What to Pack for Your Yosemite National Park Vacation

You’re headed to Yosemite National Park where you’ll find yourself in Ansel Adams country amid beautiful waterfalls, outstanding views of the iconic Half Dome and ancient giant sequoia groves. But how do you pack for Yosemite, a place where valley temperatures can soar while alpine campsites can be cool? Here are the top 15 items to put in your suitcase and one item to leave at home.

1. Sturdy Water Shoes for Playing in Rivers and Waterfalls
If you plan on river rafting, canoeing, kayaking or just playing in the Merced River, or rivers near the park, you will want a good pair of water shoes. Flip-flops are not recommended for water activities as they will get stuck in the mud and either break or get swallowed down river. A covered rubber-toed shoe can help you avoid getting bruised toes from river rocks or cuts from stray logs. (Read more about water safety in Yosemite)

Continue reading to learn more, written by Tori Peglar.

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February 25, 2025

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Tori Peglar

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In 2018, Tori was recognized for her work with National Park Journal, winning three first-place awards for the Grand Canyon edition of the magazine. Later the same year, Tori was honored as a Folio: 100, a list of the top innovators, entrepreneurial thinkers, and industry-disruptors in magazine media.

Before joining National Park Trips, Tori worked for her alma mater as director of marketing for the CU-Boulder Alumni Association, developing and executing campaigns for national and local events and programs. She led an award-winning creative team of six and served as editor of the Coloradan magazine, which won two first-place national awards in 2011 and 2014 for magazine excellence, as well as two regional first-place awards and a second-place award in 2011-14.

Tori’s travels have taken her across the globe and she has lived in Hong Kong, Kenya, Ecuador and Nepal. Some of her favorite national park experiences are hiking the Bright Angel Trail in the Grand Canyon, taking the trail down to the Yosemite Valley from Glacier Point, snowshoeing to Lone Star Geyser in Yellowstone and doing Rocky Mountain’s East Inlet Trail with her family. When she’s not in search of a story, she loves spending time with her family and skiing, running, biking, backpacking and traveling.