Yosemite Menu

NON-HIKING MENU CHOICES: 1. If you have a little bit of time to spend, lie in the meadow and gaze up at the climbers. 2. Check out the gallery in the Yosemite Village. 3. Check out the Visitors’ Center in the village. There is a wealth of information and this is where students can purchase things. 4. Take a quick look in the Yosemite Hotel (formerly called the Ahwahnee). Don’t get stalled out too long here.

DAY HIKE OPTIONS IN THE VALLEY:

El Capitan: There is a climbers trail to the base of El Capitan. Find it on your map. The students have learned a lot about climbing in the valley. Standing at the base of El Capitan and looking up would be mind-boggling. This would be a short hike. Artist Point:

(This sounds like an amazing hike…I haven’t done it but want to)

Distance: 2 miles (3.2 km) round trip

Elevation at trailhead: 4,400 feet (1,340 meters) Elevation Gain: 500 feet (150 meters)

Why Hike to Artist Point? To see a Tunnel-View-like vista without engaging in the scrum for position that's the normal state of affairs at the actual .

Best Time to Visit: After two or three tour buses have unloaded their swarms at the Tunnel View. If you want to take pictures, it'll also help if sunset is approaching and there are some big fluffy clouds accessorizing the eastern sky.

Hiking Time: 45 - 90 minutes

Scenery Factor: It's similar to Yosemite's most famous panorama, the Tunnel View, but from higher and a bit to the southeast. In my opinion, it's superior to the Tunnel View. You don't see as much of , and you miss and much of , but you do see more of , plus things you can't see from the Tunnel View: Bridalveil Meadow, Royal Arches, partial views of and , plus a few corners of the . If you're a serious photographer, you'll find this spot eminently tripod-worthy.

Getting There: The trailhead is at 's Tunnel View vista. If you're already in Yosemite Valley, head to the western end of the valley and follow the signs pointing you to Highway 41 and/or . The Tunnel View is about two miles (3 km) uphill from Bridalveil Fall.

Trail Notes: The trail starts from the Tunnel View on the uphill side of the road. This is the Pohono Trail, which goes all the way to , passing several other points (Inspiration, Crocker, Stanford, Dewey, and Taft) plus Sentinel Domeen route. For this hike, though, you want to turn left half a mile along, where the trail intersects the old stagecoach road into Yosemite Valley. You'll reach Artist Point in just under half a mile. Shortly before Artist Point, you'll pass a viewpoint partially obstructed by trees; this isn't it - keep going and you'll find a much better view just around the corner. Just past Artist Point, the trail crosses Artist Creek. If you get this far, you've missed the literal point, though you'd have to be distracted by assorted bears and a flying saucer to overlook it. If you keep going, you'll eventually come out at Highway 41 a quarter mile uphill from Bridalveil Fall. Bridalveil Fall: Photos · Trail Map · Satellite View · Reviews Distance: 1.2 miles (2 km) round trip Elevation at trailhead: 4,000 feet (1,200 meters) Elevation Gain: 200 feet (60 meters), more or less Why Hike to Bridalveil Fall? At 620 feet (189 meters), this cataract is short compared to , but chances are you still don't have anything like it in your neighborhood. It's famous for the mist that wafts off it when the breezes blow and which, according to the poetic, isolation-addled souls who get to name , resembles a bridal veil. Hanging out at the base of the falls during peak runoff can be akin to taking a shower in a tornado, sans the flying cows. Best Time to Visit: In the springtime, when the snowmelt is roaring over the falls and you'll need windshield wipers for your spectacles - sometimes from a quarter mile away. Hiking Time: 15 - 30 minutes Crowd Factor: As heavy as the waterflow, generally. Along with Lower Yosemite Falls, this is one place where virtually every tour bus is sure to stop, so crowds will appear in waves. Difficulty: Easy; a 1 out of 10. There's some incline and the spray-soaked path can be slippery near the falls, but it's still a hike that almost anyone can do. Parking: A large lot at the trailhead. It often fills up, but if you drive a few hundred meters into the valley, you'll find a trail to the falls running parallel to the road, and you can almost always find a parking spot somewhere along here, with the added bonus of having a view of El Capitan. This longer trail is probably better anyway; it crosses Bridalveil Creek and some pleasant meadows, and really, the more of Yosemite Valley you walk through, the happier you're going to be. Here are Google Street View panoramas of the turnoff to the main parking area and the alternate trailhead (trail at right, El Capitan looming overhead). Nearest Bathrooms: You can find some rather pungent pit toilets next to the parking lot, and bathrooms with plumbing in Yosemite Village, five miles east. Nearest Snacks: Assuming that all the cooler-laden cars in the parking lot are out of bounds, your best bet is Yosemite Village, five miles east. Getting There: From Yosemite Valley, take Highway 41, which heads towards Wawona and the south park exit. You'll reach the Bridalveil Falls parking lot very shortly after turning onto Highway 41. See the trail map for a clearer idea.

