hiking
views
birding
wild flowers
forest
walking
nature trips
wildlife
no dogs
lake
camping
kid friendly
trail running
backpacking
river
waterfall
horseback riding
snowshoeing
fishing
rock climbing
wheelchair friendly
dogs on leash
Yosemite National Park is home to some of the most scenic and spectacular hikes in the world. Over 3.5 million visitors travel from all corners of the world every year to marvel at the waterfalls and hike the famous trails of the 3rd oldest national park in the United States (Established October 1, 1890). With over 800 miles of trails you are sure to keep yourself busy. Most visitors head straight for Yosemite Valley, but there are many great hikes in Wawona, Tuolumne Meadows and the Hetch Hetchy as well. The park's elevation ranges from 2000ft to 13,114ft (600m to 4,000m), stretching from Giant Sequoia groves housing 200ft trees over 2,000 years old, to breath-taking valleys carved by glaciers, and home to the highest waterfall in America, to alpine meadows filled with rivers, lakes, and wildflowers. Half Dome and El Capitan rise from the central glacier-formed Yosemite Valley, as does Yosemite Falls, North America's tallest waterfall. Three Giant Sequoia groves and vast wilderness are home to diverse wildlife. Tuolumne Meadows is a great area to visit to get away from the large crowds in Yosemite Valley. This area is a few thousand feet higher than the valley and may take some time before becoming completely acclimated. Wawona is in the south western part of Yosemite National Park and is much less visited compared to the Valley. There are several highlights of this area including the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoia which was protected by Galen Clark 150 years ago and is home to over 300 massive Sequoias, some of the largest and oldest trees in the world still alive today.
Easy hike for beginners, families, or bikers. But I went in summer when the lake has somewhat drained. It's considered a seasonal lake so make sure you see it in the spring to see an actual lake. It's a nice area for swimming. Lots and lots of gnats though
Amazing view! Probably my favorite overlook. You can see the Valley, Half Dome, Yosemite Falls, and Vernal and Nevada Falls. Highly recommend for a bird's eye view
Great views and nice, easy hike through the woods
Beautiful waterfall! Really amazing to see America's tallest waterfall. The hike is really easy but super super crowded. Make sure to get there early, before 9am, if you don't want to share the view with a thousand other people or if you want a parking spot near the trailhead
Very pretty!
Beware though it is uphill most of the way so it can be a challenge and even more so if you go when it's crowded after 9:30am.
Great hike, steep in spots, but not really hard if you're in good shape. Unreal views. A must do hike in Yosemite. Take a swim in the river after with a beer. Life is good!!
Amazing trail! I hiked it Aug-18-2017 and it was pretty strenuous on the way up but had incredible views that were surreal, almost hard to believe how majestic it was. Definitely bring hydration, snacks, and be prepared for changing weather conditions. We thankfully got down the trail just in time for it to start hailing and heavy rain :D
Easy for kids
Wow!! Extreme workout but totally worth it the whole way!! Take lots of water. Wear a bug net and spray. Be prepared for an afternoon thunderstorm!! At the top, go left for swimming holes! Go right to the lookout and go down the stairs, at the bottom of the handrail, go right. It is a very steep, narrow and scary staircase with handrails. It leads to a platform at the mouth of the falls!! Breathtaking!! Have fun!!
Simply amazing! We did the "night hike" and started the trail around midnight to catch the sunrise at Half Dome. Very difficult, but you know that going into it. The cables to the top are a little nerve racking at first, but once you start it's not so bad. DEFINITELY recommend.