Coffee, Conservation, and the Yosemite Bike Share: A Peet’s Partnership

A Better Way to Ride

There’s nothing quite like that first cup of coffee before a hike—the kind that warms your hands while your boots scuff the dust and pine needles of a new day. For visitors to Yosemite National Park, that moment is often brought to you by Peet’s. But our relationship with this iconic landscape goes far beyond the cup.

In Yosemite, some of the most breathtaking moments happen between the trailheads—when you coast along the valley floor, stop for a view, and breathe in the scent of pines (and maybe, fresh coffee). Since 2018, Peet’s has been proud to support the Yosemite Bike Share program, a free and sustainable way for park visitors to explore more lightly and discover Yosemite on two wheels. With over $240,000 in donations to date, this growing partnership helps reduce traffic, expand access, and keep Yosemite just a little quieter—one bike ride (and cup of coffee) at a time.

The Road to a Lighter Footprint

The Yosemite Bike Share was launched to address a persistent challenge in national parks: congestion. With millions of visitors each year, traffic and parking strain not just patience, but the park’s delicate ecosystem. The free bike-share program offers an elegant alternative. With a quick app download, guests can check out a bike for one to two hours—just enough time to cruise between trailheads, grab lunch at Degnan’s Deli, or wander along the meadows without the sound of a running engine.

The concept is simple: fewer cars, more moments. A ride becomes part of the memory, not just a means to get from Point A to Point B. And because the bikes are meant for short trips, there’s constant circulation—more availability, more opportunity, less environmental impact.

A Natural Partnership

Peet’s was founded by a man who believed in better. Better beans, better brewing, and better business practices. Our partnership with Yosemite reflects that same ethos. As a company rooted in the West and born of an adventurous spirit, we’re drawn to places that inspire stewardship and awe.

That’s why we’ve made Yosemite Dos Sierras Organic one of our signature single origin coffees. Grown in the highlands of Colombia, under a canopy of shade trees on the southwestern slopes of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountains, these sustainably grown coffee beans ripen slowly in the diffused sunlight at the Finca La Cabaña estate, developing a rich, complex flavor.

Farming without clearing forest helps preserve crucial biodiversity and allows birds to thrive through the winter before their annual trip north. There’s one bird in particular, the Olive-Sided Flycatcher, that makes its home in both Colombia’s Sierra Nevada range and in Yosemite National Park, part of California's Sierra Nevada range. A living link between these two ranges, and a bright reminder of the connectivity of all things. Every cup helps support coffee-growing communities and our ongoing investment in programs that protect the places we love.

More Than a Destination

Yosemite isn’t just a backdrop for our coffee. It’s a reminder of why we do what we do. Whether you’re sipping a Peet’s at Curry Village before heading up Mist Trail or resting with a cup in hand after descending from Glacier Point, we hope it adds something meaningful to your experience.

For us, the journey doesn’t end with the pour. It keeps going—with every bike ride that replaces a car trip, every thoughtfully sourced bean that supports a healthy farm, every partnership that turns intention into action.

Since its launch, the Yosemite Bike Share has recorded more than 27,000 rides—a number that speaks to its growing impact and popularity. As Derek Yang, a current Bike Share Attendant, puts it, “More time outside is always beneficial.” It’s a simple truth that resonates across the valley: a short ride to the store, a loop through the trees, or a pedal-powered detour becomes something more when it replaces congestion with connection. That’s the spirit Peet’s is proud to support—one that favors ease, sustainability, and a deeper experience of place.

So the next time you’re in Yosemite, take the long way around the valley. Borrow a bike. Breathe deep. And if you see someone pedaling with a coffee in hand? That’s probably one of ours.

Learn more about the Yosemite Bike Share — or check out Yosemite Dos Sierras Organic and bring the experience home.