrs. Front of Yosemite Valley Visitor Center, near shuttle stop #5/9. (NPS) &
4:00pm Naturalist Stroll 1 hr. Check local listings for topic. The Ahwahnee back lawn. (DNC) &
7:00pm Yosemite Theater: Return to Balance: A Climber’s Journey (October 10, 17 & 24 only) 1.5 hrs. Film and presentation by Ron Kauk. Purchase tickets at Valley Visitor Center
Bookstore. (YC) $
7:30pm Film - Ansel Adams 1hr. Check local listing for venue. (TAAG) &
7:30pm Halloween Cemetery Tour (October 31 only) 1.5 hr. Walking tour of the Yosemite Cemetery. Meet in front of the Yosemite Valley Visitor Center with a flashlight (DNC) &
8:30pm STARRY SKIES OVER YOSEMITE WALK 1 hr. Conditions permitting. Tickets and information available at any tour & activity desk. (DNC) & $
Saturday
9:00am The Day of the Woodpecker (December 6 only) 7 hrs. Did you know there are 11 species of woodpeckers found in Yosemite — more than in any comparable area in the United
States? Camping is included if needed. Lodging reserved for an extra fee if needed. Requires advanced reservation, please call 209/379-2317 ext. 10 (YC) $
9:00am Camera Walk 1.5 hrs. Sign up in advance and meet at The Ansel Adams Gallery. (TAAG) &
10:00am JUNIOR RANGER TALK 15 mins. Front of Yosemite Valley Visitor Center, near shuttle stop #5/9. (NPS) &
10:00am Art Workshop (October 11, 18 & 25 only) 4 hrs. Yosemite Art Center For more information see page 6 (YC) $
11:00am Ask A Climber (October 11 only) 4 hrs. Join a ranger at the El Capitan Bridge for this informal program. Use telescopes to observe climbers on El Capitan and learn about climbing
in Yosemite. (NPS) &
1:00pm Family Crafts (October 11, 18 & 25 only) 2 hrs. Drop-in craft program at Yosemite Art Center. (YC) $
1:00pm In the Footsteps of Ansel Adams photography class 4 hrs. Sign up and meet at The Ansel Adams Gallery. (TAAG) $
2:00pm Ranger Walk-Ahwahneechee Stories and Games 1.5 hrs. Front of Yosemite Museum, near shuttle stop #5/9. (NPS) &
2:30pm WEE WILD ONES 45 mins. Stories and activities for kids 6 & under. The Ahwahnee Great Lounge. (DNC) &
3:00pm Fine Print Viewing (October 11, 18, & 25 only) 1hr. Sign up and meet at The Ansel Adams Gallery. limited space. (TAAG) &
4:00pm Naturalist Stroll 1 hr. Check local listings for topic. The Ahwahnee back lawn. (DNC) &
7:00pm Yosemite Theater: Return to Balance: A Climber’s Journey (October 11, 18 & 25) 1.5 hrs. Film and presentation by Ron Kauk. Purchase tickets at Valley Visitor Center
Bookstore. (YC) $
7:00pm Evening Program 1 hr. (Except October 25) Check local listings for topic & venue. Yosemite Lodge at the Falls. (DNC) &
7:00pm Deaf Services 35th Anniversary and Reunion 2 hr. (October 25th only) ASL and English interpretation provided. Check local listings for venue. Yosemite Lodge at the Falls. (NPS/DNC) &
7:30pm Halloween Cemetery Tour (October 25 only) 1.5 hr. Walking tour of the Yosemite Cemetery. Meet in front of the Yosemite Valley Visitor Center with a flashlight (DNC) &
8:30pm STARRY SKIES OVER YOSEMITE WALK 1 hr. Conditions permitting. Tickets and information available at any tour & activity desk. (DNC) & $
YOSEMITE VALLEY
Sunday
10:00am JUNIOR RANGER TALK 15 mins. Front of Yosemite Valley Visitor Center, near shuttle stop #5/#9. (NPS)
12:30pm Ask A Climber (October 11 Only) 4 hrs.Join a ranger at the ElCapitanBridge for this informal program. Use telescopes to observe climbers on ElCapitan and learn about climbing in Yosemite. (NPS)
1:30pm Beginner Art Workshop (October 11, 18 and 25 Only) 2.5 hrs. Yosemite Art Center. (YC) $
2:00pm Ranger Walk – Bears 1.5 hrs. Shuttle stop #6. (NPS)
4:00pm Naturalist Stroll 1 hr. (October 11, 18 and 25 Only) Check local listings for topic. The Ahwahnee back lawn. (DN)
5:30pm CAMPFIRE PROGRAM 1 hr. (October 11 and 18 Only) Join in on campfire fun and s’mores for all ages. Tickets and information available at any tour desk. (DN) $
5:30pm WEE WILD ONES 1 hr. (October 18 and 25 Only) Join in before or after dinner for stories and activities for kids 6 & under. Check local listings for topic and location. (DN)
7:00pm Evening Program 1 hr. Check local listings for topic and venue. (DN)
8:30pm THE AHWAHNEE NIGHT PROWL 1 hr. (October 11, 18 and 25 Only) Explore Yosemite at night! Tickets and information available at any tour desk. (DN) $
8:30pm STARRY SKIES OVER YOSEMITE 1 hr. (October 11 and 18 Only) Explore the night sky! Tickets and information available at any tour desk. (DN) $
Monday
9:00am Camera Walk 1.5 hrs. Sign up in advance at The Ansel Adams Gallery and meet at the Ahwahnee Hotel. (TAAG)
9:45am Art Workshop (October 12, 19 and 26 Only) 4 hrs. Yosemite Art Center. See page 6 for more information. (YC) $
12:30pm Ask A Climber (October 12 Only) 4 hrs.Join a ranger at the ElCapitanBridge for this informal program. Use telescopes to observe climbers on ElCapitan and learn about climbing in Yosemite. (NPS)
1:00pm Using Your Digital Camera 4 hrs. Sign up and meet at The Ansel Adams Gallery. (TAAG) $
2:00pm Ranger Walk – Yosemite’s First People 1.5 hrs. Front of Yosemite Museum, near shuttle stop #5/#9. (NPS)
4:00pm Naturalist Stroll 1 hr. (November 2, 9, 16, 23 and December 7 Only) Check local listings for topic. The Ahwahnee back lawn. (DN)
7:00pm Evening Program 1 hr. Check local listings for topic. (DN)
8:30pm THE AHWAHNEE NIGHT PROWL 1 hr. (October 12, 19 and 26 Only) Explore Yosemite at night! Tickets and information available at any tour desk. (DN) $
8:30pm YOSEMITE LODGE NIGHT PROWL 1 hr. (October 12, 19 and 26 Only) Explore Yosemite at night! Tickets and information available at any tour desk. (DN) $
8:30pm STARRY SKIES OVER YOSEMITE 1 hr. (October 12 and 19 Only) Explore the night sky! Tickets and information available at any tour desk. (DN) $
Tuesday
9:00am Camera Walk 1.5 hrs. Sign up in advance and meet at The Ansel Adams Gallery. (TAAG)
9:45am Art Workshop (October 13, 20 and 27 Only) 4 hrs. Yosemite Art Center. See page 6 for more information. (YC) $
11:30am WEE WILD ONES 1 hr. (October 13 Only) Join in before or after lunch for stories and activities for kids 6 & under. Check local listings for topic and location. (DN)
12:30pm Ask A Climber (October 13 Only) 4 hrs.Join a ranger at the ElCapitanBridge for this informal program. Use telescopes to observe climbers on ElCapitan and learn about climbing in Yosemite. (NPS)
1:00pm In the Footsteps of Ansel Adams Photography Class 4 hrs. Sign up and meet at The Ansel Adams Gallery. (TAAG) $
2:00pm Ranger Walk – Geology 1.5 hrs. Front of Yosemite Valley Visitor Center, near shuttle stop #5/#9. (NPS)
4:00pm Naturalist Stroll 1 hr. (October 13, 20 and 27 Only) Check local listings for topic and location. The Ahwahnee back lawn. (DN)
7:00pm Ranger Program 1 hr. Check local listings for topic & venue. Yosemite Lodge at the Falls, shuttle stop #8. (NPS)
8:30pm YOSEMITE LODGE NIGHT PROWL 1 hr. (October 27 Only) Explore Yosemite at night! Tickets and information available at any tour desk. (DN) $
8:30pm STARRY SKIES OVER YOSEMITE 1 hr. (October 13 and 20 Only) Explore the night sky! Tickets and information available at any tour desk. (DN) $
