Yosemite National Park is one of the most famous in the world and it has been on my bucket list for a long time. In fact, it was one of the places I most wanted to see in the USA.
The National Park in the Sierra Nevada mountains in California has existed since 1890 and is famous for towering granite cliffs, waterfalls and giant Sequoia trees.
While researching the trip I was shocked to find that around 5 million people visit the park each year. Would a wilderness area with this many people be a disappointment? Read on to find out about our 3 days in Yosemite National Park with kids.
Accessing Yosemite National Park
Unfortunately due to the popularity of the national park (NP), the campsites in Yosemite Valley were booked out when we visited. As a result we stayed outside the National Park at Indian Flats RV Park.
To be honest it was a pretty basic RV park and quite expensive but it had one major redeeming feature, in that it is located only a 15 minute drive from the entry to the NP on Highway 140.
We don’t typically book in advance when travelling, but perhaps for the National Parks this would be a better option next time.
You can increase your chances of snagging a site by signing up with CampScanner. Simply add the parks you want to book and it will notify you the minute bookings open up or cancellations are received.
America the Beautiful Pass
There is an entry fee to enter the Park. It is possible to purchase a single entry ticket, but if you are planning to visit more than one park the US National Parks have an annual pass called “America the Beautiful” available that is excellent value for money.
For an annual charge of $80 USD (at the time of writing) you get unlimited access to all National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands across the USA for 12 months from the time of purchase.
Kids under 15 years of age are free and the pass is valid for up to 4 adults in a single car. The pass can be purchased on arrival at the gate, direct through US National Parks Service website or through REI.
In order to make the most of our time at Yosemite National Park with kids we spent some time planning which hikes would be most appropriate with the kids.
As we had never been to the USA and were planning on visiting a number of parks we purchased the book called Your Guide To The National Parks to help us plan.
It is full of detailed information about all the National Parks and details the hikes, along with their distance, difficulty level and what can be seen along the trail. It is a great book and we highly recommend it.
Click here to see the reviews and check the price
The majestic El Capitan
On our first morning we got up early and set off from the RV park while the mist was still hovering over the river. The Arch Rock park entry itself is an experience.
Just after the park entrance where you pay your entry fee to the friendly park ranger, you drive through an archway formed by two massive boulders leaning on each other. It is a great introduction to the impressive granite rocks that make the park so spectacula