Yosemite Guide for Mobility-Challenged Visitors

On the surface, the majestic wilderness of Yosemite Mariposa County can appear daunting for mobility-challenged visitors to navigate safely and efficiently.  But a deeper look reveals many ways for people with mobility issues to explore Yosemite fully. From paved trails to museums, attractions, and lodging, visitors will discover an abundance of accessible opportunities.

Inside Yosemite National Park

Yosemite National Park provides outstanding accessibility accommodations for mobility-challenged visitors.  The official Yosemite Accessibility Guide offers detailed information ranging from accessible trails to parking, indoor attractions, and restroom facilities. In addition to the web version, printed copies of the guide are available at Yosemite entrance stations and visitor centers.

Trails, Highlights, and accessible Points of Interest

Yosemite National Park is one of the world’s foremost destinations for outdoor recreation, and accommodations are in place for mobility-challenged visitors to enjoy many of the Park’s signature features.

One of Yosemite’s most accessible trails is also one of its most iconic:  the Lower Yosemite Falls Trail.  A short five-minute walk or roll from Yosemite Valley Lodge (and accessible via the free Yosemite Valley Shuttle), the eastern portion of the Lower Yosemite Fall Trail is paved and wheelchair accessible.  Power wheelchair users will have no problems making the ascent, while manual wheelchair users may require assistance along the one-mile, round-trip trail. The often-misty footbridge at the base of the Lower Yosemite Fall offers the perfect vantage point for viewing and pictures.

Bridalveil Fall is the spectacular, year-round waterfall familiar to many who will recognize it from Yosemite’s signature Tunnel View panorama.  A paved and accessible trail leads from the parking area to the base of the oft-windswept fall.  Icy and slick conditions may be present during the winter months, requiring extra care and focus for all visitors, especially those with mobility challenges. The later portions of this trail are paved but steep. So, non-motorized wheelchair users may need assistance.

Two additional points of interest in Yosemite Valley, Happy Isles, and Mirror Lake permit vehicles with disability placards to enter roads otherwise closed to traffic for up-close access.  Open in the summer, the Happy Isles Nature Center offers nature and natural history exhibits and displays.  Mirror Lake in eastern Yosemite Valley is a seasonal lake on Tenaya Creek with head-turning views of Half Dome. 

Yosemite Valley offers indoor attractions of interest to complement its jaw-dropping topography.  The Yosemite Welcome Center, Yosemite Exploration Center, and Yosemite Museum are all fully accessible and rich resources for learning more about Yosemite, past and present.  The Exploration Center’s accessible theatre loops the Spirit of Yosemite film along with exhibits detailing the Park’s geology, plant, and animal life.

A map with accessible parking locations, picnic areas, restroom and campgrounds for Yosemite Valley is included in the Yosemite Accessibility Guide.

There are also compelling destinations outside of Yosemite Valley for mobility-challenged visitors.  Glacier Point offers a commanding view of Yosemite Valley, Half Dome, Yosemite Falls, and the surrounding high country.  From the Glacier Point parking area, a short, paved and wheelchair-accessible trail leads to the breathtaking vista point more than 3,000 feet above Yosemite Valley. 

The towering titans of the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias comprise one of Yosemite’s signature scenes.  With paved trails and parking accommodations, Mariposa Grove is an inviting point of interest for mobility-challenged visitors. Cars with disability placards can drive up Mariposa Grove Road to reach accessible parking and a .1-mile accessible trail that leads to the Grizzly Giant, Yosemite’s largest tree.

Hetch Hetchy Reservoir is a hidden gem in Northern Yosemite. Accessible parking spots offer direct access to O’Shaughnessy Dam’s dramatic vista points, one looking down the 430-ft. dam to the Tuolumne River, and a sweeping panorama across Hetch Hetchy Reservoir in the opposite direction. Take a moment to read the interpretive signs that tell the story of the dam, the reservoir, and the granite walls that surround it.  

On high in Northern Yosemite off Tioga Road, Tenaya Lake is an alpine jewel with a portion of its lakeside trail paved and accessible. The east end of Tenaya Lake has designated accessible parking spaces, restrooms, and an accessible path that opens to wide-angle views of Tenaya Lake.

California’s oldest operating ski resort, Badger Pass Ski Area offers downhill and cross-country skiing, snow tubing, and snowshoeing.  Adaptive ski lessons for mobility-challenged guests are accommodated with advance notice.  The first floor of the Badger Pass Ski Lodge, including the restaurant, deck, and restrooms, is fully accessible. There are also designated accessible parking spaces. 

accessible lodging

Yosemite National Park provides a bounty of overnight options for mobility-challenged guests.  The world-famous Ahwahnee, a National Historic Landmark, offers accessible rooms, suites, and cottages.  The Ahwahnee Dining Room and Bar are located on the ground floor of the hotel as well.  Designated parking spaces and valet parking are available. 

Yosemite Valley Lodge is an amenity-rich hub with thoughtful accessibility features woven throughout.  In addition to 10 accessible rooms, all property dining facilities, bathrooms, and the outdoor amphitheater are accessible for mobility-challenged guests.  

For a slightly more rustic experience, Yosemite Valley classics Curry Village and Housekeeping Camp offer accessible rooms, tent cabins, and restrooms, as well as designated accessible parking spaces.

