Travel Guide: Yosemite National Park
Preamble
In 2000, I went on a trip to Yosemite National Park to cleanse my mind before starting business school. It was a near-religious experience.
It would take me 19 years to return. When I did, I spent four days hiking the park, and although it seemed impossible, it was an even better experience than the first trip.
Yosemite is a special place. It inspired famed naturalist John Muir to start the Nature Conservancy. Its photogenic sheer granite cliffs inspired Ansel Adams at age 12 to take up photography. The Yosemite Valley campgrounds have accommodated generations of rock climbers who dared challenge the 3,000-foot tall smooth face of El Capitan. It’s inspired numerous documentaries.
This post is designed to make planning and visiting Yosemite a less overwhelming experience with the hope it will lower the barriers to travelling there and inspire more people to visit. It’s designed for people who want to do some serious day hiking or less strenuous touristy sight-seeing, but not for those looking to hike and camp in the back country.
Orientation
Yosemite National Park is in northeast California, east of the fertile San Joaquin Valley and just west of the border with Nevada. It’s 167 miles straight east of San Francisco and covers almost 1,200 square miles.
An essential component of any visit is to descend into Yosemite Valley. Carved by a combination of 4,000 foot-thick glaciers and the Merced River, it is is surrounded by breathtaking rock on all sides. The park’s most popular rock formations — half dome and El Capitan — loom above. You can get soaked by both mist and sound as you encounter Lower Yosemite and Bridal Veil falls.
Most visits entail seeing these four natural masterpieces from various angles and heights. That’s not meant to trivialize the endeavour. On the contrary — despite seeing many of the same formations, they present themselves in ways even more beautiful than the last, especially half dome.
The park is a good mix of great hiking and car-accessible touristy-vistas. The park gets its fair share of wildlife, although not as prolific as Yellowstone. Yosemite does have black bears. Although not as large as Grizzly bears, they are dangerous and proper precautions are important (more on this below).
Yosemite has something for all ages, including kids who may find interest in wildlife, bouldering, easy flat hikes, raft floats down the Merced River or bike riding the valley floor.
When to Go
Yosemite gets 4M visitors a year, a majority in the summer. Yosemite in July and August are relatively warm even at higher altitudes. Unlike Glacier, snow is less of a concern in July.
That said, important roads like Tioga Road and the road to Glacier Point close starting in November and do not reopen until late May or early July. The average temperatures during the year can help you understand what to expect.
As your trip approaches, it’s a good idea to check conditions in the park. This site includes not only weather and road conditions, but wildlife threats, rock slides, and other situations you should be aware of.
Where to Stay
Staying in Yosemite Valley is ideal because of the picturesque surroundings and as a good launching point for exploring what the park has to offer. As with most national parks, staying anywhere in the park will involve lower expectations for amenities and accommodations, traded for convenience.
Yosemite Valley lodge is a very large complex. The accommodations are very tired but convenient and adequate. We had joked that they haven’t updated the rooms since we stayed there on our original trip. The hallways have a college-dorm like feel to them. But that didn’t concern us since our goal was to spend as little time in the room as possible. It has a trio of eating options of various ranges. One room type includes a bunk bed and a full bed.
The Ahwahnee Hotel (formerly the Majestic Yosemite Hotel), built in 1927, is a National Historic Landmark and sits at the east end of the valley. It’s a gorgeous hotel upstaged only by the intimate view of half dome in the back yard. The dining room has insane vaulted ceilings and eating there is a must for visitors even if they aren’t staying at the hotel. The Ahwahnee is the nicest hotel in the valley.
Curry Village is close to the base of half dome, and features a large number of canvas tents with sleeping for two. This may be an option for those who want a more rustic experience but who don’t want all of the work of camping. There are shared bath houses.
Camp 4 is a very famous camp in the valley that has hosted the world’s best rock climbers. It’s close to Yosemite Valley Lodge, which means it’s close to food choices and other services.
There are some other camp grounds in the valley, but these are the hotel choices there.