Wednesday
9:45am Art Workshop (October 14, 21 and 28 Only) 4 hrs. Yosemite Art Center. See page 6 for more information. (YC) $
10:00am JUNIOR RANGER TALK 15 mins. Front of Yosemite Valley Visitor Center, near shuttle stop #5/#9. (NPS)
12:30pm Ask A Climber (October 7 and 14 Only) 4 hrs.Join a ranger at the ElCapitanBridge for this informal program. Use telescopes to observe climbers on ElCapitan and learn about climbing in Yosemite. (NPS)
1:00pm Ansel Adams’ Legacy and Your Digital Camera Photography Class 4 hrs. Sign up and meet at The Ansel Adams Gallery. (TAAG) $
2:00pm Ranger Walk – Inspiring Generations 1.5 hrs. Front of Yosemite Valley Visitor Center, near shuttle stop #5/#9. (NPS)
4:00pm Naturalist Stroll 1 hr. (October 7, 14, 21 and 28 Only) Check local listings for topic. The Ahwahnee back lawn. (DN)
7:00pm Yosemite Theater – The Spirit of John Muir (October 14, 21 and 28 Only) 1.5 hrs. Hear John Muir’s stories about his adventures in the wild, starring Lee Stetson. Purchase tickets at YC Bookstore in the Valley Visitor Center. (YC) $
7:00pm Ranger Program 1 hr. Check local listings for topic & venue. Yosemite Lodge at the Falls, shuttle stop #8. (NPS)
8:30pm STARRY SKIES OVER YOSEMITE 1 hr. (October 7, 14, 21 and 28 Only) Explore the night sky! Tickets and information available at any tour desk. (DN) $
Thursday
9:00am Camera Walk 1.5 hrs. Sign up in advance and meet at The Ansel Adams Gallery. (TAAG)
9:45am Art Workshop (October 15, 22 and 29 Only) 4 hrs. Yosemite Art Center. See page 6 for more information. (YC) $
11:30am WEE WILD ONES 1 hr. (October 15 Only) Join in before or after lunch for stories and activities for kids 6 & under. Check local listings for topic. (DN)
12:30pm Ask A Climber (October 8 and 15 Only) 4 hrs.Join a ranger at the ElCapitanBridge for this informal program. Use telescopes to observe climbers on ElCapitan and learn about climbing in Yosemite. (NPS)
1:00pm Using Your Digital Camera 4 hrs. Sign up and meet at The Ansel Adams Gallery. (TAAG) $
2:00pm Ranger Walk – Trees 1.5 hrs. The Ahwahnee, shuttle stop #3. (NPS)
5:00pm “From Our Point of View” Reception (November 5 Only) 2 hrs. Yosemite Art Center. Join us for the closing reception of the annual Yosemite employee art show. See page 6 for more information. (YC)
7:00pm Yosemite Theater – Ask John Muir (October 15, 22 and 29 Only) 1.5 hrs. Meet a legendary Yosemite figure in an interactive performance by Lee Stetson. Purchase tickets at YC Bookstore in the Valley Visitor Center. (YC) $
7:00pm Ranger Program 1 hr. Check local listings for topic & venue. Yosemite Lodge at the Falls, shuttle stop #8. (NPS)
7:00pm FIRESIDE STORYTELLING FOR ALL AGES 1 hr. (October 8, 15, 22 and November 5 Only) The Ahwahnee Great Lounge. (DN)
7:30pm Halloween Cemetery Tour (October 29 Only) 1.5 hr. Walking tour of the Yosemite Cemetery. Meet in front of the Yosemite Valley Visitor Center with a flashlight. (DN)
Friday
9:45am Art Workshop (October 16, 23 and 30 Only) 4 hrs. Yosemite Art Center. See page 6 for more information. (YC) $
10:00am Naturalist Stroll 1 hr. (October 9, 16 and 30 Only) Check local listings for topic. The Ahwahnee back lawn. (DN)
12:30pm Ask A Climber (October 9 Only) 4 hrs.Join a ranger at the ElCapitanBridge for this informal program. Use telescopes to observe climbers on ElCapitan and learn about climbing in Yosemite. (NPS)
1:30pm FAMILY CRAFTS PROGRAM (October 16, 23 and 30 Only) 2 hrs. Drop-in session at Yosemite Art Center. (YC) $
2:00pm Ranger Walk – Wildlife 1.5 hrs. Front of Yosemite Valley Visitor Center, near shuttle stop #5/#9. (NPS)
4:00pm Naturalist Stroll 1 hr. (October 9, 16, 23 and 30 Only) Check local listings for topic. The Ahwahnee back lawn. (DN)
5:30pm CAMPFIRE PROGRAM 1 hr. (October 9, 16 and 23 Only) Join in on campfire fun and s’mores for all ages. Tickets and information available at any tour desk. (DN) $
5:30pm WEE WILD ONES 1 hr. (October 9, 16 and 23 Only) Join in before or after dinner for stories and activities for kids 6 & under. Check local listings for topic. (DN)
7:00pm Yosemite Theater: Return to Balance: A Climber’s Journey (October 16, 23 and 30 Only) 1.5 hrs. Film and presentation by rock-climber Ron Kauk. Purchase tickets at YC Bookstore in the Valley Visitor Center. (YC) $
7:00pm Film – Ansel Adams 1 hr. Yosemite Lodge at the Falls Amphitheater. (TAAG)
7:30pm Halloween Cemetery Tour (October 30 Only) 1.5 hr. Walking tour of the Yosemite Cemetery. Meet in front of the Yosemite Valley Visitor Center with a flashlight. (DN)
8:30pm STARRY SKIES OVER YOSEMITE 1 hr. (November 13, 20 and December 4 Only) Explore the night sky! Tickets and information available at any tour desk. (DN) $
Saturday
9:00am Camera Walk 1.5 hrs. Sign up in advance and meet at The Ansel Adams Gallery. (TAAG)
9:00am Yosemite Birding: The Day of the Woodpecker (December 5 Only) 8 hrs. Requires advanced reservation, please call 209/379-2317 x10. (YC) $
9:45am Art Workshop (October 17, 24 and 31 Only) 4 hrs. Yosemite Art Center. See page 6 for more information. (YC) $
10:00am JUNIOR RANGER TALK 15 mins. Front of Yosemite Valley Visitor Center, near shuttle stop #5/#9. (NPS)
12:30pm Ask A Climber (October 10 Only) 4 hrs.Join a ranger at the ElCapitanBridge for this informal program. Use telescopes to observe climbers on ElCapitan and learn about climbing in Yosemite. (NPS)
1:00pm In the Footsteps of Ansel Adams Photography Class 4 hrs. Sign up and meet at The Ansel Adams Gallery. (TAAG) $
1:30 pm FAMILY CRAFTS PROGRAM (October 17, 24 and 31 Only) 2 hrs. Drop-in session at Yosemite Art Center. (YC) $
2:00pm Ranger Walk – Ahwahneechee Stories and Games 1.5 hrs. Front of Yosemite Museum, near shuttle stop #5/#9. (NPS)
4:00pm Naturalist Stroll 1 hr. (October 10, 17, 24 and 31 Only) Check local listings for topic. The Ahwahnee back lawn. (DN)
5:30pm CAMPFIRE PROGRAM 1 hr. (October 10, 17 and 24 Only) Join in on campfire fun and s’mores for all ages. Tickets and information available at any tour desk. (DN) $
5:30pm FAMILY HALLOWEEN CEMETERY TOUR (October 31 Only) 1.5 hr. Walking program in the Yosemite Cemetery. Meet in front of the Yosemite Valley Visitor Center with a flashlight. (DN)
7:00pm Evening Program 1 hr. Check local listings for topic. (DN)
7:00pm Yosemite Theater: Return to Balance: A Climber’s Journey (October 17, 24 and 31 Only) 1.5 hrs. Film and presentation by rock-climber Ron Kauk. Purchase tickets at YC Bookstore in the Valley Visitor Center. (YC) $
7:30pm Halloween Cemetery Tour (October 31 Only) 1.5 hr. Walking tour of the Yosemite Cemetery. Meet in front of the Yosemite Valley Visitor Center with a flashlight. (DN)
8:30pm YOSEMITE LODGE NIGHT PROWL 1 hr. (November 7, 14, 21 and December 5 Only) Explore Yosemite at night! Tickets and information available at any tour desk. (DN) $
Events and Programs
Where to go and what to do
Access for People with Disabilities
Accessible parking, lodging, tours, and activities are available throughout the park.
