If you are planning on staying overnight in the park, this is also the area you will doubtless be sleep as virtually all overnight park guests wish to stay inside this 8 square mile area.

The Hamlet is where you will find a good map to help find all the park highlights as well as tell you what’s happening round the park that day. If you would like to milk any of the shuttle buses that operate between the Hamlet and some of the park’s highlights, this is also the place you want to be.

If you’d like to get more in contact with nature, while not getting to far off the trail  then plan to explore the eastern side of the park where there are tougher limitations on transport with vehicles not being authorized into the area.

Yosemite is not just for summer, and though some of its best views like the meadow will be covered over, it is also a winter playground for those that love snow sports. If you plan on visiting the park during the winter months however, ensure you check what parts of the park are accessible and open, and what facilities you will find there. You may also find that the kind of accommodation will be more limited in the winter months so book ahead around any main vacation periods.