Yosemite is not a secret, and consequently, driving in and out of the valley can involve a staggering amount of vehicular traffic. We planned early start to our days (7:00 — 7:30a) and returns after dinner when possible, especially on the weekend. This avoided traffic and assured us that we’d have a spot to park our car at Yosemite Valley Lodge when we returned. There is a shuttle bus system that you should consider to get around the valley, as you will rejoice avoiding using your car.
There are some options outside of the valley that you might consider.
The Wawona Hotel is just inside of the park near the south entrance. It’s a Victorian-style hotel built in 1876, and like the Ahwahnee, it’s a national historic landmark. The hotel can make one feel they are visiting the park in a different era, not just nostalgia but also in accommodations. The dining room was stifling hot when we visited, despite the buzzing of an armada of fans. There is a pool and dinner served on the grand lawn on certain nights. It faces a golf course.
The Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite is a recently-built hotel outside of the south entrance is a good choice for those looking for nice, modern accommodations, including an outdoor pool and a full spa. It’s not run by the national park service, and has a higher number of amenities luxury travelers come to expect. It also has a battery of Tesla superchargers if that’s relevant for you. Its location outside the park requires carefully planning on timing of entering the park because lines into the south entrance can be excessive. In our case, we decided to eat lunch at Tenaya Lodge and as we exited, we witnessed several miles of cars backed up going the other way. We took our time eating lunch and waited for the hour-long backup to dwindle to a short wait an hour and a half later.
North of the valley is an area called Tuolumne. It’s at higher elevation and has a different terrain and vibe. It’s considerably less crowded than the valley. There is a hotel called the White Wolf Lodge, but I don’t know much about it. There is another lodge near the Tioga Pass east entrance. Tuolumne is better known for its absolutely enormous campground.
Like most national parks, there are private hotels that are just outside the entrances.
Keep in mind that reservations for hotels in the park go on sale a year in advance. This means to get the best rooms during the busy summer season, you have to call the day reservations open, a year in advance! There are periodic cancellations, but it can be slim pickins if you don’t book far in advance. At the time we booked, there was no fee to cancel as long as you did so 30 days before your arrival date. Within that 30 day window, it was $15 cancellation fee, up until (I think?) 3 days before arrival. I called around all these windows when I wanted to change rooms, and was only moderately successful.
What to Pack
I created this packing list, and updated it after the trip. This was for a trip in July. Depending on the time of year, you may alter the list.
Getting There
The easiest way to get to the park is to depart by car from San Jose, San Francisco, or Oakland. It’s a 3.5 hour drive from San Francisco and shorter from Oakland. This leads to the Big Oak Flat west entrance of the park. Depending on traffic, you may be directed to the Arch Rock west entrance near El Portal. While less convenient from San Francisco, as a consolation, arriving via Arch Rock will treat you to a sudden view of the majestic Yosemite Valley after emerging from a tunnel. The drive from San Jose is 3 hours and from Fresno, CA.
The ability to fly into a major airport makes Yosemite more accessible (and cheaper to reach) than Glacier or Yellowstone. The drive cuts through many almond groves, and stopping at the roadside stands can reward you with fresh nuts.
Important Considerations
While many rooms in the Ahwanhee Hotel have A/C and TVs, rooms in Yosemite Valley Lodge do not. I can’t speak for wifi at other hotels, but it was not reliable at Yosemite Valley Lodge. It tended to work better early in the morning or late at night when there are fewer people attempting to use it. You should assume that will not have regular access to the Internet or cellular networks. This also makes it hard to split up your group since you cannot rely on texting or calling. Some hikers bring serious walkie-talkies. We just stayed together the entire trip.
We went the first week in August and did not find the lack of A/C to be problem, although we used oscillating fans in our rooms at night. Check average temperatures before packing. Keep in mind that the weather conditions at elevation may be different than in the valley.
