Mariposa Grove Welcome Plaza

Overview

Think of the Mariposa Grove Welcome Plaza as your launch pad for the giant sequoias. It’s where you park, grab last-minute info or a map at The Depot bookstore, use the restrooms, fill water, and hop the free shuttle up to the grove when it’s running. You won’t linger long here—most people stage and go—but it’s the crucial first stop for exploring more than 500 mature sequoias. Deer occasionally wander the edges, but the real show is two miles up the hill.

How It Works

• Park at the plaza (about 300 spaces) and head to the shuttle stop for a quick ride to the Mariposa Grove Arrival Area.
• When the shuttle is operating, the road beyond the plaza is closed to private vehicles (with limited exceptions for disability placards).
• When the shuttle is not operating, you’ll hike about two miles (each way) with roughly 500 feet of gain via the Washburn Trail or Mariposa Grove Road to reach the grove itself.

Shuttle Season and Hours (typical 2025 schedule)

• Operates roughly mid-April through late November, about every 15 minutes, weather permitting.
• May 10–Sep 24: 8 am–7 pm; last bus leaves the grove at 8:30 pm.
• Sep 25–Nov 1: 8 am–5:30 pm; last bus 5:00 pm (weather permitting).
• Nov 2–Nov 30: 8 am–3:30 pm; last bus 5:00 pm (weather permitting).
• No shuttle Dec 1–at least Apr 15.

Facilities You’ll Find Here

• Restrooms at the plaza; more restrooms are scattered throughout the grove.
• Drinking water at the plaza year-round; at the Arrival Area in summer only.
• The Depot bookstore (maps, guides, souvenirs). No food services—bring your own snacks and lunch.

Rules to Know Before You Go

• Pets: Not allowed on grove trails, roads, or shuttles; leashed pets only in parking lots.
• Bicycles: Allowed only on Mariposa Grove Road between the plaza and near Grizzly Giant when the road is open; not on trails elsewhere in the grove.

Quick Trail Choices After the Shuttle

• Big Trees Loop (0.3 miles, easy, wheelchair accessible): An intro stroll with interpretive signs and the Fallen Monarch.
• Grizzly Giant Loop (~2 miles, moderate): Hits the Bachelor and Three Graces, the Grizzly Giant, and the California Tunnel Tree.
• Longer options (Upper Grove): Guardians Loop (6.5 miles, strenuous) or the Mariposa Grove Trail (about 7 miles round trip to Wawona Point) for big views and classic named trees.

Winter Visits

• No shuttle. Park at the start of Mariposa Grove Road and hike, snowshoe, or ski two miles up to the grove. Expect snow/ice and limited facilities; in winter, count on water only at the Welcome Plaza.

Getting There

• From Yosemite’s South Entrance roundabout on Hwy 41, turn right; the plaza is less than a quarter mile up the road.

Best Time to Visit

• Arrive before 9 am for the best shot at parking and short shuttle lines; late morning through early afternoon is typically the busiest.
• Weekdays are calmer than weekends; shoulder seasons (spring/fall) feel roomier than midsummer.
• If you want to avoid peak-hours vehicle reservations, plan to enter the park before 6 am or after 2 pm on the dates when reservations are required in 2025; otherwise, secure a reservation in advance. Also double-check the day’s shuttle status, since weather can alter schedules.