The (Vernal and Nevada Falls): Photos · Trail Map · Reviews Distance: 3 miles (4.8 km) round trip to , 7 miles (11 km) round trip to . If you walk from instead of catching a shuttle bus to the trailhead, add an extra 1.5 miles (2.4 km) round trip. Elevation at trailhead: 4,000 feet (1,200 meters) Elevation Gain: 1,000 feet (300 meters) to top of Vernal Fall; 1,900 feet (580 meters) to top of Nevada Fall Why Hike the Mist Trail? This is Yosemite's signature hike. While many of Yosemite's trails are popular due to having a single spectacular destination, the Mist Trail has fabulous views scattered all along it, beginning at the bridge overlook, progressing to two unforgettable waterfalls that fall a combined total of more than 900 feet (270 meters), and ending with perhaps the most striking of all: the view of Nevada Fall, , and the back of Half Dome from the Muir Trail return segment. Best Time to Visit: During peak runoff, which is generally from April into June, though after particularly snowy winters this can extend well into July. See the Should I Hike the Mist Trail Today? page for examples of how the falls look at various states of water flow and for information on current flow levels. Because the Mist Trail is such a popular hike, time of day matters as well. If you're hiking it during peak season, and especially during a peak season weekend, you'll get the best experience starting early in the morning or later in the afternoon (in the latter case, be sure to pack a flashlight). Hit the trail by 7 AM, assuming you possess the sort of superhuman getting-out-of-bed powers that this entails, and crowds won't be a factor for you until your return trip to the trailhead. Hiking Time: 2 - 5 hours, depending on how far you go Scenery Factor: Sublime. You can get covered-with-spray close to two of Yosemite's rock- star waterfalls, and the view looking back from the Muir Trail is just as remarkable as the trail up the falls. Crowd Factor: Heavy to the top of Vernal Fall, especially when the water is high. The crowds thin out considerably if you continue to the top of Nevada Fall, although several trails intersect at the top of this fall, so you won't be alone there. Difficulty: Medium, but bordering strenuous if you go all the way to the top of Nevada Fall. The stretches beside Vernal and Nevada Falls are both quite steep - in fact, the last few hundred meters up the Vernal Falls trail are stairs cut into the cliffside. If you need a gentler workout, you can just proceed as far as the bridge looking upstream to Vernal Fall without exerting yourself quite so much. Parking: You can park just about anywhere in the eastern half of Yosemite Valley and catch a free shuttle bus to the trailhead near . The nearest parking, however, is at the trailhead parking lot, which is just east of Curry Village. If it's full, try Curry Village, where you can usually find a spot if you're willing to poke around in the back corners of the unpaved section of the lot. Nearest Bathrooms: Park planners were apparently concerned about what subliminal messages our bladders would receive from the sight of all that flowing water, because the Mist Trail is Yosemite's toilet king. Besides the ones at Curry Village, you'll find them across the bridge at the first overlook, at the top of Vernal Fall, and at the top of Nevada Fall. Nearest Snacks: There are restaurants and a convenience store at Curry Village, 1.5 miles (2.4 km) west of the trailhead. There's also a snack stand at Happy Isles, just across the bridge from the trailhead. You can get drinking water at the Vernal Fall footbridge, a mile (1.5 km) along the trail. Getting There: In Yosemite Valley, follow the signs to Curry Village. From Curry Village, a good place to park, hike southeastish on Southside Drive until you reach the trailhead or catch a ride on one of the free shuttle buses. Alternately, you can check the trailhead parking lot, which is roughly half a mile past Curry Village and another half mile or so short of the trailhead itself. This lot tends to fill up early with people doing the Half Dome hike, though. Private vehicles aren't allowed on the road past the trailhead parking lot, so you can't drive all the way to the trailhead.