While the valley is at a mere 4,000 ft, up at Glacier Point, elevation is 7,214 ft and top of half dome is 8,839 ft. Most of Tuolumne is at 8,600. Naturally, this is relevant for those that are affected by altitude. While the valley is higher elevation that most people are used to, spending time on most hikes will put you at higher elevations where you ought to expect fatigue and more labored breathing during exertion. Drink lots of water and take acetaminophen to combat these effects. For comparison, Park City, UT is 6,800, Denver is 5,000 and the top of Vail mountain is 11,500.
Because many of the hikes gain/lose significant elevation, it’s wise to have a wide range of layers. For example, a popular hike, the Panorama Trail, starts at 7,200 ft and ends at 4,000 ft.
We encountered two gas stations in the park. One in Wawona and one between Tuolumne and the valley. It’s a good idea to enter the park with a full tank of gas since prices are very high in the park and gas stations are few.
Yosemite can suffer from forest fires in the summer months. The rate and severity of these fires has increased with global warming. You may find various roads closed due to smoke concentration or nearby fires. 2018 was marked by significant fires in the valley that caused many closings. Thankfully, we only saw the aftermath and didn’t encounter fires during our visit. Because you cannot rely on Internet or cellular access, it’s a good idea to regularly check with information desks at your hotel or with other travelers on weather conditions.
Rock slides (sudden dislocation of rock that falls from above), while rare, can occur. Given that the valley is very popular, visitors spend much of their time below rock cliffs, the exact place you don’t want to be if there is a rock slide.
Wildlife Safety
Thankfully, Grizzly bears do not live in Yosemite. There are black bears, however. While significantly smaller, black bears are still very dangerous. Making noise while you walk will help deter them. Bear spray is not permitted in the park, which I concluded was an indication that risk from black bears is less than that from grizzlies. We did not encounter hikers using bear bells as is common in other parks, and we elected not to use ours.
Hiking with other hikers also helps too. The key is if you are confronted by a bear, walk away slowly. Do not run. A bear’s instinct is to chase you if you run. Easier to type on a blog post than to execute in real life. We also found that hikers coming from the opposite direction were good about warning us. You can also ask helpful information guides at information desks at hotels or the visitors’ centers throughout the park. Of course, park rangers tend to have current information about threats. You might find the wilderness conditions website helpful for both status of wildlife and snow on trails throughout the park. Of course, without reliable access to the Internet, you shouldn’t rely on using this during your visit.
Keep a safe distance from wildlife. It’s tempting to get that picture, but you don’t want “almost posted to instagram a great pic of a mother bear with her cubs” on your epitaph.
Water
You will encounter rivers and waterfalls along hikes. Because the water is snowmelt from high elevations, the water is really cold, and it offers an opportunity to cool off by dipping your feet, hands, face and perhaps hat in runoff. Although it’s snow runoff, it does not mean you can drink it! Animals often pee in these channels, and it’s wise to skip drinking the runoff without proper purification, as tempting as it may be.
Food/Dining
Each hotel in the valley has limited food options. Yosemite Valley Lodge has three choices — a limited fast food court, a casual restaurant/bar, and a nice dining room. The Ahwanhee has a lovely dining room worthy of a specific trip if you aren’t staying there, and reservations are recommended. Yosemite Valley village has other dining options to consider, including a deli. There are limited places to buy groceries in the park. The dining options at Yosemite Valley Lodge don’t accept reservations but we never had to wait long to eat. Dining rooms had many gluten-free and vegetarian options.
I highly recommend buying groceries before entering the park. We shopped at the Raley’s in Oakdale, CA because it looked like the last large grocery store before entering the park — and it was. It’s an hour and a half from the entrance to the park! Most lodge accommodations include a small refrigerator in the room, although you should verify before you start shopping. That said, keep in mind: (a) your groceries won’t be refrigerated on the trip to the park and (b) where you will store your groceries on the way to the park (a reason to have an ample-sized car). We routinely made breakfast in our room and packed sandwiches for lunch on the trail so our schedules weren’t restricted by requiring us to be in a village for lunch. If you are camping, you will be required to store food in bear safe containers. If you are camping in the backcountry, you’ll need to bring one of these containers with you. All other campgrounds have special containers you must use (you cannot store food or even toothpaste in your car).
