America’s National Parks are an amazing gem right here in our backyard. We’re hoping to check off all of the National Park boxes through our lifetime but just recently visited one of the most iconic and popular: Yosemite National Park. Enjoy our Yosemite overview!
General Details
National Parks have activities for everyone – you don’t have to be an outdoorsy type. These Parks are filled with educational visitor centers, easily accessible viewing points, and trails ranging in difficulty from casual walking to multi-day hikes.
Yosemite was the second National Park created. John Muir famously persuaded President Teddy Roosevelt to visit Yosemite Valley in California. Subsequently, his stay in this beautiful location prompted the President to preserve land across the country for the National Parks.
Do’s and Do Not’s
You do have to pay to get into most National Parks (unless you’re lucky enough to go on one of the 6 free days per year; be advised that you can expect crowds with these days). The price as of our writing for Yosemite is $35 per personal vehicle for 1 week. Additional pricing information can be found here. Think about it as your way of giving back to those who care for these beautiful places.
National Parks have strict rules enforced by Park Rangers. Be sure to follow all road signs and posted speed limits! Rangers have the power to fine or ticket you just like police officers.
Similarly, it is important to adhere to all posted signs and barriers. We witnessed a group walking over wooden barriers to get closer to Giant Sequoias that were quickly reprimanded by Rangers. These barriers are there for a reason and you can be fined for not heeding them.
Leave only footprints and take only photos. Preserving our National Parks and following the rules is very important so next generations can enjoy them. On a similar note, don’t feed any animals – doing so teaches them to rely on humans for food and can lead to dangerous situations. Plus it can come with a $5k fine, which hurts your power of compounding and your ability to build your financial future.
Gas and bathrooms are hard to come by in and around the park. The general rule of thumb is to utilize these resources as often as possible to avoid inconveniences.
Traveling to Yosemite
Yosemite is located in Northern California and is accessible from any of the large airline hubs. See our Google Flights post to learn how to best plan for this part of this trip. While the miles seem relatively small, plan for steep and curvy mountain roads as you make your way closer to the park.
- San Francisco – 190 miles – 4 hours
- San Jose – 180 miles – 4 hours
- Oakland – 175 miles – 3 hours 45 minutes
- Sacramento – 175 miles – 3 hours 45 minutes
- Lake Tahoe – 190 miles – 4 hours 30 minutes
Climate
This sprawling park has vastly different elevations, so keep in mind the temperatures will vary compared to what we’ve provided at Yosemite Village (located at 3,900 feet above sea level).
Park Features
Yosemite is naturally split up into smaller areas, each of which have their own special features that we encourage you to visit:
Yosemite Valley
The main hub of Yosemite National Park, the valley is home to the famous El Capitan granite monolith; Half Dome, the sheared-off granite dome; and Yosemite and Bridalveil Falls, which flow in Spring and Summer. Try to avoid the valley on the weekends; traffic becomes congested and you’ll likely more time sitting in the car than you’d like.
This is the area where shops, restaurants, hotels, and sightseeing are most available. You can stay in the hotels, however they are quite expensive. Food options in the valley range from casual/cafeteria style ($) to formal at the Ahwahnee Dining Room ($$$$).
There are paved walking trails around and through the valley, which are great for strollers or just a leisurely stroll. The relative flatness of the valley provides easy walking for all ages. However, park in a spot once you find it! Parking is hard to find throughout the valley, even in off-peak times. We highly encourage you to walk or utilize the free shuttles once you find a parking spot.
Mariposa Grove
Mariposa Grove is the farthest south point in the park; the south entrance is next to the parking area for Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias. Expect about an hour to get there from Yosemite Valley via the Wawona Road (Hwy 41).
Here you’ll find the famous Giant Sequoia trees. You can’t help but feel minuscule in their presence considering their size and age (some are thousands of years old). There are multiple trails available that range from moderately strenuous to handicapped accessible.
Visitors must park their cars at the Mariposa Grove Visitor Center and take shuttles to the grove since it has been recently refurbished (unless you have a handicap sticker/placard). Shuttles come every 10-20 minutes and it’s a short 5 minute drive to the grove. Get there early to get a spot as the large parking lot can fill up.
Glacier Point
Glacier Point overlooks Yosemite Valley from the south rim. The Glacier Point Road closes in winter, therefore check road conditions prior to your travels. Expect a 30 minute drive to the Glacier Point Road from Yosemite Valley (via Hwy 41 towards Mariposa Grove), with an additional 30-45 minutes to Glacier Point.
This viewing spot is an awe-inspiring overlook of the Eastern edge of Yosemite Valley (you won’t be able to see El Cap from Glacier Point). You are almost as high as Half Dome and able to peer over the edges to Yosemite below. Make sure to look for the Ahwahanee Hotel!
Tioga Road/Tuolumne Meadows
The Tioga Road runs north of Yosemite Valley and is accessible via Hwy 120 (Big Oak Flat Road) north until Crane Flat (follow signs for Tioga Road). This road closes once snow accumulates, so plan accordingly!
Stop at Olmstead Point, a popular pull off. You’ll find gorgeous views of Half Dome from a different angle. Tenaya Lake is slightly past this point, which is a huge alpine lake accessible on both ends. There are pull offs and restrooms at both ends. Enjoy the beach and beautiful water, or hike around the entire lake!
Tuolumne Meadows is towards the end of Tioga Road. Stop at the Visitors Center to find multiple small hikes leading out into the Meadows. Make sure to stop at the Tuolumne River and Soda Springs!
Hetch Hetchy
Hetch Hetchy, according to John Muir, was Yosemite Valley’s bigger and more beautiful sister. A dam was built in the early 1900s and the Hetch Hetchy valley was flooded to make a reservoir for drinking water for the Bay Area.
This beauty is still part of Yosemite with hikes and trails abound. You’ll need to leave the park via the Big Oak Flat Entrance and re-enter the Hetch Hetchy entrance. As it’s a much lower elevation, it’s popular during winter months since the Tioga and Glacier Point roads are usually closed.
Next week we’ll provide you with an itinerary which includes hikes and other fun spots to check out. Get in touch to let us know what you think!