Lower Yosemite Falls:

Trail Map · Photos · Reviews

Distance: 0.5 miles (.8 km) round trip from trailhead; 1.5 miles (2.4 km) round trip from Yosemite Village

Elevation at trailhead: 3,967 feet (1,347 meters) Elevation Gain: very little

Why See Yosemite Falls? It's a so high it has to take a break and rest twice in the course of its descent. It's a 2,425 foot tumbler, tallest in North America and fifth tallest in the solar system. Ten times taller than Niagara or Shoshone Falls, nearly twice as tall as the Empire State Building, it's about the height a 200-story building would be, if somebody ever built one. The lower fall, which you'll be seeing up close on this hike, is the shortest section of the fall, but it's still 320 feet (98 meters) high.

Hiking Time: 15 - 60 minutes

Scenery Factor: This hike is a scenery sandwich, with dramatic views of the falls at the beginning and the end. In between, though, you'll have to labor a quarter mile through the woods without any overtly spectacular motivation. Try spending the time composing a poem about your favorite travel-related website. You could easily occupy the entire trip just trying to think of three rhymes for "Yosemite".

Best Time to Visit: In the spring, when water is roaring off the falls and the breeze it creates at the bridge underneath the falls will blow your hat off.

Worst Time to Visit: In the early fall and late summer, by which time the falls have often dried up altogether. Visit the Yosemite Falls webcam during daylight hours to see how much water is currently flowing over the falls. (If this link isn't working, visit the main webcams page and then click on the Yosemite Falls thumbnail. Or just try the streaming version of the webcam.) The webcams only show the upper falls, but savvy outdoorsmen can infer that if the upper falls are dry, the lower falls will be as well.

Crowd Factor: You won't be spending any quiet moments alone with nature here. Besides being a spectacular sight, Yosemite Falls seems to emit a sort of mating call, undetectable to human ears, that draws buses from thousands of miles in every direction.

Difficulty: Easy. You haven't worked so little for a view this singular since the moon landing was on TV.

Parking: Try parking around Yosemite Village, along Northside Drive, or really anywhere you can, with the large lots at Yosemite Village and Curry Village being your most likely bets. Walking through Yosemite Valley is hardly a burden.

Nearest Restrooms: At the trailhead.

Nearest Snacks: Yosemite Village, half a mile away.

Getting There: From Yosemite Village, walk half a mile west to the trailhead. The falls are visible from much of the valley, so finding them should not be a problem. The free shuttle buses, which cover most of the eastern half of the valley, stop at the trailhead.

Mirror Lake & Canyon: Trail Map · Reviews Distance: 2.4 miles (3.8 km) round trip from the trailhead to ; 4 miles (6.4 km) to go all the way to the end of the trail in and loop around. If you're hiking from Curry Village instead of riding the bus to the trailhead, add an extra 1.5 miles (2.4 km) round trip. Elevation at trailhead: 4,000 feet (1,220 meters) Elevation Gain: 100 feet (30 meters) Hiking Time: 1 - 3 hours Why visit Mirror Lake? Not to see a lake, that's for sure. Mirror Lake is in fact just a big pool in Tenaya Creek. It is a pleasant walk, and about as close as you can get to the base of Half Dome, whose crown you can see reflected in the lake's waters from some locations. Mirror Lake is also one of Yosemite's most popular swimming holes. Scenery Summary: It's a pretty hike, but probably not worthy of the heavy crowds it draws in the summer. Like the least house in an exclusive neighborhood, this hike gets overvalued (and over visited) because it's in Yosemite Valley. The pool at Mirror Lake and the view of Mt. Watkins (8,500 feet/2,600 meters), which rises above the far north end of Tenaya Canyon, are the scenic highlights. Although you get very close to the base of Half Dome here, it's probably not the best angle to see it from - after all, who does look good when you're gazing straight up their nostrils? Crowd Factor: Mirror Lake is the biggest swimming hole in Yosemite, so you'll find all shapes, sizes, and textures of people here. Difficulty: Easy. There's not a lot of climbing, and much of the trail is paved - you can even ride your bike most of the way to Mirror Lake. Best Time to Visit: If you're a swimmer, whenever it's hot out. Otherwise, go in the winter winter, when the trail is still open but it's not nearly so crowded. Nearest Restrooms: Along the trail near Mirror Lake. Nearest Snacks: At Curry Village. Getting There: The trailhead, well marked, is at the far east end of Yosemite Valley. You can take the shuttle bus directly to the trailhead or hike east from Curry Village or the .

