Yosemite National Park

Photo: Peter Bodechtel

Yosemite, California 95389
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Local Phone: (866) 425-3366

Before you bring your dog to Yosemite National Park, read up on the rules so you won't be disappointed. While access to trails is severely restricted, there's still lots of scenery that can be enjoyed with your dog.

In general, leashed dogs are allowed in drive-in campgrounds, on paved trails and in developed areas such as picnic grounds. They are not allowed in lodging areas, wilderness areas or on dirt trails, with the exception of the following trails:

• Yosemite Valley: Lower Yosemite Falls
• Yosemite Valley: Bridalveil Falls Trail
• Yosemite Valley: Cook’s Meadow Trail
• Yosemite Valley: Mirror Lake Trail
• Wawona: Meadow Loop
• Hodgdon Meadow: Carlon Road trailhead
• Hodgdon Meadow: Hazel Green Creek trailhead
• Hodgdon Meadow: Old Big Oak Flat Road to Tuolumne Grove

Dog kenneling services are available at Yosemite Valley Stable located near The Wawona Hotel. Because of limited kennel space, advance reservations are highly recommended. Dogs must be six months of age or older with written proof of current vaccinations. You can get more information about the kennel by calling (209) 382-8326.

Campgrounds that allow dogs:

Yosemite Valley:

• Upper Pines
• Lower Pines
• North Pines

Along Wawona Road (Hwy 41) & Glacier Point Road:

• Bridalveil Creek
• Wawona

Along Tioga Road (Hwy 120):

• Hodgdon Meadow
• Crane Flat
• White Wolf
• Yosemite Creek
• Tuolumne Meadows (closed until 2024 or 2025)

Help us keep these trails beautiful and dog-friendly:
• Always follow the posted rules as they may have changed
• Respect and protect wildlife and habitats
• Pack in and pack out, leaving only paw prints

dogtrekker.com, dog friendly, pet friendly, yosemite national park, regulations, campgrounds, trails, falls, valley

Yosemite gushers

Dog at Lower Falls. Photo by Yosemite Mariposa County Tourism Bureau.

Late winter and early spring are great times to visit Yosemite National Park, but be sure to read up on the rules regarding pets before you go. Hotels inside park boundaries don’t allow pets, but pet-friendly places to curl up (click on lodging type and use the pet-friendly filter) are abundant elsewhere in Mariposa County. In Yosemite Valley, the premier winter/spring waterfall hike leads to Lower Yosemite Fall, the most accessible of three stair-stepped cascades that comprise America’s tallest cataract at 2,425 feet in total height. more »

Hit The Trails Near Yosemite

Early Morning on Ahwahnee Meadow. Photo: Teri Marshall

What better way to enjoy the mountains for bipeds and quadrupeds alike than by being out on a hike? In Mariposa County's scenic Merced River Canyon, several dog friendly recreation areas exist including the Merced River Hike at the Briceburg Recreation Area. more »

New Pet-Friendly Options Near Yosemite

Checking out the view - Photo Credit: Callie Meeder

Considering a trip to the Yosemite Region in the fall? It’s a glorious time to visit not only the national park, but the surrounding national forests and Gold Rush-era towns in the adjacent counties. This season, DogTrekking visitors have two new pet-friendly options in the “cabins and cottages” category. First up: new, pet-friendly “Explorer Cabins” at Yosemite’s only four-diamond resort, Tenaya Lodge. more »

Road Trip! Explore a Scenic Byway

Ebbetts Pass - Photo Credit: @andreaheyfron

Fall is a great time for a scenic drive, and California’s National Scenic Byways and Scenic Highways provide guaranteed enjoyment for the eyes plus limitless opportunities for hiking with your dog in gorgeous country. Study maps and guides before you go—and, as wildfire season continues, be sure to check out air quality predictions, as well. Here are three scenic routes that are sure to rearrange your senses and set tails a-waggin'. more »

Time to Revisit Yosemite With Your Dog

Photo Credit: Petra Jagodic (CC)

The Ferguson fire in Yosemite National Park that shut off the scenic Yosemite Valley for three weeks was fully contained on Aug. 19, and all entry roads through Tuolumne County (Highway 120), Mariposa County (Highway 140) and Madera County (Highway 41) are now open. Early fall is a great time to visit this iconic California attraction—and yes, there’s plenty for you and your dog to do together. #yosemitenow more »

Liquid Rewards In Our National Parks

Whiskeytown National Recreation Area <br/> Photo Credit: @bodhi_mastiff

Whiskeytown National Recreation Area
Photo Credit: @bodhi_mastiff

OK, you’ve just missed “fee-free” day at our nation’s 400-plus national park units (next one is Sept 22). But that doesn’t mean you’ve missed peak season for waterfalls roaring all over California as the snowmelt season gets underway. We can’t gush enough about the dog-friendly waterfall hikes and photo opportunities waiting for you and yours on federal lands. Here’s a trio of suggestions. more »

Fifth Stop: Mammoth Lakes Back to Sac via Yosemite

King of the mountain. Photo Credit: @rowl0067

Allow a full day—or more, if time permits—for the long but scenic drive back to Sacramento via Highway 120 over Tioga Pass Road through Yosemite National Park. But don’t set off without checking conditions: As of mid-June, the high-altitude artery, buried last winter under some 50 feet of snow, was still in the process of being cleared (estimated opening is early July). more »

Tuolumne County: North Entrance (Hwy 120)

Mike's adventure in Red Hills - Tuolumne County. Photo Credit: @mackenzierodgers

The 19th-century miners who swarmed California’s Gold Country made an indelible mark on Tuolumne County, dotting the map with a string of settlements that still have a boomtown feel. There is plenty to see and do as you and your four-legged companion wander through rugged scenery toward the Big Oak Flat entrance to Yosemite National Park. more »