For a complete list of accessible services, recreational opportunities, and exhibits, pick up an updated Yosemite Accessibility
Guide which is available at park entrance stations, visitor centers, and online at www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/accessibility.
htm, or call a park Accessibility Coordinator at 209/379-1035 for more information.
Accessible parking spaces are available just west of the Yosemite Valley Visitor Center. To reach these, enter the Valley on
Southside Drive. Turn left on Sentinel Drive. Turn left on Northside Drive, and follow the blue and white signs.
Sign Language interpreting is available upon request. Contact Deaf Services at 209/379-5250 (v/txt). Two weeks advance
notice is requested. Assistive Listening Devices are available upon advance request, inquire at a visitor center.
Audio tours are available for the Yosemite Valley Visitor Center and the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias. Refer to the
Accessibility Guide, or contact an Accessibility Coordinator for more information.
NPS National Park Service
DN Delaware North at
Yosemite
TAAG The Ansel Adams
Gallery
YC Yosemite Conservancy
$ Programs offered for a
fee
Programs printed in ALL CAPS
AND COLOR are especially for
children and their families.
Experience Your America Yosemite National Park
6
Valley Visitor Center
and Bookstore
The Yosemite Valley Visitor Center and Yosemite
Conservancy Bookstore are open from 9am to
5pm. They are located west of the main post
office, near shuttle stops #5 and #9. The facility
offers information, maps, and books. Explore
the exhibits and learn how Yosemite’s landscape
formed and how people interact with it.
YOSEMITE FILMS
Two films are shown daily, every half hour
beginning at 9:30am (except Sundays, when
the first showing is at noon). The last film is at
4:30pm. “Ken Burns’ Yosemite - A Gathering
of Spirit” plays on the hour and “The Spirit of
Yosemite” plays on the half hour, in the Valley
Visitor Center Theater.
Wilderness Permits
Open 8 am to 5 pm. Visit the wilderness center to
learn about wilderness safety, plan trips, obtain
wilderness permits and maps, and rent bear
canisters. The Valley Wilderness Center is located
in Yosemite Village in between the post office and
the Ansel Adams Gallery. The center will close
for the season on October 18. Permits and bear
canisters will be available at the Yosemite Valley
Visitor Center daily from 9am to 5pm.
Yosemite Museum
Located in Yosemite Village next to the Valley
Visitor Center. The museum is open daily from
9am to 5pm, May close for lunch.
INDIAN CULTURAL EXHIBIT
Interprets the cultural history of Yosemite’s
Miwok and Paiute people from 1850 to the
present. The Indian Cultural Museum is open
from 9am to 5pm, May close for lunch.
YOSEMITE MUSEUM STORE
The store offers books and traditional American
Indian arts, crafts and jewelry. Open daily from
9am to 5pm, May close for lunch.
YOSEMITE MUSEUM GALLERY EXHIBIT
Yosemite Viewed: 19th and 20th
Century Landscape Paintings
This exhibit features a selection of landscapes
from the Yosemite Museum collection
ranging from Thomas Ayres’ 1855 drawing to
contemporary artwork by participants of the
Yosemite Artist-in-Residence program. Works
by Albert Bierstadt, Thomas Moran, Chris
Jorgensen, Chiura Obata, and others will be
included. The Cosmopolitan Register, which
includes signatures of prominent visiting artists,
and the Cosmopolitan interactive, will be part of
the display. Yosemite Museum Gallery, October
1 through November 1, open daily from 10am
to noon, and 1pm to 4pm. Closed for the season
November 2.
YOSEMITE RENAISSANCE 31 CALL
FOR ENTRIES
Yosemite Renaissance is a juried, fine art
competition and exhibition on the theme of
Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. This event
is open to all living artists, and entry is easily
completed with digital files. Awards to be
determined. $15 per entry (maximum of 8
entries per artist). The exhibition will be hosted
at the Yosemite Museum Gallery, in the heart of
Yosemite National Park, beginning February 27,
2016. For a prospectus and entry form please
visit: http://www.yosemiterenaissance. org.
The deadline for entries is November 15, 2015.
The Ansel Adams
Gallery
The gallery is located in Yosemite Village
next to the Valley Visitor Center and is open
daily from 9am to 5pm. The gallery offers the
work of Ansel Adams, contemporary
photographers, and other artists.
For more information, call 209/372-4413, or visit
www.anseladams.com. See page 7 for photo walk
and other event times.
EXHIBIT
A Nobel Deed: Photography and
Yosemite National Park at 125
September 14, 2015 - November 7, 2015
While protected in a land grant in 1864,
Yosemite National Park was not officially
established until October 1st, 1890, a noble
and visionary deed by congress. At that point
in history, the Yosemite region began to enjoy
full protection from those that would desire to
abuse the land. Today, as visitors, enthusiasts
and artists, we continue to enjoy the luxury
this formal act of congress afforded the people
of the world. To celebrate, The Ansel Adams
Gallery is hosting the exhibit “A Nobel Deed:
Photography and Yosemite National Park
at 125.” Showcased will be images from the
turn of the century, contemporary work from
artists still active today, as well as original
works made by Ansel Adams himself. The
show will open on September 14th and close
on November 7th, 2015. We hope you get
a chance during your visit to stop by and
explore this collection of work.