Camping and Picnics

Camping and picnicking are classic national park experiences well-accommodated in Yosemite.  Yosemite Valley accessible campgrounds include Lower Pines, Upper Pines, North Pines, and Camp 4.  Outside the Valley in Southern Yosemite, the popular Wawona Campground offers accessible spots along the Merced River. 

Yosemite Valley has designated picnic areas offering accessible tables with extended tops, restrooms, and grills. Lower Yosemite Fall, El Capitan, Sentinel Beach and Swinging Bridge, Church Bowl, and the Cascades/Arch Rock Entrance are available on a first-come, first-served basis from dawn to dusk (no reservations are available).

Dining

Yosemite Valley is also a great place to dine, with a variety of fast casual restaurants and accessible restrooms at Curry Village, and the Village Grill and Degnan’s Kitchen closer to the Yosemite Valley Welcome Center.

Outside the Park: Yosemite Mariposa County

Yosemite Mariposa County’s gateways towns offer inviting options for mobility-challenged guests, a notable detail considering this is a historic, largely rural destination known for its outdoor experiences.

Museums and Things to Do

History surfaces in Mariposa County like sparkling gold flecks in granite, as it was one of the focal points of the 1849 California Gold Rush and staging area for early Yosemite pioneers.  The fully-accessible Mariposa Museum and History Center provides a grand overview of the region’s historic arc, from Native Americans to Spanish settlement and the California Gold Rush. 

Also in the town of Mariposa, the Yosemite Climbing Association Museum and Gallery is located just off Highway 140 and chronicles the evolution of modern-day rock climbing from its earliest days in Yosemite. Historical climbing artifacts, including some from the first ascent of El Capitan by a disabled person, provide a rare glimpse of Yosemite’s signature adventure sport. The recently-renovated museum is fully accessible.

Speaking of rocks, the California State Mining and Mineral Museum offers a fascinating look at the state’s mineral wealth, colorful mining history, and geologic diversity.  Finally, the historic Mariposa County Courthouse (est. 1850) is an accessible architectural treasure, the oldest courthouse west of the Rocky Mountains in continuous use.   Both locations are accessible and navigable for mobility-challenged guests.

For an inspiring foothill tableau, the Mariposa Creek Parkway Trail is a paved, quarter-mile-long path that runs parallel to Mariposa’s main street along the scenic riparian habitat of Mariposa Creek.  The trail connects with the Mariposa Arts Park at its southern end. 

accessible Lodging

Yosemite Mariposa County offers go-to lodging options for the mobility-challenged and disabled.  Tenaya at Yosemite in Fish Camp, and the Yosemite View Lodge in El Portal, the Yosemite Bug Rustic Mountain Resort in Midpines and Best Western Plus Yosemite Waystation in Mariposa are just a few of the properties offering accessible rooms for mobility-challenged guests.

Wildhaven Yosemite is a new Mariposa glamping property with accessible tents and cabins.  Accommodations include accessible bathrooms, ramps, and lifts, and Wildhaven offers an ADA concierge. AutoCamp Yosemite in Midpines offers tiny-home-style Accessible Suites and Accessible Adventure tents for disabled and mobility-challenged guests.  Search for lodging at Yosemite.com and visit individual lodging websites to check for accessible room availability and features.

Dining

Mobility-challenged visitors will find various accessible and delicious dining options in Yosemite Mariposa County’s gateway towns. Check with individual establishments for their specific accessibility updates and information.

Establishments such as Mariposa’s 1850 Restaurant and Brewery and Happy Goat Farm to Table, and the June Bug Cafe in Midpines are all great Central Mariposa County choices for accessible culinary experiences. For a tasty tour, the Mariposa Triangle Tasting Tour is mostly accessible, with a few exceptions (Sierra Cider and the Mariposa Coffee Company). 

Getting Around: Accessible Public Transportation

Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System (YARTS) offers bus transportation into Yosemite National Park; all YARTS busses are wheelchair-accessible with tie-downs to secure chairs. The National Park Entry Fee is included in bus fare and, during periods when Park entry reservations are required, YARTS riders do not require a separate Park reservation.  Oversized windows bring dramatic scenery into view as you travel one of three YARTS routes: Highway 140 (year-round); Highway 120 and Highway 41 (May-September).  Reservations are recommended to ensure accessible-spot availability.

Once inside the Park, Yosemite offers a free and fully accessible shuttle bus service in Yosemite Valley to all visitors.  The Yosemite Valley Shuttle System has 19 stops, including lodges, restaurants, campgrounds, and trailheads. There is also the two-hour Yosemite Valley Floor Tour, a ranger-guided tour (fee) that runs on open-air accessible trams during the summer months and in an accessible motorcoach during the winter months.  The iconic sights of Yosemite Falls, Bridalveil Fall, El Capitan, and Half Dome are included on the itinerary.

Accessibility Assets

• The National Park Service offers the Access Pass, a free lifetime pass to permanently disabled US citizens and residents that includes admission to thousands of Parks and recreation sites and discounts on amenities.
• Temporary parking placards for mobility-impaired visitors are available at Park entrance stations and visitor centers.  They allow for parking in accessible spaces and driving on some paved roads closed to private vehicles (see story for examples).
• See the AllTrails guide to the best wheelchair-friendly trails in Yosemite National Park.
• Bring a headlamp to assist with walking at night, as many outside areas and paths are uneven and/or poorly lit.