Technology
We used two apps on our phones that turned out to be essential. The first is GyPSy. It’s like having a personal tour guide in your car. As you drive around, the app explains what you are seeing at various GPS locations in the park. In addition to sharing the history and science of what is unfolding beyond your windshield, it also gives you excellent suggestions of what not to miss and what is okay to skip. We found it educational and invaluable, and it will now be a standard download for every trip. Hat tip to my business partner, Alex Meyer, who made this recommendation.
Alltrails was also critical. Alltrails is a hiking mapping app. It shows the path, distances, and elevations of where you are. It has excellent rating of hikes and can be used for discovery. Although cellular service is scant in the park, GPS was never a problem, but YMMV. Alltrails should not replace having paper maps. Paper maps never run out of batteries and do not require GPS.
Since I visited the park, I discovered that there is an official NPS Yosemite app. It looks pretty good — and smartly allows you to download content with the expectation you won’t have a data signal in the park.
I also recommend a fitness tracking app. I am partial to Runkeeper, but there are plenty of choices. I found it helpful to know how far we’ve hiked. It was not terribly accurate, revealing it relies on cellular and wifi more than I thought, but was useful nonetheless.
Getting Around
You’ll likely be spending most of your time in and around Yosemite Valley. Access to Yosemite Valley is via a one-way road that forms a loop. Tioga Road is north of the valley and meanders east-west through the Tuolumne section of the park. It leads to the only east entrance. Big Oak Road and Wanona Road are both north-south and connect Tioga Road with the Valley Loop and the spur that leads to Glacier Point. These roads also lead to the two western entrances and the south entrance. While this may sound complicated, it’s not, as you can see on the park map.
The valley loop experiences extreme traffic, especially around dinner time on the weekend. I was caught in a Saturday night hour and half backup while trying to travel the roughly half mile back to our hotel. It was the only moment of frustration during our visit, but it was severe. We then planned our days to avoid driving the loop except very early or very late at night.
While the valley has a shuttle bus that circulates visitors, the park is fairly large and a vast majority of visitors not arriving with a tour have their own car. Driving the roads is not for the faint of heart. There are lots of twists and turns, including some wild switchbacks as you approach Glacier Point. Most roads have insane drop offs on one side.
While not recommended, one day we wound up driving every length of road in the park. I mention this because the park, while large, is not so vast as to be inaccessible.
There is a free shuttle system that serves the valley. During rush hours, buses have their own lane, so travel times can be significantly reduced by using the shuttle. You can use the shuttle to get to dinner, go to or from a trailhead, or to see some of the many wonders visible from the valley floor. Parking is very limited at most tourist locations in the valley. Some visitors will arrive early (7–8a) and park in the Yosemite Valley Lodge parking lot and use shuttles to see the sights during the day.
Bikes are available for rent in the valley. Bikes are not permitted on hiking trails, and the flat valley loop hike is one of them. I did see some biking paths but I am not certain how far you can ride.
Photographing Yosemite
There are two significant challenges to photographing Yosemite. The first principle in photographing is accepting the reality that you will not be able to capture the sheer beauty of the landscape with a camera. While your cell phone camera is great for panoramas, and your cell phone is light, I urge you to consider bringing an SLR camera with a wide-angle lens and a kit lens. I think it’s worth the extra weight while hiking, and the cell phone pictures just don’t compare to the wide-angle pictures and low-light pictures I took. You could get away with skipping your zoom lens. While there were occasions we saw wildlife, it was not frequent enough to warrant hiking with a much heavier lens. Same with binoculars and wildlife scopes.
Another consideration is to bring a tripod. If you stay up until it’s dark, on clear nights you can see the milky way. A tripod will allow you to capture the night sky with the rock formations in the foreground.
The second principle is that Yosemite is the supermodel of US national parks. It’s easy to be discouraged by thinking you are competing with ANSEL ADAMS, and just copying his work. But you aren’t, sorry. There are endless ways to capture the beauty of the park, and even if your pictures from Tunnel View look like his, well that’s a victory too.
