Visiting Yosemite in December - Will car rentals provide me with snow chains?

I will spend some time in San Francisco in December and want to take the opportunity to visit the Yosemite National Park over the weekend. However I have read that there might be the need for tire chains in winter time.

So I am wondering if hire cars (rented at the San Francisco international airport) are as a standard supplied with tire chains or if I need to request them explicitly? And if they are not standard will there be any extra charges?

Thanks in advance for any answers.

Best Answer

Rent a van from "Lost Campers." They won't provide chains, but they are perfectly okay with you buying/renting chains and putting them on the van. They have minivans that are about the size of cars, but you get a bed! I'm renting one next week... So far the service has been great, and the price is reasonable.

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Do I need chains on my tires for Yosemite?

Any time chain controls are in effect, all vehicles must have chains in possession, including four-wheel drive and rental vehicles. Chains are often required on roads both inside and outside of Yosemite from November through March, less often in October and April, and rarely in September or May.

Can I get chains with my rental car?

Rental car companies almost always specifically disallow the use of chains or cables on their cars.

Can you use snow cables in Yosemite?

Snowy or icy road conditions are common in the mountains of California, including Yosemite, from fall through spring. When these conditions exist, federal regulations (in Yosemite) and state law (outside Yosemite) require that you use chains or cables in order to reduce the chances of accidents.

Can you put snow chains on a Hertz rental car?

To ensure a safe and enjoyable winter holiday, we have snow chains, ski racks and snowboard racks available for hire at an additional charge.

Yosemite winter travel tips

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