7 Epic Road Trips From Las Vegas to National Parks
Las Vegas might just be the most perfect fly and drive road trip city in the United States. And let’s face it, most employers in the states aren’t known for offering generous time-off. This causes serious time constraints if you want to road trip and visit national parks west of the 100th Meridien. However, if you fly into Vegas and road trip from there, you’ll find, at least, seven national parks – not to mention a whole bunch of other public lands – you can visit pretty easily. Here’s how to do it.
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Why Road Trip From Las Vegas?
There are several reasons why road tripping from Las Vegas to national parks is a good plan. First, flying into Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) is easy. Most cities in the United States are no more than a three hour flight. If you fly from the east coast, you’ll even gain a couple hours of extra time. An early flight and you can begin your road trip the same day.
Next, the Vegas airport is in an excellent location. Conveniently located south of The Strip, you can fly in and never even go near the crowds of Las Vegas Boulevard. Or if you prefer, enjoy a bit of a Vegas vacation, taking in the sights before heading out on your road trip.
If you fly into town on a late night flight then overnight near the airport, or in nearby Henderson or Boulder City, depending which direction your are headed, before starting your Las Vegas to national parks road trip. This Fairfield Inn, or Hyatt Place at Silverton, near the airport are good spots and Courtyard by Marriott at Green Valley Ranch in Henderson is a nice location as well.
Third, although the temperatures might be hot, the weather is Vegas is generally pretty temperate with virtually no snow or thunderstorms causing weather delays. Occasionally high winds affect air traffic but in all my years of traveling to Las Vegas, at least once a year since 2007, I’ve only experienced two weather delays.
Finally, rental cars are readily available in Las Vegas at the airport and other locations throughout the city. Prices are affordable and usually a fraction of what cars cost in other cities. DiscoverCars.com is a useful site for comparing vehicles and they provide 24/7 customer service with no hidden fees.
7 Road Trips from Las Vegas to National Parks
The United States has 63 named national parks but there aren’t too many cities have the access to parks and public lands like Las Vegas does. In fact, with its national parks, state parks, Forest Service Land and Bureau of Land Management property, around 88% of Nevada is public land.
Besides what’s covered in this article, Las Vegas boasts other nearby park sites like Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument, Lake Mead National Recreation Area in nearby Boulder City and many others. For simplicity, this article includes parks that have been given a national park designation.
Death Valley National Park is the closest national park to Las Vegas. It’s approximately 125 miles from Las Vegas. Followed by Zion National Park, Joshua Tree National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Grand Canyon National Park, Great Basin National Park and Yosemite National Park.
With the exception on Yosemite, all are these parks are around five hours or less. Yosemite is a bit further than the others (7 hours) but I wanted to cover it since the best route, in my opinion, via Highway 395 North and across the Tioga Pass, is one of the most underappreciated drives in the United States. If you’ve driven it, then you know.
Sequoia National Park and Kings Canyon National Park could also be road tripped from Las Vegas but I didn’t include it in this article because I have only visited from Los Angeles.
For help visualizing the area, I created a Google map, below, or linked here, of these routes. When there are several route options, I’ve highlighted my preferred route. To use the map, click on the icon on the left hand side of the title to see the various map layers. Check or uncheck the layer, or layers, you want to see, or don’t want to see. You can also add the map to you own Google account by highlighting the faint star to the right of the title.
Las Vegas to Death Valley National Park
Distance from Las Vegas 125 miles or approximately 2.5 hours
On the border of Nevada and California, Death Valley National Park is one of those national park that everyone should visit at least once. Home to the lowest and hottest point in North America, it’s full of stunning geological wonders you won’t find elsewhere else in the United States.
Getting there from Las Vegas is both convenient and accessible year-round, as long as you’re well-prepared – just avoid the peak heat of the summer months. The park is ideal for families and as long as you have a good plan, solo travelers too. And if you find yourself in Las Vegas on business or for a conference, it’s the perfect option for a day trip or an organized tour.
Best Route From Las Vegas to Death Valley
There are multiple routes from Las Vegas to Death Valley National Park but one of the most enjoyable is through Beatty, Nevada. This unique town, known as the “Gateway to Death Valley,” makes for an ideal road trip stop. Located just seven miles from the park’s entrance, Beatty offers a quirky blend of local character and convenience, adding a touch of fun to your journey.