Internets
You should assume you will not have any cellular service in the park. There were moments when I could place a phone call, but texting was unreliable.
Wifi at Yosemite Lodge was very poor and only moderately worked early in the morning or late at night. Same with a cellular data connection. So be forewarned that although your hotel may boast wifi, it’s likely to be choked with too much traffic. Your experience may vary at other hotels in the park. The point is that you should not assume access to communications networks, voice or data, during your visit.
While lack of network connectivity may be anxiety-inducing in many, it is a great blessing as it forces one to disconnect from technology and the news and instead focus on absorbing the scenery and getting exercise.
GPS was a different story. We didn’t have any issues getting GPS signals throughout the park. You may be able to download the map to use offline, but it’s best to also plan to use a paper park map — GASP — like the olden days. You can get a good one for free when you enter the park.
Also keep in mind if you are meeting other people at a hotel, arrange in advance for all guests to be able to check in since you not be able to call the hotel while in the park. You should also share itineraries in advance so your travel mates know when you expect to arrive.
Passes
You can purchase a park passes at all four entrances to the park. The park is literally always open. 24hrs/365 days a year. A less-visited section of the park, Hetch Hetchy, is open only during daylight hours. You may save time by buying passes online.
Sites and Activities
Here are my recommendations on things to do while visiting Yosemite. I recommend budgeting a minimum of two days in the park. All of these must dos are easily accessible from Yosemite Valley with a bit of driving.
Must-do Sights:
Glacier Point. Glacier Point in perched above Yosemite Valley, offering incredible views of the valley’s gems below and an eye-level encounter with Half Dome. It’s accessible by car, making it a very popular destination. Sometimes, the park service will force you to park at a ski area about 10 minutes from Glacier Point, offering shuttle service from there.
The point is a great place to see the sunset or the sunrise. It’s the location of one of the astronomy talks in the park and also where the trailhead for the Panorama hike.
There is a small convenience store and a bathroom there.
We tried to get there early or late, as the parking can be a bit of a mess. Bring patience waiting for a space while visiting. There is a bus service from Yosemite Valley Lodge to Glacier Point. During the summer months, it is recommended that you reserve your bus ticket 6 months in advance! A one-way ticket is recommended for an easier Panorama hike (more on this later). It’s a solid hour to drive to the point by car (a bit more by bus) from the valley.
A reminder that the road to Glacier Point is closed from November through May.
Tunnel View. Tunnel view is a small turn-off on Wawona road at the end of a tunnel that provides a view straight through the valley. If you could only take one picture of the park, this is it! When you think of Ansel Adam’s pictures, this is the view you probably have in your mind. It’s better to turn off when leaving the valley since the turn off gives you a closer/less obstructed view of the valley. Trying to cross the road there is not recommended. Morning is not the best time to take a photo here since you are looking east…directly at the sun. Midday or sunset are better timing choices.
Lower Yosemite Falls. While Upper Yosemite Falls is the more impressive sibling, Lower Yosemite Falls is easily accessible from the valley via a paved path, and plenty inspiring as you get closer. This area is teeming with tourists, so consider yourself warned.
El Capitan. El Cap is a legend onto itself. Just contemplating the mass of the rock or how it was carved into something so sheer can hurt your mind. Considering how Alex Honnold free soloed it (no ropes) while you are standing at its foot is something different all together. I think the best way to experience it is from the turn-offs on Southside Drive as you initially enter the valley. You can get closer to it via the valley loop trail. There is a trail that extends from Upper Yosemite Falls trail to walk over to the top of El Cap. We were told that it’s not the best view or best hike.
Mariposa Grove or Tuolumne Grove. If granite rock formations do not thrill you, perhaps giant sequoia trees will. Yosemite is blessed with two large groves of these impossibly large trees. Mariposa Grove is the more popular choice, just inside the park at the south entrance. It features a handful of “named” trees that stand out as if they got superlatives in high school. The trails here are paved and while easier than typical hiking trails, it is often uphill and because the trees are large, you can find yourself walking 5+ miles to see about half the trees in the grove.
