In June, I traveled to Yosemite with my husband and in-laws. We had the best time hiking and exploring all that Yosemite had to offer! We were there for a week and had a system for hiking. One day we’d do a hard hike and the next day do something easy. We had a good mix of hard hikes and easy walks that had breathtaking views and let you see all that Yosemite had to offer. So, for those of you wanting to get one more road trip in, here’s my Yosemite National Park travel guide.
Yosemite National Park Travel Guide: Top 10 Must Dos
Before you go: The part was only taking reservations when we visited in June 2021. The park was at 80% capacity and masks were required inside buildings. Another thing is that Tioga Road Rehabilitation began on June 1, 2021 and will extend until the road closes for winter. The project will extend from Olmsted Point east toward Tioga Pass. This project will continue into spring and summer 2022. This will impact how long it takes you to get to certain places in the park so plan accordingly to make sure you see all your want to see! Check out my Yosemite National Park Travel Guide below.
Lembert Dome
We did this on our first day in Yosemite and was a great way to get started. The hike is 2.8 miles round trip and took us about 3 hours to hike. We stopped along the way to rest and didn’t push ourselves. To me, the hardest part was climbing to the very top of the dome to see the 360-degree view of Yosemite. The trail climbs through the forest to the bare rock of the dome. There is no trail on the rock formations. Follow the easiest path for panoramic views of Tuolumne Meadows and the surrounding peaks. Definitely stop for the view and to get your mind ready for the hikes in the days ahead.
Olmsted Point
This was an off-day stop since the hike is only 0.25 miles round trip. There isn’t a bad view whether you stay in the parking lot or do the short hike down. Look west, see a close-up view of Clouds Rest, with the Half Dome behind it. Look east, you’ll see Tenaya Lake and the granite domes. Stay in the Olmsted Point parking lot and see surrounding slopes dotted with glacial erratics.
Lower Yosemite Falls
Another thing to do on an off-hike day is to walk around Lower Yosemite Falls. It’s an easy walk that’s a mile long and offers great views of both Upper and Lower Yosemite Falls. This trail is paved and offers different vantage points of Yosemite Falls and Yosemite Creek. There are also exhibits along the way to you can learn more about the history of the area. We also walked around the valley this day and saw the village, meadows, and other flat, paved areas of the park.
Mist Trail/Vernal Falls
I think my favorite trail of the trip was to Vernal/Nevada falls. It’s a 3 mile round trip to Vernal Falls and a 7 mile round trip to Nevada Fall. You saw Vernal Falls hiking up and it was a good place to stop, splash some water on your face and rest at the halfway point. The rest of the hike to Nevada Falls was a little difficult, but the view on top was sensational. It’s so green and beautiful and then over the waterfall is the view of the mountains. Our feet were so tired going up that once we got to Nevada Falls, we put our feet in the water and enjoyed our lunch. The walk down wasn’t bad either. We got to the trail at 7 a.m. and didn’t see a lot of people at the top, which was nice. It took about 5 hours to hike!
Cathedral Beach
We hit Cathedral Beach on an off day. We brought some lunch, our swimsuits and enjoyed the water! It was 90 degrees the day we were there and the lake was nice and cool. Picnic tables and grills are conveniently located at this scenic spot along the Merced River that offers views of El Capitan. We also saw people setting up hammocks to enjoy the amazing view of El Cap! Definitely, a fun thing to do in the park if you don’t feel like hiking.
Glacier Point
Glacier Point is an overlook with views of Yosemite Valley, Half Dome, Yosemite Falls, and Yosemite’s high country. It’s accessible by car and a nice place to stop and enjoy the views for a while. This is a great place to stop when you’re on your way into the park or leaving for the day. There’s a parking lot and it’s easy to get in and out and navigate around groups of people.
Tunnel View
I think we stopped at Tunnel View every day in Yosemite. It looks so different at various types of the day like early in the morning or golden hour. This is the view that Ansel Adams made famous! From this vista, you can see El Capitan, the Half Dome, and Bridalveil Falls. We were talking to someone there and they mentioned that the view is different in every season and the view was most beautiful after snowing! Again, there are parking lots and it’s easy to get in and out of for a quick look.
Taft Point
One of my favorite things that we did on an off day is seeing the sunset at Taft Point. We brought our dinner and flashlights and spend a good two hours there watching the colors in the sky. It’s a 2.2 mile round trip hike and very easy. You walk through a forest to get to Taft Point and feel like you’re in Narnia! There’s one lookout with a guardrail and other than that it’s fair game. You can walk right up to the edge and look over if you’re brave. Some of my favorite photos from the trip are from here and the views are unlike anything. If you’re afraid of heights this may not be a great place for you!
Cloud’s Rest
The hardest hike we did in Yosemite was Cloud’s Rest. We packed lots of snacks, got there bright and early, and prepared for a long day. It’s 14.5 miles round trip with the most annoying parts being at the beginning and very end. They’re only annoying because there are mosquitos swarming around you for the first and last mile! You know when you’ve reached the small pond you’re about halfway there. The hardest part for me was getting close to the top and the 2000-feet elevation gain! We took this nice and slow with lots of breaks. My in-laws warned me beforehand of the spine before reaching the peak, but didn’t think it was that bad! Once at the summit, you can get a wonderful 360-degree view all around Yosemite. My opinion is this should be on everyone’s Yosemite list!
Mirror Lake
The last thing in my Yosemite National Park travel guide is wading in the water at Mirror Lake. It was a 2-mile round trip hike and Mirror Lake has little water much of the year and, while pleasant at any time of year, it is fullest in spring and early summer. There wasn’t much water when we were there but it was still nice to wade and put our feet in on a hot day. The hike was easy and paved. It’s perfect on a day where you’re sore and tired from a long hike but wants to get out and do something.
Which one of these places in my Yosemite National Park Travel Guide would you like to see in person? Share with me in a comment below!
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