Another great route from Las Vegas takes you through Pahrump, Nevada, and onto Death Valley Junction before entering the park. This scenic drive winds through the Spring Mountain Recreation Area, offering plenty of opportunities for interesting stops along the way. For a unique twist, consider adding a visit to one of Pahrump’s wineries to your itinerary.
Things To Do in Death Valley National Park
Death Valley National Park is full of amazing experiences. Everywhere you look is something unique. Some of the most popular features include Dante’s View, Badwater Basin and my favorite, Ubehebe Crater.
Since Death Valley is a large park, many of the roads are unpaved and require high clearance vehicles and, at times, four-wheel drive. But don’t let that discourage you. There are still plenty of things to do to keep you busy even in a passenger car.
Where to Stay in Death Valley National Park
Death Valley National Park has three hotels in the park. The swanky Inn at Death Valley and the more moderately priced Ranch at Death Valley. Both part of the Oasis at Death Valley, a planned resort offering amenities like restaurants, swimming pools and even a golf course. Additionally, Stovepipe Wells offers hotel rooms in a more laid back setting with a restaurant, general store and gas station.
For those who prefer to sleep under the stars, Death Valley National Park has twelve campgrounds in the park. Furnace Creek Campground, near the park visitor center is open year round. For lodging outside the park, the small town of Beatty, just 7 miles from the eastern entrance has a few options, good barbeque and friendly wild donkeys roaming around town.
How Much Time Do You Need in Death Valley National Park?
To see the most popular things in Death Valley National Park, you’ll need at least a couple of days to see the highlights and more time if you plan on driving some of the unpaved roads and canyons.
If you have a full week, then Death Valley National Park could be combined with a road trip to Joshua Tree National Park and the Mojave Preserve for a fun desert loop and even the Grand Canyon. There are endless options for extending your road trip itineraries from Las Vegas to National Parks.
When’s the Best Time to Road Trip to Death Valley National Park?
Death Valley National Park is open year round. Peak season is December through April with a typical wildflower season in late March, April and May.
Even though it’s hot in the summer, with careful and thorough planning, you can still visit. Just keep in mind that late summer months are also monsoon and that means rains.
Autumn in Death Valley can still mean high temperatures. My first visit was in the middle of October and temps hovered around 116F during the three days I was there.
For the least amount of crowds and lower temps, November is one of the best times of the year to visit Death Valley National Park.
Las Vegas to Zion National Park
- 160 miles
- 2 hours 45 minutes
As you approach Zion National Park, Utah’s first national park, it doesn’t take long to realize why it’s one of the most popular parks in the national park system. The introduction to this park is like no other. The drive in is full of towering red, pink and creamy colored sandstone cliffs all around and the renowned emerald colored Virgin River runs along side the main road into the park.
It’s also unique that instead of being above the canyon looking down. Like at the Grand Canyon and many other parks, you are actually inside the canyon or Zion Canyon, and surrounded by the cliffs and peaks.
Best Road Trip Route From Las Vegas to Zion National Park
One of the things that makes Zion a good road trip option from Las Vegas is the ease of getting there. Most of drive is roomy interstate driving and only secondary roads for the last 30 or so miles unto you reach Springdale, Utah, the gateway city to Zion.
Of course, you could drive secondary roads once you get to Utah, but the I-15 route carved through the mountains is the only direct into Utah route coming from southern Nevada.
The drive from Las Vegas to Zion is so easy that once you exit the interstate in Utah, you’ll feel like you’re practically there. The drive takes no time as the last 25 miles or so passes thorough several cute small towns and some of prettiest vibrant colored landscapes that approach a national park.
Things To Do in Zion National Park
Zion National Park is the only park on this list where visitors are required to ride a shuttle into the main section of the park called Zion Canyon. The most popular hikes like Angel’s Landing (permit required) and the Narrows are located in the canyon.
I do want to mention that even though I fully believe everyone needs to see Zion Canyon via the shuttle, it’s not absolutely necessary to enjoy the park. You still get awesome views from just about anywhere.
Plus, there are several really fun hikes – that are way less crowded – outside Zion Canyon. The Pa’rus Trail, the East Rim trail and the Many Pools Trail are just a few good hikes that don’t require a shuttle ride.
If you are visiting Zion in the busiest months of spring and summer, then use these tips to avoid the crowds in Zion National Park.
Where to Stay in Zion National Park
Because it’s so close to Springdale, Zion National Park has plenty of options for places to stay. The surrounding area, as well as the east side of Zion, has an abundance of hotels, ranches, private campgrounds and BLM land offering dispersed camping.