Tuolumne Grove of Giant Sequoias: Trail Map · Reviews Distance: 2.5 miles (4 km) round trip Elevation at trailhead: 6,200 feet (1,860 meters) Elevation Gain: 400 feet (120 meters) elevation loss to the grove. Why visit the Tuolumne Grove? If you're a dessert-first kind of person, the Tuolumne Grove trail was made for you: the entire trip to the grove is downhill. Oh, and the grove itself contains a couple dozen mature Giant Sequoias, including one you can walk through (although it's dead - but then, you would be too). Hiking Time: 1.5 - 2.5 hours Best Time to Visit: The Sequoias should be equally scenic whenever Tioga Road is open - June through October, generally - but it might be best in the Autumn, when the deciduous trees are changing colors. Parts of the grove sometimes get closed late in the year, though. Difficulty: It's an easy hike over a short, smooth trail. The only downer (so to speak) is that you'll have to climb 400 feet on the route back to the trailhead. Crowd Factor: Not as crowded as the , but you'll still find no shortage of fellow travelers unless you're there during inclement weather or very late in the season. Parking: Large lot at the trailhead. Nearest Bathrooms: at the trailhead (outhouse variety) Nearest Snacks: at Crane Flat gas station, half a mile back towards Yosemite Valley Getting There: From Yosemite Valley, take highway 120 ten miles (16.8 km) to the Crane Flat/Tioga Road turnoff, then take Tioga Road half a mile (0.8 km) east to the Tuolumne Grove parking lot. From Yosemite's east entrance at , take the Tioga Road west 47 miles (75 km) to the lot. Here's a Google Street View panorama of the trailhead parking area.

Inspiration Point: Trail Map · Satellite View · Reviews Distance: 2.6 miles (4.2 kilometers) round trip Elevation at trailhead: 4,400 feet (1,340 meters) Elevation at Inspiration Point: 5,390 feet (1,643 meters) Total Elevation Gain: 990 feet (300 meters) Why Hike to Inspiration Point? It offers the El Capitan / Half Dome bookend view of Yosemite Valley that inspires thousands of visitors to stop at the overlook, but it's farther up the mountainside and much less crowded. At least if you don't count trees. Best Time to Visit: The main purpose of nearly anyone hiking this trail is to photograph Yosemite Valley, so hike it when photographic conditions are best. If you go while there's still some snow on the peaks, it will add some helpful contrast to offset the evergreens and the gray . And a few fluffy clouds - or better yet, a clearing storm that's left trails of fog in the valley and clouds casting patterns of light on the valley walls - will be a big plus on the Ansel Adams-o-meter. If you're facing east (and you will be), light is usually best at sunrise or from late afternoon to sunset. Hiking Time: 1 - 2 hours Difficulty: It's a short hike, but it's steadily - and during the first half, steeply - uphill. It rates a 4 out of 10. Crowd Factor: Light. But due to all those pesky trees poking up and obscuring the view without any thought to those behind them, there's only one really prime spot for photography, so if there's anyone else on the trail, you'll all be headed for the same patch of rock. Nearest Bathrooms: At Bridalveil Fall, 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometers) down highway 41 (41). Nearest Snacks: Yosemite Village, 7 miles (11 kilometers) ahead. Getting There: The trailhead is at the Wawona Tunnel overlook, photo central for Yosemite visitors. If you're in Yosemite Valley, exit the valley on highway 41, and you'll reach the tunnel overlook 1.5 miles (2.4 km) past Bridalveil Fall. It's just outside the downhill end of Wawona Tunnel. There are parking lots on both sides of the road here; the trailhead is on the uphill side of the road. Hazards: It's only 1.3 miles (2.1 kilometers) to Inspiration Point, but it's all uphill, and fairly steep for the first half of the hike. Given the limited amount of tree-free viewing space at the point, if you find other sightseers there at sunset, you'll have to resort to fisticuffs to ascertain who gets the prime spot. You can establish your alpha-photographer status more efficiently if you bring one of those all-purpose tripods with sword blades tucked away in the legs. Trail Notes: The trailhead looks ominously steep - and in fact, the first half of the hike will make you work. Although the entire route to Inspiration Point is uphill, it grows less steep over the course of the hike. Think of the first half mile as a barrier that will discourage the more timid hikers and give you more solitude on the upper parts of the trail. For most of this hike, the views of Yosemite Valley are checkered with trees. However, there is a spot early in the hike - the parking lot will still be visible - where you get mostly unobstructed valley views. So if all you want is a valley view without the crowds at the tunnel overlook, you might decide just to hike to here and then return.