If you cannot make it to Mariposa Grove, Tuolumne Grove is a good backup. The walk through the grove we were told was more rigorous. Its entrance is off Tioga Road.
Olmsted Point. This point is along Tioga Road on the way to Tuolumne Meadows, and it’s not a must see unless you happen to be along Tioga Road to/from the meadows. It’s an overlook that peers south at Half Dome, witnessing Half Dome from a totally different direction than what most people experience. It’s an excellent vantage point, with the aid of a telescope, spotting scope, or zoom lens, to see the hikers on the cables up Half Dome. There is an easy nature trail that leads from the modest parking lot.
Night Sky. No matter what you do during the day, consider staying up past 10pm one night to see the night sky. There are two star-gazing talks, one at Glacier Point and one in the Valley. The Glacier Point talk has the benefit of you also experiencing the sunset from there. If you are staying in the valley, I’d strongly consider that one instead, which reduces the cost and time to travel to Glacier Point. Even if you don’t do a tour, one of the most magical moments of the trip was pulling to the side of the road in the valley at around 10pm, turning off the headlights, and seeing El Cap take a bite out of the milky way on display in the sky, all set to the rumble of Bridalveil falls to our right.
Tours. While not a “must-do,” the park has a handful of tours for those less mobile or adventuresome. The valley tour in the open air tram and the Glacier Point tours would be my top choices.
Hiking
Panorama: (~10 miles, one-way) If you only do one hike and you have the better part of a whole day, the hike to do is Panorama. As suggested by its name, it provides awesome views of the valley and close encounters with two or three significant falls as the water rushes over the cliffs. The trailhead is at Glacier Point and it is a one-way mostly downhill hike. We chose to book a one-way bus to Glacier Point. The alternative is to take the 4-mile trail from the valley floor up to Glacier Point to then take the Panorama trailhead. We were discouraged from doing this — it’s 3,600 elevation gain with relentless switchbacks, sprinkled with loose granite. It’s recommended only for advanced hikers in good shape. It’s an option if you fit these criteria and don’t have a bus ticket or two cars.
A crazy option is to hike Panorama upwards from the valley by climbing the Mist Trail and continuing uphill to Glacier Point. We gave much respect to hikers we met laboring in the other direction.
Because this hike is 3,200 feet downhill, it can be punishing on the feet and knees. Good boots, hiking poles, foot taping, and good orthotics are recommended for some hikers, including those whose names rhyme with Jason Heltzer (I used all of these).
Along the trail, you’ll traverse Illilouette Falls, a good resting point to soak your feet in the near-freezing temperature water rushing past you over the falls. Some hikers bring a change in socks so they can indulge (we made due with one pair). From there, you familiarize yourself with the many personalities of Half Dome as it seems to rotate in front of you. If you have a zoom lens or binoculars with you, it’s an opportunity to see hikers gripping the cables for dear life as they ascend the back of Half Dome. The typical route once you arrive at the Merced River spilling over Nevada Falls is to take the Mist Trail down. Thankfully, a colleague coached us to follow the John Muir Trail to the valley floor. While we forfeited the chance to see meet Vernal Falls up close, our route meant less foot traffic and avoided the slippery steps of the Mist Trail, which would have been that much more perilous in decent.
Taft Point and the Fissures (2.3mi out and back): This hike’s climax is a spectacular view of the valley, that unlike Glacier Point, is “earned” by hiking there. What also sets this location apart from Glacier Point is a LACK OF RAILINGS. The rock ends abruptly, and then it’s about 3,000 feet STRAIGHT down. This is not a hike to take children on. It’s also an occasion to watch where you are stepping if you insist on taking a selfie. Indeed, from time to time, people fall to their death here.
We enjoyed laying down on our stomach and peaking our head over the ledge to look straight down. All the pictures I took do not do the feeling justice.
The fissures are on the approach to Taft Point. These are giant cracks in the rock that descend thousands of feet down. Did I mention to watch where you step?
This hike starts from a trailhead just short of Glacier Point. Plan to arrive before 9am to have a designated parking spot, although it seems many people were comfortable parking along the road in non-spots when they arrived later.