Inside the park, there’s a lodge and three campgrounds run by the park service. Lava Point is another campground located in the more obscure Kolob Terrace.
Watchman Campground, inside the Zion Canyon is open all year and South Campground, also inside the park, is closed in winter. Reservations for all park campgrounds can be made at recreation.gov.
For a glamping experience, one of my favorite properties near Zion is Zion Wildflower Resort, located in Virgin, just a few miles from the park.
The resort takes advantage of its perfect setting and views near Zion, offering cozy cabins and covered wagons, complete with outdoor community spaces for campfires and relaxing hammocks around the property.
How Much Time Do You Need in Zion National Park?
If you don’t have much time or are headed to another park or public land in southern Utah, it’s possible to drive through Zion on a day trip. To really see all the park and the most popular sights, at least two days is necessary and three days would be best.
Especially if you visit in the warmer spring and summer months when the park is crowded. That way you can take your time and not feel rushed.
When’s the Best Time to Road Trip to Zion National Park?
Zion National Park is open year round. April through October are considered peak season. So late fall is a good time even though at the higher elevation, Zion can get quite cold and even have snow.
One other benefit besides less people in winter is that there’s no shuttle. Typically, the end of November and December, excluding holidays, there’s no shuttle service in the park. That means you can drive your own vehicle into Zion Canyon.
Every year, the National Park Service makes seasonal adjustments to the shuttle schedule so that date could change from year to year. Always check nps.gov for the latest info.
Las Vegas to Joshua Tree National Park
- 215 miles
- 3.5 hours
Visiting Joshua Tree National Park on a road trip from Las Vegas is a classic Nevada to California road trip. Located in southern California, both families and solo travelers alike will enjoy Joshua Tree’s peaceful desert beauty and starry dark skies.
The park is full of protected Joshua trees, interesting rock formations and unique landscapes. Plus, there’s tons of opportunity to see wildlife, including the endangered desert tortoise.
Best Road Trip Route From Las Vegas to Joshua Tree National Park
From Las Vegas there’s a variety of ways to get to Joshua Tree National Park but the most scenic one is the 183 mile drive down Highway 95 south through Searchlight, Nevada and across Mojave National Preserve.
This drive takes you through thousands of Joshua trees before you even get to the park and includes places like historic places Goffs and Amboy, California and even a little of piece of the “mother road” – Route 66.
Things To Do in Joshua Tree National Park
Joshua Tree National Park is a fairly large park but the way it’s organized makes it compact enough to see a lot in a day. With preparation and caution, plenty of easy hikes makes it doable even in summer months when temperatures are the highest. Skull Rock and Keys View are year round must see’s no matter how little time you might have or how high the temps are.
For a fun visitor center experience, the National Park Service has recently collaborated with the nearby town of 29 Palms, local Native American groups and the Bureau of Land Management to construct a new visitor center. The Joshua Tree Cultural Center Information is located downtown 29 Palms and includes a bookstore, a museum with rotating exhibits and the Joshua Tree National Park store.
This area of the California desert is jampacked with outdoorsy activities. Nearby Pioneertown is a crowd pleaser for its distinctive western vibe and Palm Springs and the Salton Sea are less than two hours away.
Also, don’t miss Mojave Trails National Monument for interesting hiking and out of this world topography like lava and volcanic craters.
Where to Stay in Joshua Tree National Park
While there’s no National Park Service lodge or hotel, the high desert around Joshua Tree is full of unique and quirky properties. The Joshua Tree Ranch House and the Joshua Tree Inn are two wonderful properties. Casa de Frank is a stunner too.
For campers, Joshua Tree National Park has no shortage of places to pitch your tent. There are more than 500 campsites inside the park. My favorite campgrounds are the Jumbo Rocks campground and Hidden Valley Campground. Most of those sites can be reserved up to six months in advance via recreation.gov in high season.
How Much Time Do You Need in Joshua Tree National Park?
A Las Vegas to Joshua Tree National Park road trip requires at minimum an overnight stay and preferably, at least, two to three days.
Although, you could combine this road trip stop with a Las Vegas to San Diego road trip, a Las Vegas to Las Angeles road trip or a Las Vegas to Phoenix road trip. The road trip possibilities are endless and you could easily spend a week in the area.
When’s the Best Time to Road Trip to Joshua Tree National Park?
Except for late summer, Joshua Tree National Park is busy pretty all year round. Peak season is March and April and spring in general for wildflower season.
