Yosemite National Park Travel Guide

 
by Sevsa
  •   Yosemite National Park
    by Sevsa
  • Half Dome from Glacier Point, Yosemite National Pk
      Half Dome from Glacier Point, Yosemite...
    by vichatherly
  • Half Dome About 1 Hour Before Sunset
      Half Dome About 1 Hour Before Sunset
    by riorich55
  • Black Bears at Crane Flat
      Black Bears at Crane Flat
    by vichatherly
  • Tunnel View
      Tunnel View
    by vichatherly

Pro

chewy3326 profile photo

 Beautiful and magnificent scenery, a lot of waterfalls 


Con

goingsolo profile photo

 Crowded, congested and hot, hot, hot during the summer 


In a nutshell

mrclay2000 profile photo

 Contains in Yosemite Falls the greatest natural spectacle in North America! 

 

Explore Yosemite National Park

Things to Do  

Glacier Point

Glacier Point, Yosemite National Park

 45 Reviews  Nothing prepares you for what you see when you get to Glacier Point in Yosemite. It is a high point way above the valley floor. From the gate, it is about a 25-30 minute drive. There is parking and one view point prior to getting to the actually Glacier view point. My family and I spent 3 nights in... 

Mariposa Grove

Mariposa Grove, Yosemite National Park

 49 Reviews  Giant Sequoia trees dominate this part of Yosemite; not to be mistaken with Sequoia National Park, they are two separate entities. We arrived in the park early enough so we could not check into our hotel, we decided to go see the first stop on our map. We drove into the park after purchasing our... 

Yosemite Falls

Yosemite Falls, Yosemite National Park

 55 Reviews  The snow and rain had fallen pretty hard over the Sierra Nevada mountains and National Forest last winter. So even as late as may, there was still snow up to 10 inches in some areas of the park. This meant the water volume from the falls was high. we were excited to take the short hike to the bottom... 

Tioga Road

Tioga Road, Yosemite National Park

 27 Reviews  Tioga Road is a 46 mile mountain road that peaks at nearly 10,000 feet at the Tioga Pass which happens to be the Tioga Entrance Station to Yosemite National Park. This is one of the most scenic drives in America and only open in season which is generally late May to October. It all depends on the... 

El Capitan

El Capitan, Yosemite National Park

 42 Reviews  The Giant rock formation known as El Capitan in Yosemite is something of a phenomenon. The giant granite monolith is at the center of Yosemite's attraction and is sought by millions of rock climbers from all over the world. It is one of Yosemite's iconic images and among the most photographed. even... 

Bridal Veil Falls

Bridal Veil Falls, Yosemite National Park

 36 Reviews  This year, I didn't walk up to the base of the falls like I usually do because I was chauffeuring my elderly parents. But, I did get several good pictures of the big flowing falls, plus images of Cathedral Peaks and Leaning Peak nearby. 

Half Dome

Half Dome, Yosemite National Park

 45 Reviews  The half dome is one of the most popular hikes in Yosemite. At over 400 feet incline, it is a difficult hike. The trail runs 12 miles; 6 miles each way. It is a seven hour hike in all. Since I was with my family and my son is only 15 months, we decided not to subject him to the torture of such a... 

Hotels  

The Ahwahnee

 16 Reviews and 769 Opinions  I have often visited the Awahnee Hotel Dining room. The food is always excellent and is on par in... 

Wawona Hotel

 15 Reviews and 551 Opinions  Just to clarify, at least several reviews have included erroneous information about who "runs" the... 

Restaurants  

Curry Village

Curry Village, Yosemite National Park

 16 Reviews  This thread has not been updated some entries from 2006. The food was more than acceptable. Al you can eat with a great selection. Not a finer place for breakfast in Yosemite Valley and perfect for families with kids. If you can't find something you like here your not hungry. Make your own breakfast... 

Ahwahnee Restaurant

Ahwahnee Restaurant, Yosemite National Park

 10 Reviews  The great architectural wonder of the Ahwahnee Hotel is best appreciated at lunch, when the light and views of the mountains are seen through the expansive wall of windows. The vintage 1927 interior architecture log construction can be seen in natural light. For this reason, those with some... 