Like a fine wine and a filet mignon, this hike pairs nicely with Sentinel Dome. They share a trailhead and you can combine the two to a good solid half-day itinerary.
Sentinel Dome (2.1mi out and back). Sentinel Dome is a lovely hike that perches you atop a granite dome with unobstructed view of Half Dome. It’s trailhead is the same as Taft Point and the Fissures. You can combine the two for a 5.1mi loop.
Elizabeth Lake (~5mi out and back): Elizabeth Lake is a tranquil alpine lake in Tuolumne. It begins with a thousand feet of elevation gain for the first roughly 2 miles. While this may not sound as relentless as Upper Yosemite Falls, the hike *begins* at 8,500 feet in elevation at the Tuolumne Meadows campground. You have to go pretty far into the campground to find the trailhead. You’ll have to go past the ranger station (let them know where you are going and ask for directions). There is a dedicated public paved lot for the trailhead, so you’ll know when you’ve found it. The trip is worth it, as you’ll find this trail less trafficked than others that are near the valley. The lake is a great place to stop for lunch and having a rest before heading down. The mosquitos near the lake were ferocious, so this is a hike to have serious bug spray and long sleeves (at least for when you are at the lake). While you should expect the weather to be cooler, still take plenty of water given the elevation. There’s a bathroom at the trailhead, too.
Upper Yosemite Falls (7.2mi out and back): Upper Yosemite Falls trail is a the king of switchbacks, and for good reason: the trail includes 3,100 feet of gain. The payoff is sitting next to the falls itself as it roars* over the edge, with nice views of the valley below. This is one of the most popular trails in the park, and so do not choose this if you are looking for peace in the wilderness. It’s a 6–8 hour ordeal to climb it and come back. High-top hiking boots are essential on the descent lest you twist an ankle. There is also a way to hike to the top of El Cap from the end of this trail, although few people recommended this addition. The trailhead is close to Lower Yosemite Falls and a brief walk from Yosemite Valley Lodge.
*later into August, the falls can slow to a trickle as the snow run-off has mostly melted.
Mist Trail (8.8mi loop): This trail is one of the most popular trails in the park. It’s popular because it passes by Vernal Falls and Nevada Fall in close enough proximity to cause the granite steps to be showered with water. During June and July when snowmelt runoff is at its peak, rangers recommend rain gear to adequately protect from the water. This also makes for slippery footholds. If that and the crowds weren’t enough to deter you, perhaps the 2,200 feet of elevation gain will. Even getting to the trailhead is an exhausting hike up a paved pathway that at points seems as though it’s a 35% grade. We saw several unprepared tourists walking up to the trailhead, and I bet a great many turned back once they got there.
If you are committed to seeing the falls up close, you can also experience this trail downwards and as a continuation from the Panorama Trail. Keep in mind while it will be less cardio-vascular stress, it’s more slippery going down the stairs than up.
I am sure this can be a lovely experience, but we chose to skip it.
Half Dome (14.8mi out and back): The pinnacle of hikes in the park is hiking the cables up the backside of Half Dome. This hike is epic for a lot of reasons. One, you end the hike on the very top of Half Dome, arguably the crown jewel of the park. Two, the hike is so steep for the last 200 feet, it requires that you hold on to two cables with each hand and that you have workman’s gloves to do so. The grade can be 45 degrees at times. Three, it includes more than 4,000 feet of elevation gain. Four, given the elevation and the distance, it’s a 10–12 hour endeavour of endurance.
Before you conclude that you are up for the challenge, consider that most hikers arrive at the cables after hiking for 6–8 hours straight. Others camp near the dome and ascend first thing in the morning to see the sunrise from the top.
You must have a permit to climb the cables. Most obtain one well in advance. A limited number are available closer in to the date. You won’t be allowed to climb without a permit. Second, you absolutely must not climb if there if the rocks are wet. Slipping on the cables usually means death for you, and sometimes hikers below you.
If you choose to do this in one “day”, plan for getting up at 4am and hiking with headlamps to start. Everyone plans to be at the cables when it’s light.