To mitigate that, the National Park Service recommends mid-week trips instead of weekends and holidays. Also try going on Monday through Thursday for less crowds.
With good planning, you can visit in the less crowded, much hotter late summer months. However, it’s imperative that you are prepared.
Have a plan, take plenty of water and limit hiking to early morning. I have been once in August and it was very hot but still enjoyable and I felt like I had the entire park to myself.
Las Vegas to Bryce Canyon National Park
- 255 miles
- 4 hours
One of Utah’s Mighty 5 national parks, Bryce Canyon National Park is another good option for a road tripping from Las Vegas. If you aren’t familiar, Bryce is full of hoodoos or irregular columns of rock. The bright orange landscape feature looks similar to Cheetos if that crunchy orange snack appeared in nature.
Hoodoos can be found around the world but Bryce Canyon National Park has the largest concentration anywhere on earth. Long known for its special Native American connections, Bryce Canyon is a spectacular national park road trip from Las Vegas and shouldn’t be missed.
Best Road Trip Route From Las Vegas to Bryce Canyon National Park
From Las Vegas, the best route to Bryce Canyon National Park is I-15 through Springdale and Zion National Park. Once you pass through Zion, Bryce Canyon is just a scenic 72 miles along the Little Virgin River, and passes through several small towns and Mount Carmel Junction on Highway 89.
If visiting Zion National Park is not part of your plans, then an alternate route, avoiding Zion, is north on I-15 to Cedar City, Utah and exiting the interstate there. This route takes you through the Dixie National Park, near Cedar Breaks National Monument. That park could easily be added to a Las Vegas national park road trip.
Things To Do in Bryce Canyon National Park
Bryce Canyon National Park in known for its stunning views from the amphitheater and various viewpoints throughout the park but there’s also hiking, horseback riding, fly fishing and ATV tours that go to the rim of the canyon.
The park features an 18 mile scenic drive perfect for families with children and for those that don’t get around so well anymore. One of my favorite stops is Natural Bridge with its
Bryce Canyon is also close to Red Canyon, a U.S. Forest Service managed site inside the Dixie National Forest. It has its own visitor center, plenty of hiking trails, a couple of campgrounds and just absolutely stunning trails and views.
Where to Stay in Bryce Canyon National Park
The Lodge at Bryce Canyon, located inside the park, is open from April through November and there are two park service campgrounds to accommodate campers.
Reservations for the North Campground can be made through recreation.gov, seasonally, and Sunset Campground is first-come first-served April 15th through October.
The small village of Bryce Canyon City boasts several private campgrounds and hotels but for me Ruby’s Inn is the place to stay. The Syrett Family that owns Ruby’s has an interesting history in the Bryce Canon area and has been taking care of guests for over 100 years.
Ruby’s has hotel rooms at the Best Western brand but also offers lodge stays, campgrounds with RV sites, two restaurants, a general store and tours in the round-up.
How Much Time Do You Need at Bryce Canyon National Park?
You can actually do a lot in a day at Bryce but to see it at its best – sunrise and sunset in my opinion – and really get to know the surrounding area, then I recommend at least two days and three would be even better to include hikes and a ranger led program.
When’s the Best Time to Road Trip to Bryce Canyon National Park?
Bryce is open year round but the peak time is March thorough October. Just remember if you are visiting in winter or passing through, it’s possible to encounter snow in the area.
Check nps.gov and local weather for alerts and closures. Just for context, I visited in the middle of November and it was 18F at night. Too cold to camp for me.
Las Vegas to Grand Canyon National Park
- 280 miles
- 4 hours 15 minutes
Arizona’s Grand Canyon National Park is probably one of the most road tripped places from Las Vegas. It’s a classic and one of the Wonders of the World.
Besides the proximity to Las Vegas, one of the things that makes it easy to visit is that the park has three easily accessible national park entrances and one viewpoint area on the western side. Which one you choose to visit will depend on how much time you have and what your objective is.
Grand Canyon West is closest viewpoint from Vegas to see the canyon. This section of the canyon is owned and managed by the Hualapai people and isn’t part of Grand Canyon National Park.
Although, it does have its own unique views and is home to the famed glass Grand Canyon Skywalk that is positioned out over the canyon.
Best Road Trip Route From Las Vegas to Grand Canyon National Park
The easiest way to get to the Grand Canyon National Park’s south entrance from Las Vegas is via Highway 93 through Kingman, Arizona to Interstate 40 and then enter the park at the small town of Tusayan, just 7 miles from the south entrance.
