Yosemite is spread over thousands of miles. Figuring out how to fit it all into one trip can be a daunting task. Today we’ve put together a simple Yosemite itinerary with some helpful information for planning your trip.
Lodging
Most towns near Yosemite will be at least an hour drive into the park. This works for some, but we recommend renting a home/condo in Yosemite West or Foresta if you want to be staying right in the thick of it all. Both of these communities are only accessible from within the park and during the high season, however you can get a head start on the roads to your park destinations before the crowds get into the park at 9am each morning. There are hotels in Yosemite Valley, however they’re expensive given the alternative options.
Check out our Yosemite Overview post if you haven’t already, this will give you background about the different areas of the park we’ll talk about in this post. Each one has different types of attractions and we’ve broken down some of our favorites for you.
Meals
We’ve included lunch plans in most of these days. However, plan on eating most breakfast/dinners at your home/condo. It will save you time and $$$.
Day 1 (Sunday)
Rent a home in Yosemite West or Foresta. Plan to stop at a grocery store before arriving at the park, there are many options outside each entrance. Most check-in times will be later in the day, so plan your driving trip to arrive to your accommodations around that time. Unpack and relax that first night.
We suggest going on a Sunday afternoon as weekends in the park are incredibly busy. Arriving while everyone else is leaving on a Sunday afternoon can be a major advantage!
Day 2 (Monday)
Devote your day to Yosemite Valley. Try to leave your house early, ideally before the gates to the park open at 9am, to avoid crowds. Find an awesome parking spot in Yosemite Valley. Our suggestion is on the northern side, which is on the way out of the park. Most visitors park on the way “in” so the opportunity for a good spot is shortly as you start heading out. Park your car and don’t move it until you leave for the day. Parking in the Valley can be terrible!
Use the free shuttles in the Valley or simply walk – there are trails all over. Stop at some of the fast casual restaurants for lunch (they are very reasonably priced) or pack your own for a cheaper option.
Your day in the Valley can be as strenuous or casual as you like. The Village includes the Visitor Center in case you want to learn the history of Yosemite before you visit all of its corners on your trip.
Favorite Hikes:
- Bridalveil Falls and Yosemite Falls – best in the Spring or Summer, can run dry by the Fall. It is a short, paved hike that anyone can do.
- Vernal/Nevada Falls – these flow year round but this hike is strenuous. You ascend 1,000 feet up granite steps carved into the side of the mountain to the top of the falls.
- Pro tip: Take the steps up to Vernal falls for the views, then follow the John Muir trail back down to the bottom of the falls. It’s a leisurely hike down the switch backs on the John Muir and you get amazing views.
- This trail eventually takes you to the top of Half Dome if you’re up for it, but budget sufficient time for this hike (8-10 hours) if you’re going all the way to the top.
Day 3 (Tuesday): Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias + Glacier Point.
Follow signs for Wawona Road or Hwy 41 to access these two locations. Pack lunches for this day unless you’d like to head into the nearest town, Oakhurst, for lunch and groceries. This drive is about 30-45 minutes each way from Mariposa Grove.
Mariposa Grove
This hot spot fills up quickly but shouldn’t be bad on a Tuesday. Follow the Wawona Road (Hwy 41) all the way to the Southern Gate Entrance.
Park at Mariposa Grove Visitors Center and either hike to the Grove (a few miles round trip) or take the free and extremely convenient shuttle, which only takes 5-10 minutes.
Favorite Hikes:
- There is the short and sweet trail to the Grizzly Giant, which takes you straight to the largest and oldest Giant Sequoia in the park. Easy hike, very crowded.
- The Grizzly Giant Loop is a 2 mile hike that takes you up about 300 feet of elevation gain, but it is not steep and the trail is well groomed. This loop will take you from the shuttle drop off, through a significant amount of Giant Sequoias, the Grizzly Giant, and back to the shuttle stop (where there are bathrooms, FYI). This hike is moderate but has lots of fantastic scenery.