Nightlife  

Night Hiking / Stargazing

Night Hiking / Stargazing, Yosemite National Park

 9 Reviews  I can't believe we skipped this. There is a standard moonlight tour that meets at Yosemite Lodge, shuttle stop #8, costs $20 and lasts about 2 hours. The times vary depending the moonlight. That sound great enough, but the one night we were in Yosemite happened to be a full moon. The staff at our... 

Transportation  

Driving / Roads

Driving / Roads, Yosemite National Park

 21 Reviews  The scenic highway 140 route to Yosemite starts at the junction of freeway 99 in Merced and proceeds through the Mother Lode mining town of Mariposa and enters just past tiny El Portal at the Arch Rock Entrance. This route from Mariposa to El Portal, the highway snakes along the Merced River near... 

Shuttle Bus

Shuttle Bus, Yosemite National Park

 22 Reviews  Trying to help out the environment as well as taking the driver out of the car, the new electric hybrid technology powered shuttle buses are doing the driving for the tourists as well as making most of the Yosemite National Park within walking distance without need of bottled water, a walking stick,... 

Local Customs  

Yosemite History

Yosemite History, Yosemite National Park

 5 Reviews  Inspired by the scenic beauty of Yosemite and spurred on by the specter of private exploitation of Yosemite's natural wonders, conservationists appealed to Senator John Conness of California. On June 30, 1864, President Abraham Lincoln signed a bill granting Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa Grove of... 

Warnings and Dangers  

Animal Dangers

Animal Dangers, Yosemite National Park

 47 Reviews  During my hike of the Valley loop trail we came across a black bear. It was about 2pm just off the trail between us and the South Side drive. The bear didn't seem to notice us or at least paid us no mind. Although the bear is brown, it was considered a black bear. So be alert and if/when you... 

Driving / Traffic

Driving / Traffic, Yosemite National Park

 22 Reviews  I will echo a bit what Al has said: Yosemite in one day will be no fun. Leaving from SF and driving by car or bus is a 6 hour round trip. June is a summer vacation month so the park will be a lot more crowded as will the roads going to the park. And you mention that you will have children with you... 

What to Pack  

Warm Clothes / Hiking Shoes

Warm Clothes / Hiking Shoes, Yosemite National Park

 6 Reviews  This being one of the top backpacking destinations in the US, a backpack might be a good thing to bring along. There is such a big network of trails, you just couldn't see them all day-hiking so you'll need to carry all your gear...you guessd it, on your back. A day hiking pack is also necessary if... 

Off The Beaten Path  

Hikes / Trails

Hikes / Trails, Yosemite National Park

 29 Reviews  The "Great Sierra Mine" sounds like a huge operation, doesn't it? Well, it's not much of a mine and certainly not great, but the trail up to it, which skirts the jewel-like Gaylor Lakes, is one of the best short hikes in Yosemite. Four miles round trip which can be done in 2-3 hours, you get a good... 

Mono Lake

Mono Lake, Yosemite National Park

 9 Reviews  It is a very long drive over to Mono Lake but if you are driving the Tioga Road it is a side trip well worth the effort and if camping at Tuolomne Meadows, the town of Lee Vining where the lake is located is your closest place to shower, pick up supplies, or find a restaurant. The lake is not... 

Favorites  

Hikes / Trails

Hikes / Trails, Yosemite National Park

 33 Reviews  After a lengthy break and snack, we pushed further up the trail with the crowds thinning out considerably. We reached the Little Yosemite Valley Campground in no time but had been told we would have to camp up the trail due to it being full. There certainly seemed to be plenty of open spots and one... 

Weather Wise

Weather Wise, Yosemite National Park

 13 Reviews  Temperatures in April can range between 32 (freezing) and 66 (relatively pleasant), but the weather can go from gorgeous to dangerous in a matter of an hour - very unpredictable, still, in April. That being said, I don't want to discourage you from going because it's a beautiful time of the year,... 

Comments

Map of Yosemite National Park