This route takes you near Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Boulder City, the Hoover Dam. The road trip stops are endless.
Things To Do in Grand Canyon National Park
Grand Canyon National Park is a classic road trip destination all on its own. Mainly because I mean, it’s the Grand Canyon! This western part of the U.S. was made for vacations and road trips.
Also, there’s a variety of things to do. From the simplest things – like visiting all the viewpoints on the South Rim to more vigorous activities like hiking or riding horses down into the canyon.
Nearby, Williams and Kingman, Arizona both are on the famous Route 66. Road trippers will find an assortment of museum options, kitschy souvenir shops and historic diners dedicated to this classic cross county route.
This region of northern Arizona is also home to some of the finest national forests in the country and even other national park sites such as Walnut Canyon National Monument with its cliff dwellings, the amazing volcano at Sunset Crater National Monument and a glimpse into past civilizations at Wupatki National Monument.
Where to Stay in Grand Canyon National Park
Out of all the road trips from Las Vegas to national parks, the Grand Canyon probably has the most hotel and camping options. The park’s Grand Canyon Village at the South Rim is known for its popular and difficult to get a room in lodges.
This is also where the world famous Bright Angel Lodge is located. If you are a advance planner, then a overnight at one of these lodges would be the ultimate national park stay. For a more spontaneous trip, there’s an abundance of properties in nearby Tusayan.
The National Park Service has three campgrounds at the South Rim with the closest one being Mather Campground near the Tusayan entrance.
Additionally, there is a campground at the Desert View Campground (closed in winter) and a Trailer Village RV park run by a park concessioner. The surrounding area also has many other private campgrounds, like the family friendly, open year round KOA at Williams.
How Much Time do You Need in Grand Canyon National Park?
You could easily spend a week visiting Grand Canyon National Park and few other places in the area. Three days dedicated to the park itself should be sufficient for the casual visitor but other activities like hiking rim to rim or whitewater rafting would require more time.
When’s the Best Time to Road Trip to Grand Canyon National Park?
Grand Canyon National Park is open year round, weather permitting. Peak season is between Memorial Day and Labor Day but spring break, weekends and holidays during fall and winter are also crowded.
Because of its higher elevation, it’s not uncommon to receive some snowfall in the winter. If you happen to visit when there is snow – enjoy it. It’s unimaginably beautiful in the snow.
Las Vegas to Great Basin National Park
- 296 miles
- 4.5 hours
If you’ve only traveled around southern Nevada you might imagine the rest of state looks like the desert scenes you’re used to around Las Vegas. This couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, in some central and northern areas, Nevada is actually a very green, mountainous state.
Great Basin National Park, located in eastern central Nevada near the Utah border – is a good example of both. One of the lesser visited national parks Great Basin National Park takes some effort there but it’s so worth it to see something completely different from Las Vegas scenery.
Best Time Road Trip Route From Las Vegas to Great Basin National Park
The best scenic drive to Great Basin National Park from Las Vegas is Highway 93 north through ghost towns like Crystal Springs and historic places like Caliente.
This route passes through the actual great basin of Nevada – yes, there is an actual great basin – with farms, green pastures with plenty ponds and water sources. Quite different from southern Nevada.
Things To Do in Great Basin National Park
One of the most popular things to do at Great Basin National Park is the Lehman Cave Tours. This tour is a ranger lead tour through the caves in the park that goes into the geology and the history of the park. Weather permitting, tours are offered year round but might be limited in winter due to colder temperatures. Recreation.gov has tickets that can be reserved in advance.
The 12-mile Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive is another don’t miss activity in Great Basin National Park. This auto touring route is full stops and turnouts with gorgeous views of the mountains. The road is generally open June through October. At the top are alpine lakes to hike and ancient bristlecones to see.
Great Basin National Park is also an International Dark Sky park so make sure you check at the visitor center for any ranger led programs or special nighttime events.
Where to Stay in Great Basin National Park
There’s no park lodge inside Great Basin but nearby Baker offers a few options and Ely, jsut 66 miles away, has even more to choose from.
Inside Great Basin National Park, there are developed five campgrounds. The only one open year round is Lower Lehman Creek. Other campgrounds are usually open May through October, weather permitting.