Mariposa County: West Entrance (Hwy 140)

River explores Hite Cove Trail - Photo Credit: @thewildriverflow

The Highway 140 corridor through Mariposa County leads to the Arch Rock entrance to Yosemite National Park, offering plenty of dog-friendly lodging choices and recreational opportunities along its winding way. more »

Winter Splendor at Yosemite

Yosemite view

Yosemite National Park is spectacular (and uncrowded) in winter, whether or not there’s snow on the valley floor. At Tenaya Lodge, two miles from the park’s south entrance, you and your pup will get the royal treatment with a pampered pet package that includes a night’s lodging in a dog-friendly lodge room or cottage (not available in winter), two hours of pet-sitting and an array of treats and amenities. Don’t look for details online; you’ll need to call (888) 514-2167 and book directly with the property.

Another option for enjoying the park in winter with your four-legged companion is the Redwoods in Yosemite, a collection of vacation rental homes, many of them dog-friendly, located within park boundaries and convenient to all the iconic sights. more »

Tuolumne County (North/Big Oak Flat) Entrance

Big Oak Flat. Photo Credit: jb10okie (CC)

There is plenty to see as you and your four-legged companion wander through rugged Tuolumne County toward the Big Oak Flat entrance to Yosemite National Park. more »

Dogs at Yosemite National Park

Simba in Yosemite. Photo Credit: James Oh

Yes, you can and should have your dog tag along on your next visit to Yosemite National Park, even though park rules restrict canine companions almost exclusively to campgrounds and paved roads and trails. There’s enough to see (and sniff) for both of you to stay engaged for least a couple of days—and this winter’s heavy precipitation brings the added advantage of budding greenery and gushing waterfalls. more »

Meandering Mariposa County With Your Dog

Zoe at Tuolumne South Fork. Photo by jenkinson2455 (CC)

Highway 140 through Mariposa County leads to Yosemite National Park, but there’s so much for you and Fido to see and do along the way that you might want to start your trip a day early. Start in Mariposa, the historic county seat, with breakfast at Jantz Bakery or lunch at the delightful Deli Garden Café. For an afternoon diversion, visit Butterfly Creek Winery, which welcomes dogs in its tasting room and picnic area; or try some of the big reds for which the region is known at the dog-friendly Casto Fine Wine & Art tasting room downtown. more »

Yes, You CAN Bring Your Dog To Yosemite

In the midst of the Civil War, a visionary President Lincoln signed the Yosemite Land Grant, setting aside the Yosemite Valley and Mariposa Grove of giant sequoias as a scenic wilderness for public use and preservation. It wasn’t until 25 years later, on Oct. 1, 1890, that Yosemite National Park officially was established by Congress. Today, about 4 million people visit every year. So far as we know, no one keeps track of the number of dogs entering Yosemite with their people, but here are some things DogTrekkers need to know. more »

Top Spots for Soaking Up Mountain Majesty

Camping! Photo BIlly Goodman

Rise above the summer heat at these high-elevation campgrounds. more »

On the Road to Yosemite

Arch Rock entrance. Photo Judy Sutton.

Why hurry to Yosemite National Park when the journey can be as rewarding as the destination? The Yosemite Region encompasses four gateway counties, each with its own unique set of attractions. This week we celebrate Yosemite’s 150th anniversary with a look at places and diversions for DogTrekkers to check out along the major highway corridors leading to the iconic park. more »

The Gold Country's Golden Chain Highway

Pocky hiking Sonora Pass

Sure, you’ve visited parts of Gold Country. But have you ever driven the entire 330 miles of Highway 49, the historic “Golden Chain Highway?” Considering all the dog-friendly places to see, things to do and history to absorb along the way, we at DogTrekker consider it a Five-Bone route for a road trip. more »

Yosemite in Winter

Yosemite Samoyed. Photo Credit: Steve Jurvetson (CC)

Normally, waterfall season at Yosemite National Park doesn’t peak until May. But this year’s light snow pack and unusually warm weather have teased Mother Nature into an earlier schedule. more »

Tuolumne Tell-All

Sugar Pine Railway. Photo by J. Stephen Conn (CC)

Tuolumne County, bordering Yosemite National Park along the Highway 49 and Highway 120 corridors, played a pivotal roll in 19th-century stampede for gold and silver, and its rugged landscape is dotted with towns—Columbia, Jamestown, Twain Harte, Groveland—that still have a boomtown feel. more »

Moseying Around Mariposa County

Photo: Frank Alcazar (CC)

The Highway 140 corridor through Mariposa County leads to the Arch Rock entrance to Yosemite National Park, offering plenty of recreational opportunity along its winding way.

Mono Vision

Mono County in the Eastern Sierra is connected to Yosemite National Park via Highway 120, the “Tioga Road,” which crests the Sierra Nevada at 9,943-foot Tioga Pass, traverses the park and exits 59 miles later at the Big Oak Flat portal in Tuolumne County. more »

Yosemite Region To Debut - Tell Us Your Story

Lower Yosemite Falls

Is Yosemite dog-friendly?" That's one of the questions most commonly asked by DogTrekker readers. The answer depends on how "Yosemite" is defined. The famous national park comes immediately to mind, but the rugged Sierra Nevada landscapes that define it don't suddenly end at its borders. more »

Hear the Roar

Photo: Outdoor PDK (CC)

California’s best-known cataract is 2,425-foot Yosemite Falls, a voice-drowning, three-stage gusher that roars like a highway during snow-melt season. And yes, your leashed dog is welcome to enjoy views that will put a smile on your face, a crick in your neck and a wag in Fido’s tail. more »

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