Can I fly a drone at Yosemite National Park?
El Capitan, Half Dome, Yosemite Falls — the photography landscape that defined American national parks. All inside one of the most strictly enforced no-drone zones in the system.
Why drone pilots want to shoot here
Tunnel View at sunset. El Capitan from the valley floor. Half Dome from Glacier Point. Yosemite Falls. Bridalveil Fall.
Where you CAN fly nearby
Adjacent USFS, BLM, and state-managed land that typically permits drone use with appropriate rules.
Sierra National Forest (CA)
Adjacent USFS land south and west of Yosemite. Drones allowed in non-Wilderness areas. Some ridge views similar to Glacier Point from outside the park.
Stanislaus National Forest (CA)
North and west. Drones permitted with USFS rules in non-Wilderness sections.
BLM holdings in the Eastern Sierra
Eastern Sierra (US-395 corridor) has significant BLM land where drones are allowed with rules.
FAQ — Yosemite National Park
Can I fly drones in Yosemite Valley?
No. Yosemite Valley is the heart of the park and the most-aggressively-enforced no-drone zone in the system. NPS rangers actively patrol.
What about Tioga Pass (Highway 120 through the park)?
Tioga Pass road runs through the park. Drone ban applies the entire length within park boundaries. Adjacent Inyo NF (east) permits drones outside the park boundary.
Can I shoot El Capitan from outside?
El Cap is visible from Sierra NF and Stanislaus NF approaches but typical aerial framings require being inside the park. Ground-based photography is the practical path.
What's the enforcement profile?
Among the highest in the system. Multiple high-profile arrests of tourists flying near El Capitan and Half Dome. Rangers use Remote ID detection.
Other national parks
Park boundaries can be irregular. Verify the boundary of any alternative location before flying — adjacent USFS / BLM Wilderness areas have their own drone ban under different statute. Altoa is not the FAA or NPS.