The Upper Lehman Creek Campground is one of my favorite national park campgrounds I’ve ever stayed in. It’s quiet, wooded and has a small stream that runs through it. If you can snag a site near the water it makes for a wonderful night’s sleep.
How Much Time Do You Need in Great Basin National Park?
Since it is pretty remote, plan on spending at least two days in Great Basin National Park. Realistically, that gives you enough time to see a few things on your travel day from Las Vegas, spend the night and have the next day before continuing on.
Three or four days would definitely be better since there are some a few other things to do in the area. When road tripping from Las Vegas to Great Basin save some time for Cathedral Gorge State Park and Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge on the way.
When is the Best Time to Road Trip to Great Basin National Park?
Great Basin National Park is open year round with exception of major holidays. Even though it’s a lesser visited park, less than 200,000 people visited in 2023, summer is peak season and when it’s most crowded.
However, to see all the park features and visit the caves, summer and early fall are definitely the best times to visit.
Las Vegas to Yosemite National Park
- 368 miles
- 6 hours 20 minutes
A Las Vegas to Yosemite National Park road trip has just about everything imaginable that you could want from a road trip. Deserts, lava fields, alpine forests, mountains, waterfalls, hot springs, rivers – and that’s just getting there.
Once you finally make it to Yosemite, you’ll probably never want to leave because Yosemite National Park is in a word: magical. It’s one of those national parks that everyone needs to visit at least once.
Best Road Trip Route From Las Vegas to Yosemite National Park
From Las Vegas you could drive the interstate route to Yosemite but the best route, in my opinion, is via Highway 395. This gives you the chance to enter the park from the eastern side and see a few things you might not see if you go in on the west side.
Even though it might be slower than driving the interstate and entering at the more popular western entrances, the towns and sights along Highway 395 are unparalleled.
There are plenty of ways to access Highway 395 from Las Vegas. You could even drive Highway 190 through Death Valley National Park to 395 but I’ve included my favorite way in my Google Map above.
That route takes you north on Highway 95 to Nevada Highway 266/California 168 and passes near the Ancient Bristlecone Forest. I strongly recommend adding this stop to your trip. The road out to the national forest visitor center has some of the most amazing views of the Sierra Nevada.
Unfortunately, this route into Yosemite National Park across the Tioga Pass – California’s highest vehicle crossing – is only accessible part of the year. The pass is generally closed from November through late May or early June.
So, if you are visiting Yosemite from Las Vegas in the spring, late fall or winter, you’ll need to use one of the western entrances to Yosemite National Park. Any other time of the year, consider the eastern entrance.
Things To Do in Yosemite National Park
The better question is what can’t you do in Yosemite National Park. As one of this country’s first national parks, Yosemite has been a natural playground since President Lincoln signed the Yosemite Land Grant in1864.
Besides all the normal national park activities like hiking and chasing waterfalls, a couple of my favorite things to do in Yosemite are biking and swimming.
Yosemite has a bike rental program in the park that allows you to download the app and grab a bike at various locations in the park. Turns out that pedaling is one of the best ways to get around around the park and avoid traffic.
For swimming, the Merced River flows right through the park and it’s the perfect opportunity to find your own personal swimming hole. Cathedral Beach Picnic Area is an awesome spot to start looking. This waterside area has great views and easy access to the water.
Where to Stay in Yosemite National Park
Like Grand Canyon National Park and Zion National Park, Yosemite has a plethora of accommodations in the area.
With a multitude of lodges, hotels and cabins in the park and around the perimeter, it’s really just your preference for where to stay. Yosemite hotels are managed by Travel Yosemite. Check their website for reservations.
There’s also tons of campgrounds in the park, however, just like in many popular parks, it can be hard to secure a site. Consider staying in a private campground or a nearby national forest campground.
How Much Time Do You Need in Yosemite National Park?
My answer to this is as much time as you can spare. Yosemite is so gorgeous and so much fun, you may not want to leave. The more time you have the better.
I’m sure there are some people that do it as a daytrip but I would not unless I had been several times. I personally feel like you need at least three days to see the bare minimum.
When is the Best Time to Road Trip to Yosemite National Park?
According the the National Park Service, even though the park is open all year, nearly 75% of visitors come during May through October.
Because of this, the park service implemented a permitted entry to help mitigate the busiest time of the year. You can get a reservation on recreation.gov.
I’ve only visited Yosemite in August and I’ll admit, Yosemite Village felt more like an amusement park than national park. But once you got out of the village it was much better. I hope to visit in winter some time to see the park in the snow.