NEW EXHIBIT
Yosemite Impressions -
Works On Canvas and Paper
November 8 - January 3rd
Join us at The Ansel Adams Gallery starting
November 8 for an exhibition of contemporary
paintings and woodblocks titled “Yosemite
Impressions - Works On Canvas and Paper.”
Pieces by Tom Killion, Penny Otwell, Jane
Culp, Sally Owens, Anne Barrett Cashner &
James McGrew will be on display.
Yosemite Theater
(YC)
Yosemite Theater offers entertainment
and inspiration through a variety of live
performances. Revel as actors and adventurers
bring incredible Yosemite stories and history
to life on stage! All shows start at 7pm. Tickets:
$8 adults, $4 children, available at the Yosemite
Conservancy Bookstore in the Valley Visitor
Center or at any Yosemite Tour & Activity Desk.
The Spirit of John Muir
Wednesdays (Through October 28)
Hear John Muir’s most popular stories about his
adventures in the wild and the people and animals
he encountered along the way, starring Lee Stetson.
Ask John Muir
Thursdays (Through October 29)
In this interactive performance, the audience
gets to ask John Muir anything they want, and
be entertained by his tales and opinions of
yesteryear and present day.
Return to Balance: A Climber’s Journey
Fridays & Saturdays (Through October 31)
See the beauty of Yosemite in this stirring film,
which is followed by a discussion with renowned
rock-climber Ron Kauk.
Yosemite Art Center
(YC)
Yosemite Conservancy invites you to join one
of our celebrated artists for a hands-on art
experience in Yosemite Valley. Art workshops
are offered Monday through Saturday, starting
at 9:45am and ending at 2pm.
Oct 5 - 10 Watercolor Simple and Easy,
Karen Bieber
Oct 12 - 17 Acrylic Painting with Color
and Light, Sparkle Taylor
Oct 19 - 24 Plein Air Watercolor,
John Hewitt
Oct 26 - 31 Pen and Ink with Watercolor,
Pam Pederson
All workshops meet at the Yosemite Art
Center, located next to the Village Store in
Yosemite Village. The registration fee is $10 per
participant per day, and art supplies are available
for purchase. All proceeds benefit important
work in the park! Workshops are typically held
outside (weather and media permitting). Find
detailed information at yosemiteconservancy.
org/yosemite-art-center. Closed for the season
November 5.
Park Employee Art Show: From Our
Point of View (YC)
The annual Yosemite employee art show,
From Our Point of View, will be on display
at the Yosemite Art Center from November 1
through November 5. Stop by to see incredible
paintings, photography and more, all produced
by people working in the park. Join us for
a closing reception at the Art Center on
November 5, from 5pm to 7pm.
Yosemite Conservancy
Outdoor Adventures
(YC)
Yosemite Conservancy is passionate about
sharing the wonders of Yosemite through
our year-round Outdoor Adventures. From
backpacking to botany and birding, our wide
range of programs offers something for every
Yosemite adventurer.
Oct 29 – Nov 1 Yosemite Photography:
Focus on Nature 101
Nov 5 - 8 Yosemite Photography:
Focus on Nature 201
Dec 5 Yosemite Birding:
The Day of the Woodpecker
Find detailed information and register for
your adventure at yosemiteconservancy.org/
adventures or call 209/379-2317 x10. Camping
and park entry are included; additional lodging
options are available. Custom Adventures
can be arranged for individuals, families and
groups. Proceeds support the Conservancy’s
work in the park; preserving and protecting
Yosemite for generations to come.
Yosemite Valley
Stephen Curl, watercolor “Birch Lake, near Hetch-Hetchy”, Yosemite Renaissance 27
Yosemite Guide October 7 - December 8, 2015
7
Wawona &
Mariposa Grove
WAWONA VISITOR CENTER AT HILL’S
STUDIO / WILDERNESS PERMITS
Open 8:30am to 5pm. The visitor center
offers information about park activities,
wilderness permits, trail information,
books, bear canister rentals, and maps.
Located on the grounds of the Wawona
Hotel, Hill’s Studio was the gallery and art
studio of famous 19th-century landscape
painter, Thomas Hill. Walk from the hotel
or park at the Wawona store parking area
and follow the path up the hill. From
October 13 through November 1, the
bookstore only will be open daily from
8:30am to 5pm. Wilderness permits will be
available by self-registration on the porch
and bear canisters will be available for rent
inside the bookstore. Closed for the season
November 1.
EVENING PROGRAMS
Join pianist/singer Tom Bopp in the
Wawona Hotel lobby from 5:30pm to
9:30pm, Tuesday through Saturday, as
he performs songs and tells stories from
Yosemite’s past. Historical programs are
available by request and are usually given
at 8:30pm. For more details, drop by the
piano early in the evening to ask Tom or
stop by the front desk.
Pioneer Yosemite
History Center
Go back to a time of horse-drawn
wagons, a covered bridge, and log cabins.
A visit to the Pioneer Yosemite History
Center explores Yosemite’s history and
explains how Yosemite was the inspiration
for national parks across America and
around the world. The center is open
throughout year.
EXPERIENCE HORSE-DRAWN TRAVEL
From Friday, October 9 through Sunday,
October 11, between 10am and 2pm, Travel
into history by taking a 10-minute horse-
drawn stage ride. Tickets may be purchased
at the Grey Barn in the Pioneer Yosemite
History Center. Costs $5/adults and $4/
child (ages 3-12).
Mariposa Grove
Located near Yosemite’s South Entrance,
the Mariposa Grove is the park’s largest
stand of giant sequoias, with about 500 trees.
GREAT THINGS ARE HAPPENING IN THE
MARIPOSA GROVE
The Restoration of the Mariposa Grove of
Giant Sequoias Project is now underway!
On July 6, 2015, a temporary closure of
the grove for up to 24 months began. The
restoration project will improve the habitat
and restore the hydrology of the Mariposa
Grove and improve visitors’ experience
and enjoyment of the grove. Trails will be
improved providing universal access along
with improved restrooms.
The Mariposa Grove Road is closed to
all public access, including bicycle and
pedestrian traffic. Hiking trails within
the grove are also closed.
Big Oak Flat
BIG OAK FLAT INFORMATION STATION
Open from 8am to 5pm. The visitor center
offers information about park activities,
wilderness permits, trail information,
books, bear canister rentals, and maps.
The center is located just inside the
park entrance on Hwy 120W. From
October 16 through October 25, the
Yosemite Conservancy Bookstore only
will be open daily from 9am to 5pm (may
close for lunch). Wilderness permits
will be available by self-registration on
the porch and bear canisters will be
available for rent inside the bookstore.
Closed for the season October 25.
Merced Grove
Yosemite’s quietest stand of sequoias is the
Merced Grove, a group of approximately
20 big trees accessible only on foot. It’s
a three-mile round-trip hike, ski, or
snowshoe into the grove. The trail drops
down 1.5 miles, making this a moderately
strenuous hike on the uphill portion.
There is no potable water in the area so be
sure to bring drinking water with you. The
grove is located 3½ miles north of Crane
Flat and 4½ miles south of the Big Oak
Flat Entrance along the Big Oak Flat Road
(Highway 120 West). The trail is marked by
a sign and a post labeled B-10.
Tuolumne Grove
The trailhead for this grove of
approximately 25 sequoias is near the
intersection of the Big Oak Flat and Tioga
roads at Crane Flat. The moderately
strenuous trail leads downhill from the
parking area into the grove and drops
500 feet (150 meters) in one mile. Within
the Tuolumne Grove there is an easy,
half-mile, self-guided nature trail. There
is no potable water in the area so be
sure to bring drinking water with you.