Columbia Rock: Trail Map · Satellite View · Reviews Distance: 3 miles (4.8 km) round trip from the Lower Yosemite Falls trailhead Trailhead Elevation: 3,967 feet (1,347 meters) Elevation Gain: 1,000 feet (300 meters) Hiking Time: 1.5 - 2.5 hours Why hike to Columbia Rock? Columbia Rock is the free trial version of the Upper Yosemite Falls trail, allowing you to sample the views, dropoffs, and switchbacks without committing to the entire hike. Please note (there's always an asterisk with these free trials) that the actual views included are of Yosemite Valley rather than the falls themselves. What is Columbia Rock? Columbia Rock is a viewpoint about a third of the way up the Upper Yosemite Falls trail. It's got 180-degree views along Yosemite Valley from Half Dome in the east to Cathedral Spires in the west. Though the Columbia Rock overlook is part of the Upper Yosemite Falls trail, you won't see any part of the falls on this section of the trail; it's the unobstructed views across the valley that make this abridged version of the hike notable. Difficulty: Medium. It's a short hike, but you pay in switchbacks - more than three dozen of them - for the privilege of the looking-down-on-the-valley views here. It's much steeper than the 4-Mile Trail, which climbs to the valley rim from the opposite side of Yosemite Valley. Best Time to Visit: The views from here are good year round. Since it's the distant views that make this hike, hazy days will hurt this hike more than they will a hike to a lake or waterfall. You'll get the best views of Half Dome near sunset and of the western valley in the morning, but due to the high valley walls, the valley itself will be in shadow early and late in the day. Crowd Factor: If you've been reading other reviews, this is a tired refrain, but: hikes starting in Yosemite Valley are usually crowded in the summer. If you can, pick a weekday instead of a weekend. Nearest Bathrooms: At the Lower Yosemite Falls trailhead, which will also be your trailhead for this hike. Nearest Snacks: Yosemite Village, half a mile east of the Lower Yosemite Falls trailhead, has Yosemite's largest general store plus a handful of restaurants. Getting There: The trail starts from the northeastern part of Yosemite Valley. You'll probably want to follow the signs to either Yosemite Village or Curry Village, where the two largest parking lots are. It's a short walk from the Yosemite Village day-use parking lot to the trailhead. From Curry Village, you're likely to want to catch one of the free shuttle buses to the trailhead.

The Four-Mile Trail:

Photos · Trail Map & Directions · Satellite View · Reviews

Distance: 4.7 miles (7.5 km) one way; 9.4 miles (15 km) round trip

Yosemite Valley Elevation: 4,000 feet (1,200 meters) Glacier Point Elevation: 7,200 feet (2,200 meters) Total Elevation Change: 3,200 feet (975 meters)

Hiking Time: 2 - 5 hours one way

Why Hike the 4-Mile Trail? Because this is where Yosemite Falls gives you the full monty. And if you hike it from bottom to top, you can buy yourself an ice cream at trail's end.

Crowd Factor: It's a trail that connects Yosemite's two most popular spots - Yosemite Valley and Glacier Point - so it will have lots of hikers. There are memorable views around nearly every corner, though, so people won't be piling up at any particular spot. Scenery Summary: There may be no better way to see what's so fabulous about Yosemite Valley than to hike the Four-Mile Trail, which climbs from the valley floor near the Swinging Bridge to the south valley rim at Glacier Point (or vice versa, or both, depending on your inclination). This hike offers great views of most of the landmarks that Yosemite Valley's famous for, and all from angles you're not used to seeing on postcards.

The scenery starts slowly from the bottom, since you need to climb above the timber that blankets much of the valley before the views really start to pop, but the early stretches are still pleasant, as you pass lots of moss-covered boulders and, if your timing is good, wildflowers.

A mile or so in, you'll start to round corners and see Yosemite Falls in all of its glory. From nearly anyplace else in the world, strategic bits of the falls are coyly hidden by trees or rock, but on the lower half of the Four-Mile Trail, you get to see everything. You'll also see a reverse tunnel view off to the west, with Cathedral Rocks and El Capitan framing opposite sides of the view. You'll pass almost directly under Sentinel Rock, and once you reach the trail gate (closed in the winter), about three miles (4.5 km) from the bottom, you'll start to see remarkable views up Tenaya Canyon to Half Dome, Clouds Rest, North Dome, and the Royal Arches. You'll also get varying views of Yosemite Falls almost all the way to the top of the trail, eventually reaching the point where you're looking down on them.