Fresno (FAT) has the shortest year-round entrance drive in this comparison: 62 miles to Yosemite’s South Entrance. Merced (MCE) reaches Arch Rock, closer to Yosemite Valley once inside. Mammoth (MMH) and Reno (RNO) use seasonal Tioga Road. Choose your destination and month before booking the flight.
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Confirm that your intended gateway and approach roads fit your travel dates.
Check airport service, onward transport and the park’s arrival guidance.
Check weather hazards, construction and restrictions before your journey.
Compare flights with the drive to a named park entrance. Distances end at the gate, not at every attraction.
| Airport | Choose it for | Journey to entrance / gateway | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| MMHMammoth YosemiteMammoth Lakes, CA | Tioga-season eastern option | 41 mi · 52 minTioga Pass EntranceTioga Road season only; opening dates vary with snowA road closure requires a longer western approach, not this route. | Seasonal passenger flights; check the schedule separately from Tioga Road. |
| FATFresno Yosemite InternationalFresno, CA | South Entrance and Wawona | 62 mi · 1 h 30 minSouth EntranceNormally year-round; weather can interrupt access | Commercial passenger airport. |
| MCEMerced AirportMerced, CA | Arch Rock and Yosemite Valley | 71 mi · 1 h 50 minArch Rock EntranceNormally year-round; weather can interrupt access | Commercial airport listed by NPS; check the flight schedule. |
| SCKStockton MetropolitanStockton, CA | Western approach | 96 mi · 2 h 21 minBig Oak Flat EntranceNormally year-round; weather can interrupt access | Commercial airport listed by NPS. |
| OAKOakland InternationalOakland, CA | Bay Area approach | 149 mi · 3 h 23 minBig Oak Flat EntranceNormally year-round; weather can interrupt access | Commercial passenger airport. |
| SMFSacramento InternationalSacramento, CA | Sacramento approach | 150 mi · 3 h 22 minBig Oak Flat EntranceNormally year-round; weather can interrupt access | Commercial passenger airport. |
| RNOReno-Tahoe InternationalReno, NV | Tioga-season eastern option | 150 mi · 3 h 20 minTioga Pass EntranceTioga Road season only; opening dates vary with snowA road closure requires a longer western approach, not this route. | Commercial passenger airport; Yosemite shortcut depends on Tioga Road. |
| SJCSan José InternationalSan Jose, CA | Bay Area approach | 154 mi · 3 h 34 minBig Oak Flat EntranceNormally year-round; weather can interrupt access | Commercial passenger airport. |
| SFOSan Francisco InternationalSan Francisco, CA | Bay Area hub approach | 167 mi · 3 h 48 minBig Oak Flat EntranceNormally year-round; weather can interrupt access | Major commercial passenger airport. |
Follow each airport to its named entrance, then filter the driving routes below.
9 routes
| Airport | Destination | Routed distance | No-stop drive | Approach notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MCE | Arch Rock Entrance | 71 mi · 115 km | 1 h 50 min | Normally year-round; weather can interrupt access |
| FAT | South Entrance | 62 mi · 99 km | 1 h 30 min | Normally year-round; weather can interrupt access |
| SCK | Big Oak Flat Entrance | 96 mi · 154 km | 2 h 21 min | Normally year-round; weather can interrupt access |
| OAK | Big Oak Flat Entrance | 149 mi · 239 km | 3 h 23 min | Normally year-round; weather can interrupt access |
| SMF | Big Oak Flat Entrance | 150 mi · 241 km | 3 h 22 min | Normally year-round; weather can interrupt access |
| SJC | Big Oak Flat Entrance | 154 mi · 247 km | 3 h 34 min | Normally year-round; weather can interrupt access |
| SFO | Big Oak Flat Entrance | 167 mi · 268 km | 3 h 48 min | Normally year-round; weather can interrupt access |
| MMH | Tioga Pass Entrance | 41 mi · 66 km | 52 min | Tioga Road season only; opening dates vary with snowA road closure requires a longer western approach, not this route. |
| RNO | Tioga Pass Entrance | 150 mi · 241 km | 3 h 20 min | Tioga Road season only; opening dates vary with snowA road closure requires a longer western approach, not this route. |
A flight can operate while the shortest road into Yosemite is closed. Check both calendars.
The Mammoth and Reno routes shown here require Tioga Road, typically open from late May or June until November. Opening and closing dates depend on conditions. Outside that season, use a western approach or allow for a much longer drive.
Mammoth Yosemite’s published flights are seasonal. Verify service for your travel dates separately from the Tioga Road opening; one does not guarantee the other.
The western entrances offer year-round approaches, but snow and chain controls can affect the trip. Check the NPS road and chain information before collecting a rental vehicle.
YARTS can replace part of the drive. Match the airport stop, operating season and connections.
YARTS provides year-round Highway 140 service to Yosemite Valley. Confirm the airport stop and your flight connection on the timetable for your date.
Fresno’s Highway 41 route and eastern Sierra YARTS routes are seasonal. Check operating dates, pickup points, fares and park-entry arrangements directly with YARTS.
NPS lists rail or bus connections through Merced. You may need separate transport between your arrival airport and the nearest train or bus station.
Quick answers to the practical questions below.
It depends on the destination and road season. Fresno is 62 road miles from the South Entrance. Mammoth is 41 miles from Tioga Pass, but that approach needs Tioga Road to be open. Compare the drive inside the park too.
Fresno approaches through the South Entrance; Merced through Arch Rock. NPS estimates about 2½ hours from Fresno to Yosemite Valley and 2 hours from Merced. Compare the available flights and ground connections.
The route shown through Tioga Pass is seasonal. When Tioga Road is closed, reaching Yosemite Valley requires a longer western approach; there is no car access to Tuolumne Meadows from that route.
YARTS serves Yosemite Valley year-round from Merced, with additional seasonal routes. Check airport pickup points, connections, reservations and return times for your dates.
Do not assume the seasons match. Check the Mammoth flight schedule and the Tioga Road status independently before booking.
An independent guide using official data. Not affiliated with or endorsed by the National Park Service.
Airport choices, normal access patterns and transport guidance come from the official sources linked in this page. Check actual flights, transfer schedules and road status before booking. No airport is assumed to be universally cheapest.
Route distances and no-stop journey estimates come from committed OSRM calculations on OpenStreetMap roads, generated 2026-09-11. Airport coordinates come from OurAirports. Every displayed destination is named; a route ending at an entrance or gateway does not include further travel to your hotel or sights.
Road distances and no-stop estimates. Allow extra time for traffic, stops and weather.
Airport airline-service seasons and park-road seasons are different. Current closures and temporary restrictions belong to Current conditions and official pointers. A source review does not create an accepted table-verification date.
Operational source check: September 11, 2026. Design and emphasized source review: 2026-10-21. A design review does not refresh every underlying record.