Tuolumne Meadows
Wilderness Center
Open 8am to 5pm. Visit the wilderness
center to learn about wilderness safety,
plan trips, obtain wilderness permits
and maps, and rent bear canisters. The
Tuolumne Meadows Wilderness Center
is located just south of Tioga Road, along
the road to Tuolumne Meadows Lodge,
across from shuttle stop #3. The center
will close for the season on October 15
and wilderness permits will be available by
self-registration on the front porch. Please
come prepared with bear canisters.
Hours listed are core hours for facilities
and may be extended during periods
of peak visitation. Check local postings
for changes to hours of operation.
FOOD & BEVERAGE
Yosemite Village
Degnan’s Delicatessen 7am to 5pm
Village Grill 11am to 7pm
Closed for the season Oct 18
The Ahwahnee
Dining Room
Breakfast: 7am to 10am
Lunch: 11:30am to 2pm
Dinner: 5:30pm to 8:30pm
Sunday Brunch: 7am to 2pm
Appropriate attire required for dinner.
Reservations recommended for dinner
and Sunday Brunch. 209/372-1489.
The Coffee Bar 7am to 10:30am
The Ahwahnee Bar 11:30am to 10pm
Yosemite Lodge
Food Court
Breakfast: 6:30am to 11am
Lunch: 11:30am to 2pm
Dinner: 5pm to 8pm (Grab and Go only,
last 30-minutes)
Mountain Room Lounge
Monday - Friday, 4:30pm to 11pm
Saturday - Sunday, Noon to 11pm
Mountain Room Restaurant
5pm to 8pm
Reservations taken for 8 or more.
209/372-1281
Curry Village
Pizza Deck
5pm to 9pm
After Oct 26, weekends and holidays
only. Closed Nov 30 through Dec 18.
Curry Village Bar
5pm to 10pm
Closed for the season Oct 25
Pavilion Buffet
Breakfast: 7am to 10am
Closed for the season Oct 26
Dinner: 5:30pm to 8pm
Closed for the season Oct 25
Coffee Corner
7am to 11am
After Oct 26, weekends only through
Nov 30. Closed for the season Nov 30
Wawona
The Wawona Hotel and Dining Room are
closed from Nov 29 to Dec 18.
Wawona Hotel Dining Room
Breakfast: 7:30am to 10am
Lunch: 11:30am to 1:30pm
Dinner: 5:30pm to 9pm
Reservations taken for 6 or more,
209/375-1425
Lounge Service: 5pm to 9:30pm
Golf Course/Golf Shop & Snack Stand
9am to 5pm weather and conditions
permitting. Closed for the season Oct 25
GROCERIES
Yosemite Lodge
Gift/Grocery
8am to 7pm
Yosemite Village
Village Store
8am to 8pm
Curry Village
Gift/Grocery
9am to 7pm
Wawona
Wawona Store & Pioneer Gift Shop
8am to 6pm
Crane Flat
Crane Flat Store
10am to 4pm weather permitting
Closed for the season Nov 29
GAS STATIONS
Gas outside Yosemite Valley
El Portal
Diesel available
Pay 24 hours with credit or debit card
Wawona
8am to 6pm. Diesel & propane.
Pay 24 hours with credit or debit card.
Crane Flat
Diesel available. Pay 24 hours with credit
or debit card
SHOWERS AND LAUNDRY
Curry Village Showers
Open 24 hours
Housekeeping Camp Showers
Open 24 hours, Closed for the season Oct 19
Housekeeping Camp Laundromat
8am to 10pm
GENERAL SERVICES
VILLAGE GARAGE
8am to 5pm, Towing 24 hours. Propane
available until 4:30pm. 209/372-1160
YOSEMITE MEDICAL CLINIC
Monday - Friday, 9am to 5pm
Closed weekends and federal holidays
For emergency care after 5pm, call 9-1-1.
For more information call 209/372-4637.
RELIGIOUS SERVICES
CHURCH OF CHRIST (NONDENOMINATIONAL)
El Portal Chapel / Worship: Sunday 11am
Info: 209/379-2100
YOSEMITE COMMUNITY CHURCH
Pastor Brent Moore - Resident Minister
209/372-4831 • www.YosemiteValleyChapel.org
Wedding information on website
SUNDAY SERVICES IN YOSEMITE CHAPEL:
9:15am - Sunday School Available
11am - (Memorial Day - Labor Day Only)
6:30pm Evening service in Chapel
7pm TUESDAY BIBLE STUDY (call for location)
7pm THURSDAY MID-WEEK SERVICE IN CHAPEL
THANKSGIVING SERVICE IN CHAPEL:
10am Thanksgiving Day Thursday, November 26
ROMAN CATHOLIC MASS
OUR LADY OF THE SNOWS
Sunday, 10am, Theater behind Yosemite Valley
Visitor Center, shuttle stops #5/#9
Rectory Phone: 209/372-4729
SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS
7:30pm Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday
DN General Office Building,
Yosemite Village
LIONS CLUB
Meets the first and third Thursdays of each
month at noon, The Ahwahnee. 209/372-1464.
Visitor Services
Beyond Yosemite Valley
Experience Your America Yosemite National Park
8
Yosemite National Park enjoys four seasons;
many visitors count Yosemite’s Autumn as
their favorite of the four. Lighting is gentle but
colors are strong, temperatures are usually
more comfortable than summer and winter,
and dustings of snow provide attractive accents
to the rugged high Sierra Nevada.
SUNLIGHT
Autumn may create outstanding outdoor
opportunities but can also pose a few unique
challenges. With days becoming noticeably
shorter, it is important to PLAN your outdoor
activities accordingly. Carry a flashlight and/
or headlamp, in case you find yourself on the
trail longer than expected.
WEATHER
Comfortable daytime temperatures can drop
with little warning. Unexpected storms can
brew quickly, bringing wind, rain or even snow.
PREPARE for potential weather changes. To
avoid hypothermia, dress in layers:
• Base layer – synthetics, wool, or silk, never
cotton. This layer is meant to pull moisture
away from your skin so that you will feel dry.
• Mid layer – insulation to keep warm. Many
outdoor enthusiasts prefer fleece or wool.
• Outer layer/Shell – protects you from
outside moisture, i.e. rain and snow.
• Hat – one suitable for keeping your head
warm and dry. A good knit hat that is
long enough to cover your ears can
make a big difference.
• Shoes – wear sturdy hiking boots. It’s
important they protect your feet from rain,
snow, and slush. Thick wool or synthetic
socks help keep your feet warm and dry.
Your boots should never be tight or you
will lose circulation which will make your
feet cold. Carry an extra pair of socks.
• Gloves – a pair or two in your pack should
be available if you need to keep your
hands warm.
Although Yosemite’s autumn presents unique
beauty and challenges, some practices are a
good idea to remember year round, for your
safety and enjoyment. These include:
• Stay on the trail – do not take shortcuts and
never approach moving water.
• Rock scrambling – leave this to the critters.
• Water and food – stay hydrated and snack
frequently. Make sure you have plenty of
food and water. If you are sweating, replace
lost salts with salty, easy-to-digest snacks.
• Have a map & compass and a signaling
method (mirror and whistle).
• Let someone know – always leave your travel
and hiking plan, including your intended
route and estimated time of return, with a
trusted person.
Also, remain AWA R E of changing conditions
such as approaching storms or darkness
coming on.
