Shuttle Bus, Yosemite National Park

To explore Yosemite Valley you just need to park your car in the central car park and get on one of the many free shuttle buses that run in the park.

They run daily every 10-20 minutes depending on the time of day. The shuttle service runs from 07:00 - 22:00.

It's the best way to get around the valley, taking you to all the places you want to get to, including the start of the hiking trails.

The shuttles run until about 10p at night. The buses are air conditioned and pretty big. All the stops are numbered and you can pick up a pocket map of the schedule and bus routes. We took the shuttle out to Happy Isles after dark to look at the stars. The drivers are helpful and friendly and will point out wildlife and scenery to you.

The park has a shuttle bus service around the valley floor. There are many stops located throughout the area, with map posted at the bus stops as well as little paper maps that they give you for free. While you can drive to several locations in Yosemite Valley, others are only reached by shuttle bus, foot of bicycle. Mirror Lake is an example of the latter. The bus can take you to all the major trailheads in the valley floor.
With as many visitors as the Valley gets, the bus system seems a logical and necessary way to reduce the number of cars. If everyone drove, the congestion would be unbearable.

Yosemite has more than 3 million visitors every year and most of them go to Yosemite Valley, so it can get very crowded especially during the summer. When you're driving, its also very easy to get distracted by the breathtaking views all around you. It may also be difficult to find parking.

To give the wonderful scenery your full attention, and help the environment, take the free shuttle bus which runs through different points of interest all around the valley. They run every 20 minutes so you don't have to wait too long.

Some shuttle buses are tours or hikers buses and may charge a fee, such as the one going to Glacier Point. But getting around the valley is totally free.

Like most national parks in the United States, Yosemite has a very organized, free shuttle service. There are two separate shuttle routes:

El Capitan Shuttle operates 9am-6pm at 1 1/2 hour intervals, stopping at these areas:

**Valley Visitor Center (sharing with the Valley Visitor Shuttle--stop #5)
**Camp4
**El Capitan Picnic Area
**El Capitan Meadow
**Four Mile Trail

(Note: This shuttle stops only where designated above)

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Valley Visitor Shuttle operates from 7am-10pm daily, stopping every 10-20 minutes according to times posted at each stop:

l.Yosemite Village/Day Parking
2.Yosemite Village
3.The Ahwahnee Hotel
4.Yosemite Village/Degnan's Food Court complex
5.Valley Visitor Center/shares stop with the El Capitan shuttle
6.Camp 4/Upper Yosemite Fall Trailhead
7.Yosemite Lodge
8.Valley Visitor Center
9.Yosemite Village
10.Sentinel Bridge/Yosemite Chapel
11.Housekeeping Camp/LeConte Memorial Lodge
12.Curry Village Rental enter
13.Curry Village Registration Desk
14.Curry Village Parking
15.Upper Pines Campground
16.Happy Isles/John Muir Trialhead
17.Mirror Lake Junction
18.Stable
19.Lower Pines ampground
20.Curry Village Parking
21.Curry Village Rental Center

(Note: These shuttle stops are always in the same order). ENLARGE MAP TO SEE PARKING AREAS which are marked "P".

*This information provided by Yosemite National Park

An environmentally friendly and convenient way of exploring Yosemite is by free shuttle bus. There are three shuttle bus routes in Yosemite National Park: Wawona to Mariposa Grove, Eastern Yosemite Valley, and Tuolumne Meadows. The Yosemite Shuttle runs year-round; starting from the large day-use parking lot, it makes an hour loop around the valley, stopping at 21 stops along the way. Stops include Yosemite Village, Yosemite Falls, Yosemite Lodge, Housekeeping Camp, Curry Village, Mist Falls Trailhead, Mirror Lake Trailhead, and the Ahwahnee Hotel. Buses run from 7 AM to 10 PM; between 7 AM and 9 AM, buses run each half hour; between 9 AM and 6 PM, they run every 15 minutes; between 6 PM and 10 PM, they run every 20 minutes. The Wawona Shuttle makes three stops: Wawona, South Entrance, and Mariposa Grove Parking Lot. The Wawona shuttle operates from 9 AM to 6 PM; the last shuttle leaves Mariposa Grove at 6 PM, so be sure to get down to the parking area by that time. The Wawona shuttle operates usually between April and October. The Tuolumne Meadows Shuttle Bus was not operating when I was in the park; it usually starts in June.

To get around the popular locations around the valley, use the free bus shuttle bus.

With a transparent glass roof, you can enjoy the scene.

Just park your car at one of the various free parking lots.

Just remember where you parked.

It was already dark. We thought our rental car was stolen and got the services of a park ranger who drove us around until we found the actual parking location our car!

The best way to get around the valley is to leave your car in the day-use car park and catch the shuttle buses to wherever you wish to go. They run fairly frequently - every 20 minutes or so - are free of charge and help to avoid congestion on the valley's roads.

For those without cars who wish to venture further afield, there are also hikers buses to Toulomne Meadows ($14.50 one-way or $23.00 return) and Glacier Point ($15.00 each way)