How to Save Time at the Yosemite Entrance Gate with a Digital Pass
Planning ahead can make your arrival at Yosemite easier. Buying and saving your digital entrance pass before your trip means one less thing to do when you reach the park. That’s especially true in summer, when entrance lines are longest and cell service is least reliable.
Here’s everything you need to know.
- Why a digital pass?
- Which pass is right for you?
- Want your dollars to go to Yosemite?
- How to purchase and use your digital pass?
- Ready to go?
Why a digital pass?
In the busy summer season, entrance lines can stretch for miles and sometimes take hours to clear … especially on weekends and holidays. Having a digital pass won’t move you ahead of other cars in line — there’s no dedicated fast lane — but it can make your stop at a park entrance quicker. The ranger scans your pass right from your phone, with no paperwork or payment processing at the booth.
Save it before you go: Download your pass or take a screenshot before leaving home. Cell service is limited near Yosemite and throughout the park.
It’s a small time saving, but every minute counts when vistas and trails are waiting.
Which pass is right for you?
There are multiple passes you can buy online for your trip — plus several free and discounted passes for eligible visitors, covered below.
If you want your entrance fees to go directly toward Yosemite, choose one of the two Yosemite-specific passes — Yosemite Standard Pass or Yosemite Annual Pass.
Visiting from outside the United States? In 2026, Yosemite charges an additional entrance fee for each non-U.S. resident age 16 or older, unless the visitor is admitted with an eligible annual or America the Beautiful pass. Review current requirements before purchasing.
Want your dollars to go to Yosemite?
Choose the Yosemite Standard or Annual Pass. Fees from these passes fund park resources directly — trails, wildlife programs, ranger staffing, and conservation projects in Yosemite.
And if you want your dollars to go even further in the park, make a gift to Yosemite Conservancy. Donor support funds the trails, wildlife research, and conservation projects that the park entrance fee alone can’t cover.
Click arrow to learn about free and discounted passes for eligible visitors
The following America the Beautiful Pass (ATB) types are also accepted at Yosemite’s park entrances. Like the standard ATB pass, fees from these passes are distributed across the federal recreation system and do not stay in Yosemite. Eligibility requirements and documentation apply for each.
NOTE: Not all of these passes are digital. Senior, Military, and Access passes may be issued as physical cards, and the Every Kid Outdoors pass must be printed on paper. If you have one of these, bring the physical pass with you and show it at the entrance — along with any required proof of eligibility.
For more details on all pass types and eligibility requirements, visit nps.gov/planyourvisit/passes.htm.
How to purchase and use your digital pass?
These steps apply to the Yosemite Standard, Yosemite Annual, and America the Beautiful passes purchased at recreation.gov. If you already have a free or discounted pass, skip to Step 3 and bring your physical pass or printed voucher to the entrance.
Step 1: Buy at Recreation.gov
Buy your Yosemite Standard or Annual Pass at recreation.gov/sitepass/74296. For the America the Beautiful Pass, visit recreation.gov/pass. Note that the Yosemite Standard Pass can only be purchased within 10 days of your visit date.
Step 2: Save your QR code before you go
After purchase, you’ll receive a QR code. Screenshot it or download it to your phone before you leave home. Cell service is limited in many areas around Yosemite — having your pass saved locally means you won’t need a signal when you get to the gate.
Step 3: Show pass at park entrance
When you reach the gate, pull up your saved pass and show your phone to the ranger. They’ll scan your QR code and you’re in.
Step 4: Get to the good part
Yosemite is waiting!
Ready to go?
Purchase your digital Yosemite entrance pass now.
For more tips on planning your summer visit, read our Know Before You Go: Yosemite in 2026 guide.