Finally, be aware of your personal conditions;
are you starting to feel cold, thirsty, hungry,
or tired? Do you know exactly where you
are? Any of these indicators can be signals to
rest, hydrate, snack, and reorient yourself.
YOSEMITE ROADS
Wildlife can be quite active during the autumn
season. This time of year is Yosemite wildlife’s final
opportunity to prepare for the long winter ahead.
While this makes for good wildlife viewing, it also
creates road hazards. Most vehicle-deer collisions
occur in the autumn.
Yosemite experiences ice in the autumn.
Moisture from rain or melting snow can freeze
on the pavement even before the sun sets.
When temperatures warm and the roadways
thaw, spots of ice can remain in shaded areas
throughout the day.
Please give 100% of your attention to your driving
and find a safe place to pull over to enjoy the
scenery or wildlife. Drive within the designated
speed limits and be prepared to reduce speed if
conditions warrant.
WILDERNESS PERMIT DETAILS
Wilderness permits are required year round
for all overnight trips into the Yosemite
Wilderness. Permits are issued and bear
canisters are available for rent at the Yosemite
Valley Wilderness Center, the Tuolumne
Meadows Wilderness Center, the Big Oak Flat
Information Center, Hill’s Studio in Wawona,
and the Hetch Hetchy Entrance Station during
hours of operation. Please see wilderness
permit information on pages 6 and 7 for more
details. For summer trips, reservations are
taken from 26 weeks to two days in advance of
the start of your trip. A processing fee of $5 per
permit plus $5 per person is charged to each
confirmed reservation. Sixty percent of the
trailhead quota is available in advance. Forty
percent of the trailhead quota is available on a
first come, first served basis and are available,
same-day, at opening and the day before
starting at 11am. Check the park’s website at
www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/wildpermits.
htm or call 209/372-0740, for additional
information.
HALF DOME PERMIT INFORMATION
Permits to hike to the top of Half Dome are
required seven days a week when the cables
are up, from May 22 through October 12, 2015,
conditions permitting. A daily total of 225
preseason lottery permits have already been
issued for 2015. In addition, approximately
50 permits will be released by daily lottery
throughout the season based on estimated
under-use and cancellation rates. Applications
for daily lotteries will be accepted 2 days
prior to the desired hiking date between
midnight and 1 pm. To apply, visit Recreation.
gov or call 877/444-6777. A non-refundable
application fee applies to all submissions
and a use fee applies to winning applicants.
Finally, a daily quota of 75 Half Dome permits
will be available to overnight users with
an appropriate wilderness permit (use fee
applies). These permits may be acquired
through early reservations (50 per day) or day
before walk-up (25 per day). Rock climbers
who reach the top of Half Dome without
entering the subdome area may descend on
the Half Dome Trail without a permit. More
information is available at: http://www.nps.
gov/yose/planyourvisit/hdpermits.htm. For
backpackers more information is available
at: http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/
hdwildpermits.htm.
HANTAVIRUS INFORMATION
Mice are an important part of the ecosystem,
but can carry diseases harmful to humans.
Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) is
a rare but serious disease spread to humans
via the droppings, urine, or saliva of infected
rodents. Not all rodents are infected with
hantavirus, but infected rodents have been
found throughout the US. You may come into
close proximity to rodents during your visit,
so it is important you take steps to protect
yourself from HPS. HPS risk is greater inside of
buildings or other enclosures where deer mice
are present. If staying in guest lodging, please
tell the housekeeping staff if you see evidence
of mice in your accommodations.
Do not clean up the area yourself. Keep doors
to guest lodging shut and do not bring food
into your cabin that is not in a sealed container.
If you are camping and backpacking, do not
pitch tents near rodent burrows or droppings.
HPS often begins with flu-like symptoms such
as aches, fever, and chills one to seven weeks
after exposure, progressing to cough and
difficulty in breathing. Seek medical attention
immediately if you experience these symptoms
and mention any potential rodent exposures to
your physician.
For more information on hantavirus and other
environmental safety hazards visit: http://www.
nps.gov/yose/ planyourvisit/yoursafety.htm.
PLAGUE
Plague is an infectious bacterial disease that
is carried by squirrels, chipmunks and other
wild rodents and their fleas. When an infected
rodent becomes sick and dies, its fleas can carry
the infection to other warm-blooded animals
including humans.
To protect yourself from plague, never feed
wildlife,avoid dropping food scraps that attract
rodents when eating outside,avoid pitching a
tent near or disturbing rodent burrows,wear
insect repellent with DEET,and tell a park ranger
immediately if you see a dead animal.
Early symptoms of plague may include high fever,
chills, nausea, weakness, painful swelling at the
site of an insect bite or lymph node, and other
flu-like symptoms. If you develop any of these
symptoms within 6 days of visiting an area at
risk for plague in the park, see your doctor and
inform them you may have been exposed. Plague
is treatable with antibiotics if given in time.
AVOID CONTACT WITH WILDLIFE AND
KEEP FOOD AND TRASH STORED
PROPERLY
Wild animals in Yosemite can transmit numerous
diseases, including plague, rabies, and hantavirus.
Keeping your distance and your food from
wildlife not only protects them, it also protects
you from injury and exposure to diseases.
If you encounter a mammal, particularly a
raccoon, skunk, fox, coyote, or bat, that is
behaving erratically, don’t touch the animal.
Instead, report the sick animal to a park employee.
In addition to keeping bears away, storing your
food properly also reduces your exposure to
rodents and their fleas, which may carry plague.
Keep yourself safe while exploring your park.
There are many ways to experience the wildness of Yosemite. While the forces of nature can create unexpected hazardous conditions, with a little common
sense and some pre-planning, you can minimize the risks associated with many activities.
Protecting yourself...
Autumn leaves, NPS Photo
Yosemite Guide October 7 - December 8, 2015
9
TRAIL / DESTINATION STARTING POINT DISTANCE / TIME DIFFICULTY / ELEVATION
Bridalveil Fall Bridalveil Fall Parking Area 0.5 mile round-trip, 20 minutes Easy
Lower Yosemite Fall Lower Yosemite Fall Shuttle Stop #6 1.0 mile round-trip, 20 minutes Easy
Upper Yosemite Fall Trail to Columbia Rock Camp 4 Near Shuttle Stop #7 2 miles round-trip, 2–3 hours Strenuous 1,000-foot gain
Top of Upper Yosemite Fall Same as above 7.2 miles round-trip, 6–8 hours Very Strenuous 2,700-foot gain
Mirror Lake (A seasonal lake) Mirror Lake Shuttle Stop #17 2 miles round-trip, 1 hour Easy
Vernal Fall Footbridge Happy Isles Shuttle Stop #16 1.4 miles round-trip, 1–2 hours Moderate, 400-foot gain
Top of Vernal Fall Happy Isles Shuttle Stop #16 3 miles round-trip, 2–4 hours Strenuous 1,000-foot gain
Top of Nevada Fall same as above 5 miles round-trip, 5–6 hours Strenuous 1,900-foot gain
Four Mile Trail to Glacier Point
(Closed in winter)
Southside Drive 4.8 miles one-way, 3–4 hours
one-way
Very Strenuous, 3,200-foot gain
Valley Floor Loop Lower Yosemite Fall Shuttle Stop #6 13 miles full loop, 5–7 hours full loop Moderate
Yosemite Valley Day Hikes
Store Your Food Properly
The typical daily diet of most bears may
consist of 4,000 to 20,000 calories worth
of grasses, berries, acorns, and grubs. It’s
a lot easier for a bear to eat the thousands
of calories of food in an ice chest than
it is to spend all day nibbling at grasses.