There is no question this is the ultimate hike in the park and accordingly is associated with the biggest bragging rights.
Valley Floor Loop Trail (20 mi loop): The loop is mostly a flat trail that, as the name implies, is a loop around the valley floor. It’s an excursion past all the sights in the valley including Lower Yosemite Falls, El Cap, Bridalveil falls, and the foot of Half Dome. We chose to do this hike on our third of four days in the park as a “rest day” with limited elevation. We also did the hike in running shoes, and while we had to daintily traverse some muddy areas, we were happy to take a rest from our boots. This trail can be sized as you see fit, since it more or less runs along bus stops for the shuttle. We chose 12 miles starting at Upper Yosemite Falls heading west to El Cap, Bridal Veil and then hopping off the trail, cutting across the Merced, to make it back to the lodge. This is a great trail for kids or others who are looking for less strenuous hikes. It’s also a great one for groups where there is different stamina for distance, as people can peel off and take the shuttle while others trek onward.
Pothole Dome (1mi out and back): Tuolumne is littered with crazy dome rock formations. Think of Half Dome, except much smaller and full domes! Pothole is one of these domes that we chose to scamper up. This is one where running shoes may be better given how steep the angles are and how much you will want to grip the rock. We added this one on to Elizabeth Lake. At the top of the dome, you have an excellent view of Tuolumne Meadows and other nearby domes.
May Lake (2.8 mi out and back): May Lake is a popular hike that concludes at a clear, secluded lake. The trailhead is off of Tioga Pass Road before reaching the Tuolumne Meadows. It popularity, other than the views, is driven by the mere 500 feet of elevation gain. Some hikers add 3–4 additional miles to climb one of the peaks near the lake to get a great view of Tenaya Lake. There is a campground at the lake as well, and reports of good trout fishing. Check fishing regulations before your first cast. (Hattip to Eric Duboe for hike suggestion).
More Information on Hikes
These are only a sampling of hikes in the park. I found alltrails.com to be indispensable when planning our hikes in advance. While the pictures can feel like they are giving away the “payoff” of the hike, no picture does justice to the sheer beauty of the park. I also found it extremely helpful to talk to the folks at the front desk at the lodge who gave us superb guidance as we planned our days. The concierge at the lodge was generally overwhelmed and had limited hours. You may find visiting the various information buildings throughout Yosemite to be very helpful. There are trail maps at these locations (and front desks) that give more detail on trails than the official park map you get at the entrances.
If you rely on Alltrails, remember wifi and cellular access to data networks is very unreliable. You might consider paying to download trailmaps or making sure you have a paper backup.
Our Itinerary
Our trip was from August 2nd — August 7th.
We flew from Chicago to San Francisco and rented a car and drove straight east to the park, starting around noon, and arriving around dinner time.
Evening 1 (Friday): Arrival, dinner at Yosemite Valley Lodge dining room (the Mountain Room — you can make reservations on Opentable, although we didn’t find that necessary)
Day 1(Saturday): Sentinel Dome and the Taft (Fissures) Loop, Lunch at Tenaya Lodge (leaving the park was a mistake, although the food was good), Mariposa Grove. Dinner, Mountain Lounge at Yosemite Valley Lodge.
Day 2 (Sunday): Drove to Tuolumne, Olmsted Point + nature walk, hiked Elizabeth Lake, Pothole Dome, dinner at Wawona Hotel (I wish we were there for BBQ picnic night, food was unremarkable and it was very hot in the dining room), astronomy talk at Glacier Point. This day, we literally drove every mile of the park, minus the spurs to the entrances, as to avoid the valley on a Saturday to miss the traffic.
Day 3 (Monday): Valley Loop trail. Dinner, Ahwahnee Hotel Dining Room.
Day 4 (Tuesday): morning bus to Glacier Point, then Panorama Trail to John Muir Trail (avoiding Mist Trail). Dinner, Mountain Room.
If you happen to use this guide, please return the favor and shoot other recommendations/corrections in the comments below. Thanks!