Glacier Point
Heading north back towards Yosemite Valley, the Glacier Point Road comes in at the crest of a hill, right around Yosemite West. Glacier Point Road closes for cold weather conditions around November and reopens in the Summer. Plan accordingly if you want to visit here! Check the Yosemite website for up to date information.
Glacier Point Road dead ends at Glacier Point, so it’ll be hard to miss. There is a large parking lot but, as you might see a pattern here, it fills fast on popular days. Once again, going on a Tuesday should help! Get out of the car and go wander all around Glacier Point. There are many places to look out and fantastic photo-ops.
On your drive back down the Glacier Point Road, halfway back to the Wawona Road, is a pair of fantastic hikes:
- Sentinel Dome: this hike is a must do! It is 1 mile each way (or can be combined with the Taft Point hike to make a loop). The hike is a mile through small elevation gain until you reach the foot of Sentinel Dome. From there you just climb to the top of the dome. Expect unhindered, panoramic views of Yosemite Valley from Sentinel Dome. It’s honestly the best bang for your buck hike that we encountered.
- Taft Point & the Fissures is a fantastic hike similar to Sentinel Dome. Both hikes leave from the same trailhead, but go in opposite directions; make them a loop by following the signs if you’re up for an extended hike. Taft Point is a rocky jut out over Yosemite Valley that can be gut-wrenching for those with a fear of heights but give spectacular views of the Valley.
Day 4 (Wednesday): The Tioga Road (Hwy 120)
Pack lunches for Day 4, as there won’t be easily accessible restaurants along the way.
Similar to Glacier Point Road, the Tioga Road closes in the winter, so make sure to plan accordingly.
The Tioga Road connects the east and west ends of Yosemite. Expect about 1 hour to drive from Foresta to Tuolumne Meadows (almost the farthest East point) and about 1.5 hours from Yosemite West.
We suggest stopping at Olmsted Point on your trip east on the Tioga Road. This famous lookout point has a small trail you can follow but the views from the parking lot are just as amazing.
Just a few miles down the road from Olmsted Point is Tenaya Lake, a huge alpine lake. There are restrooms on both ends of the lake but you can park and picnic anywhere along the shores of the lake. A 2 mile trail also circles the lake in case you’re up for another hike. People will even swim here in the summer on particularly hot days.
Continue down the road to Tuolumne Meadows. There is a visitor center open during the summer months for restrooms, museums, and shops. The Meadows have many trails leading out from the parking areas, so venture around at your leisure. We highly recommend stopping by Soda Springs and the Tuolumne River.
Pothole Dome is a nice hike at the west end of Tuolumne Meadows. You can hike back to the Tuolumne River (about 1.5 miles) or you can just go straight up to the top of the dome and overlook Tuolumne Meadows. The views are breath-taking but the hike can be a little strenuous to the top.
Day 5 (Thursday): Hetch Hetchy or head back
Either spend one last day exploring the often-overlooked Hetch Hetchy. Exit the park at the Big Oak Flat Entrance and re-enter at the Hetch Hetchy entrance. There are hikes and lookout points once you enter. John Muir said that the Hetch Hetchy Valley was Yosemite Valleys larger and more beautiful sister but it was dammed in the 1900s to provide drinking water for the Bay Area. Still a beautiful place to visit and worth the trip.
If you’re heading back to civilization to fly out, leave early as traffic can always be troublesome on the mountain roads. You can easily get to any close airports (see our Yosemite Overview) in a few hours. Stay a night or two and explore another city. We explored San Francisco Thursday and Friday then flew home early Saturday morning (flights on Saturdays are generally the cheapest you’ll find over the weekend). Getting home early on a Saturday gave us time to relax and rest from our Yosemite adventure before returning to work on Monday.
If we had our choice, we’d spend double the time in this beautiful national park. There are so many trails and sights to see around every corner, it’s no wonder John Muir fell in love with it so many years ago.
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