Their incredible sense of smell allows
them to detect things we can’t, which
helps them find food—a black bear can
smell a dead deer three miles away. To top
it off, bears have excellent vision and can
see in color, so they recognize ice chests,
grocery bags, and other food containers
as potential food sources.
If you see a bear, scare it away or
keep your distance
You may not see a bear during your visit
because they naturally avoid people.
However, if you see one in a developed
area (like a campground or parking lot),
act immediately to scare it away: Make
noise and yell as loud as possible. If there
is more than one person, stand together
to present a more intimidating figure, but
do not surround the bear. If you see a bear
anywhere else, consider yourself lucky—
but keep your distance (at least 50 yards,
or about the distance made by four shuttle
buses parked end to end). If you get too
close, you will be helping the bear become
used to being around people. Bears that
become comfortable around humans lose
their natural fear of us and may become
too aggressive. When that happens, they
sometimes have to be killed.
Drive the speed limit
The most common human-related cause
of death for a black bear in Yosemite is
being hit by a car. Slow down! Driving
too fast is almost always the cause of
these accidental deaths. Please report
bear sightings by calling 209/372-0322.
Keeping Bears Wild
Keep Yosemite’s Black Bears Wild and Alive, while protecting yourself and your property.
LOCATION FOOD STORAGE WHY?
Your Vehicle You may store food in your car (with windows closed) only
during daylight hours. Do not store food in your car after
dark: use a food locker. Remember to clear your car of food
wrappers, baby wipes, and crumbs in baby seats.
Bears can smell food, even if it’s sealed in the trunk or glove
compartment, and they recognize boxes and bags as potential
food sources. They can easily and quickly break into all kinds
of vehicles!
Your Campsite
or Tent Cabin
You must store all your food in food lockers—not in your tent or
tent cabin. A food locker is available at each campsite and tent
cabin. Food may be stored out of sight in hard-sided RVs with
windows closed.
Bears may enter campsites when people are present, and some
will even check food lockers to see if they’re secured. Keep food
lockers closed and latched at all times, even when you are in your
campsite or tent cabin.
Picnic Areas &
on the Trails
Do not leave food unattended. Always keep food within arm’s
reach. Don’t turn your back to your food.
Bears may investigate picnic areas or backpacks for food even
when people are present, so be alert.
Backpacking in the
Wilderness
Bear resistant food containers are required throughout the
Yosemite Wilderness. Hanging food is prohibited in Yosemite.
In Yosemite and the southern Sierra, bear canisters are the only
effective and proven method of preventing bears from getting
human food.
How to Store Food
“Food” includes any item with a scent, regardless of packaging. This may include items that you do not consider food, such as canned goods,
bottles, drinks, soap, cosmetics, toiletries, trash, ice chests (even when empty), and unwashed items used for preparing or eating meals.
...and Yosemite
Yosemite Guardians
Visitors to Yosemite National Park are the
park’s most important guardians. With
nearly 4 million people watching over
its special plants, animals, historic, and
archeological sites, imagine how well-
protected these park resources could be!
During your visit to Yosemite be aware
that there are people who either
unknowingly or intentionally harm park
resources. Please contact a park official if
you see any of the following illegal acts:
• Feeding or approaching wildlife
• Collecting plants
• Hunting animals
• Collecting reptiles and butterflies
• Picking up archeological items,
such as arrowheads
• Using metal detectors
• Driving vehicles into meadows
• Biking off of paved roads
• Camping outside of designated
campgrounds
• Possession of weapons inside
federal facilities
If you see activities that could harm
people or park resources, jot down any
descriptions or a vehicle license plate
number and call the park dispatch office
at 209/379-1992.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
To find out more about Yosemite
National Park regulations visit
www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/
yoursafety.htm and find a copy of
the Superintendent’s Compendium.
This document is a compilation of
designations, closures, permit
requirements, and other restrictions
made by the superintendent, in addition
to what is contained in Title 36 of the
Code of Federal Regulations (Chapter
1, Parts 1 through 7 and 34), and
other applicable federal statutes and
regulations.
Photo by Karen Amstutz
Experience Your America Yosemite National Park
10
Feature Story
Julia Parker: A 68-Year Legacy
by Park Ranger Sheree Peshlakai
I
t is just as important to protect Yosemite’s stories and past
cultures as it is to protect Yosemite’s world renowned scenic
vistas and landscapes.
For 68 years, Julia Parker has served as an Indian cultural
demonstrator, protecting and preserving Yosemite’s Indian
artifacts, stories and traditional culture, as well as generously
sharing her skills and knowledge with others. Yosemite visitors
from across the nation and around the world who have had the
privilege to wander into the Indian Cultural Museum and interact
with Julia, have seen and heard Yosemite’s past brought to life.
She communicated Yosemite’s cultural history; conveying it like
a treasure, that should never be forgotten. This year we celebrate
Yosemite’s 125
th
anniversary, as well as Julia’s retirement at age 86.
Telling stories as intricate as the designs woven into her baskets,
Julia kept Yosemite visitors, young and old, mesmerized by her
storytelling and basket weaving. On most days, she would sit in
the Indian Cultural Exhibit, surrounded by a display of baskets,
pelts, nets, and tools, as she played the traditional walnut dice
game with adults and school children alike or worked on a
basket. Julia says being among the excited visitors and being
among the baskets her family made are what she’ll miss most
about working in the museum.
“I will miss the people coming through the museum door. They
were so excited to look, and they couldn’t believe that work
like this, those big baskets, was being done by these ladies of
yesteryear, my in-laws. I liked being with all those baskets,
knowing that I knew the women who made those baskets. I
would sit there and look at their work, the work that they made
for all of us to see and appreciate,” Julia said.
On some days Julia gave the “Yosemite’s First Peoples Walk” or
the “Ahwahneechee Stories and Games Walk.” On these outings
she captivated Yosemite visitors by singing traditional songs
or telling stories of the old ways, while strolling through the
reconstructed Indian Village behind the museum and beneath
California Black Oak trees -- a tree that sustained the life of
Yosemite’s native people for thousands of years. Julia always
encouraged her guests to stop, look, and listen.
“I was 18 when I first came to Yosemite during the spring break
from Indian school. I stopped and I looked at the trees and the
big waterfall and listened to the water. Water is life. Those old oak
trees provide life. Now, every time I go to the valley, tears come to
my eyes because I think of such a beautiful place the people had
thousands of years ago and how they left so many signs for us to
see and discover. We see it in the rocks and in the earth,” Julia said.
Julia captivated her audience’s imagination, linking the park’s
connection from past to present. She brought images of
Yosemite’s beautiful landscape from over 300 years ago to life,
back when Yosemite’s native people may have been pounding
acorns in rock mortars beneath Cho’-lok (Yosemite Falls), or
gathering materials for baskets in the meadows below Tutokanula
(El Capitan) and Tiseyak (Half Dome).
At times, Julia had demonstrated how to cook acorn behind
the museum in the reconstructed Indian Village. On cool, crisp
autumn days she would gather bags of acorns, giving thanks while
harvesting from the earth. After the acorns were gathered she
would lay them in the sun to dry, to prepare them for a year of
storage. Afterwards, the dried acorns were cracked and shelled,
then winnowed and pounded to a meal, which was sifted and
leached before cooking. The cooking basket was soaked in water
for several hours to ensure it was water tight.
