Yay, It's YARTS: De-Stress on the Popular Yosemite Shuttles

WHEELS TO WONDERS: Joyfully putting your energy toward a number of ethereal Yosemite activities, pastimes such as hiking, picnicking, or lingering on a sun-warmed patch of grass while daydreaming, is an act that is both commendable and under-practiced. Maybe you'd like to engage with these perfect pursuits more often, but you'd rather skip the whole involved take-the-car-in, take-the-car-out thing, especially during the busy summer months. There's a nifty solution, and it is one plenty of national park mavens turn to when temperatures rise: Boarding the Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System, the sky-blue buses that are more catchily known as YARTS. True, some shuttle services will go between point A and point B, depending on the area, region, or national park, but YARTS is a remarkable rover, with a map that ranges all over the epic valley and beyond. How beyond? Look to the beautiful Eastern Sierra for some stops as well as Gold Country pick-ups (hello, Oakhurst).

THE 2023 SUMMER SCHEDULES... were unveiled at the beginning of May, giving visitors a chance to plan ahead. As with anything to do with Yosemite, things can change, and you'll find updates on the YARTS social pages. A Big Oak Flat Road closure will impact passage on Highway 120 for a number of weeks in later June and the first days of July, so checking back to see when that might change if that makes you rethink your destination, is key. Itching to peruse a map to fully comprehend the sizable reach of the service? Swing by this page. Want to know about bringing your bicycle along and the policy on bags? The same site can help. Ticket prices? That will depend on where you're starting, where you're going, and if it is a single ride or round trip. Already fantasizing about an afternoon traipsing around Tuolumne Meadows without having to deal with parking a vehicle? We get that, we really do. Start here to YARTS-up your nature-loving world.