She would heat fist-sized basalt or soapstone rocks in a fire until
they were glowing, then rinse the ash off each hot rock before
lowering it into the acorn and water mixture. As the Indians
did thousands of years ago, she would then move the hot rock
around in the acorn mixture until it cooled then replace it with
another hot rock. After several rocks, the mixture had boiled,
bubbled and splattered from the heat, and became acorn mush,
a traditional staple of Yosemite’s native people.
Julia is Kashia Pomo from the northern California coast. She
started work at Yosemite in 1947 and married Ralph Parker,
a Mono Lake Paiute and Miwuk from Yosemite. She credits
her husband’s grandmother, Lucy Telles – a prominent basket
maker, and other elders in her husband’s family for teaching her
how to cook acorn, how to appreciate the old ways and carry
them on, and for giving her a desire to learn basketry. Julia knew
that the best way to learn was to quietly sit, listen and watch as her
elders worked. Julia was amazed to be living in Yosemite Valley.
“When I first came to Yosemite, we stayed with my husband’s
grandma in the Indian village. I got up early in the morning and
would do a little circle, looking to the north, south, east, and west,
and I would be amazed, thinking of where I was. I was orphaned
at a young age. I never had a grandmother or a mother. Yosemite
Valley was like a mother to me, taking care of me and keeping
all the bad things away from me. I still feel like that when I go
there,” Julia said.
After trying to consult library books to learn basketry, Julia
sought and absorbed the teachings of local basket makers. These
women taught her when to gather basket weaving materials, such
as willow, red-bud, tule, bracken fern and sedge. They also taught
her how to make a variety of baskets, considering traditional
Indian homes contained about 20 different baskets, all intended
for different purposes such as storage, animal trapping, food
gathering, cooking or serving food.
Over time, Julia’s patience and perseverance paid off in her basket
weaving and she is now a world-renowned basket weaver. She
was honored to present one of her baskets to Queen Elizabeth II
and some of her work is displayed in the Smithsonian Institution
in Washington, D.C.
“When I was asked to make a basket for Queen Elizabeth, it
took me about one year. I thought, what kind of basket do I
make for a queen? Not a cooking basket because she doesn’t
cook, not a gathering basket because she doesn’t gather, and not
a baby basket because she’s a grandmother, like me. I thought,
I’ll make her a gift basket. It was an oblong gift basket with red
bud trim,” Julia said.
Through her success, Julia has remembered the lessons that
her elders taught her and kept in tune with her Indian heritage,
which she preserved by sharing it. She was not limited to doing
this in Yosemite, but also taught basket weaving seminars and
workshops, and gave demonstrations at elementary schools,
colleges and museums, and co-wrote a book entitled It Will Live
Forever: Traditional Yosemite Indian Acorn Preparation.
Although retired, she remains busy teaching basketry to those
who want to learn and training her daughter and granddaughter
to carry on the traditional art form.
“Older generations will look at baskets different. I look at baskets
like the old people in a different time, just like my daughter is
living in a different time and looks at a basket different and my
granddaughter,” Julia said. “There were really good women
basket makers in Yosemite and I hope my granddaughter will
write about them, her relatives, hopefully some day!”
On her first day of work Julia probably didn’t know that while
she shared Yosemite’s legacy she would create one of her own.
Considered one of Yosemite’s cultural ambassadors, Julia has
triggered imaginations, brought smiles, left lasting impressions
and connected with so many people, that returning visitors to
Yosemite often visit the Indian Cultural Exhibit with the hope of
encountering Julia once again.
Julia has dedicated much of her life to keeping Yosemite’s long-
established and time-honored customs and traditions alive so that
they are never forgotten. It is certain that she and her work will be
missed; however, for those who are seeing Yosemite for the first
time and feel inspired, she leaves this advice: “Take time to stop,
look, and listen. We take from the earth with a please and give back
to the earth with a thank you.”
Julia Parker demonstrates basket weaving to students in the Indian Cultural Museum. Photo by NPS/Yosemite Research Library
Yosemite Guide October 7 - December 8, 2015
11
The Ansel Adams Gallery
The Ansel Adams Gallery, owned by the
family of photographer Ansel Adams
since 1902, is a center that celebrates
the arts and the natural grandeur of our
environment. It cultivates an aesthetic
appreciation and concern for our world
by offering visitors a unique variety of
literature and art, as well as programs
that inspire creativity. Visit online at:
www.anseladamsgallery.com.
Delaware North at
Yosemite
Delaware North at Yosemite (DN)
operates hotels, restaurants, sightseeing
tours, recreational activities, interpretive
programs, stores, shuttles and service
stations in the park under contract with
the U.S. Department of the Interior.
Delaware North encourages its employees
to develop a strong relationship with the
park during their tenure.
For more information and employment
opportunities with DN at Yosemite, visit
online at www.YosemitePark.com
NatureBridge
NatureBridge provides residential
field scienceprograms for youth in the
world’s most spectacular classroom
- Yosemite National Park.Through
active student engagement, our faculty
teaches science, history, and the arts
and gives these subjects context through
personal experience.A NatureBridge
learning adventure strives to foster a
life-longconnection to the natural world
and responsible actions to sustain it.Find
out more about our year-round programs
for schools and summer programs for
individual teens atwww.naturebridge.
org/yosemite
Yosemite Conservancy
Through the support of donors, Yosemite
Conservancy provides grants and
support to Yosemite National Park to
help preserve and protect Yosemite
today and for future generations. The
work funded by Yosemite Conservancy
is visible throughout the park, from trail
rehabilitation to wildlife protection and
habitat restoration. The Conservancy
is dedicated to enhancing the visitor
experience and providing a deeper
connection to the park through outdoor
programs, volunteering and wilderness
services. Thanks to dedicated supporters,
the Conservancy has provided more than
$92 million in grants to Yosemite National
Park. Learn more at yosemiteconservancy.
org or call 800/469-7275.
Feature Story
Supporting Your Park
Enhance the Visitor Experience
It takes a legion of people working together to protect this special park for you and future generations of
visitors. You too can extend your connection to Yosemite well after you return home by getting involved
with the organizations that partner to preserve Yosemite.
This publication was made possible by the Yosemite Park Partners listed on this page. Read more below or
visit www.yosemitepartners.org to learn more about helping these organizations provide for the future of
Yosemite National Park.
Contact Us
Yosemite National Park
PO Box 577
9039 Village Drive
Yosemite, CA 95389
209/372-0200
http://www.nps.gov/yose/contacts.
htm
The Ansel Adams Gallery
PO Box 455
Yosemite, CA 95389
209/372-4413
209/372-4714 fax
www.anseladams.com
Delaware North
PO Box 578
Yosemite, CA 95389
801/559-5000
www.yosemitepark.com
Yosemite Conservancy
101 Montgomery Street,
Suite 1700
San Francisco, CA 94104
800/469-7275
415/434-0745 fax
www.yosemiteconservancy.org
NatureBridge
PO Box 487
Yosemite, CA 95389
209/379-9511
209/379-9510 fax
www.yni.org
Yosemite Volunteers: Serving Yosemite
Over 10,400 volunteers donated more than 163,000 hours of
service to Yosemite last year, restoring native habitat, working in
visitor centers,serving as camp hosts, studying wildlife, cleaning
up litter and more. Would you like to serve? We have group and
individual volunteer opportunities, both short term and long term.
Learn more at: www.nps.gov/yose/getinvolved/volunteer.htm or
call the volunteer office at 209/379- 1850.
