Tuolumne River Trail is a 3.4 mile out and back trail located near Yosemite Valley, California that features a river and is good for all skill levels. The trail is primarily used for hiking, walking, trail running, and bird watching and is best used from May until October.
kid friendly
hiking
walking
bird watching
running
forest
river
wild flowers
wildlife
no dogs
Enjoy a relaxing break to the sounds of the Tuolumne River after this short hike through the meadow. The hike is short but sweet, and offers a great view of Tuolumne Meadows, especially during spring when the snow has melted and the wild flowers are out on full force. You will start by walking through the meadow, between Pothole Dome and the Tuolumne River, before reaching a few cascades of the Tuolumne River where you can sit in the shade, soak your feet, and have a snack. You can continue further down the cascades and through another meadow or loop back with an optional climb up to Pothole Dome for some great views before heading back to the trailhead.
Beautiful
Very beautiful river, not sure why it is not in the park hiking map
Just a note to update the map is no longer correct as they are doing meadow restoration. It looked like the new trail skirted Pothole Dome but I didn't have time to see. It looks like this could be correct per Karen F. Recording
Great spot to escape the crowds in Tuolumne Meadows. I had a couple of hours to kill before meeting up with the rest of my group and had driven by this trail a few times. On the Saturday morning of a holiday weekend (Labor Day), I was the only one on the trail between 9am and 10:30am. The trail skirts the meadows and then joins the river for a nice cascade and I was fortunate that, on my return, I spotted a bear and her cubs on the opposite of the river, just after they had caught a fish (or deer?). It was just me and them for half an hour. If you're looking for a short, peaceful stroll in Tuolumne, this is the one.
Livia G.
Came off Lembert Dome and wandered through the meadow to loop back to my car. Very pretty! Was there before 9am and it felt like I had Yosemite to myself.
I seem to do this little hike every time I go to Tuolumne with my family. The walk is pretty short and very flat, and you end at a number of waterfalls after walking through a meadow. There are a number of great places to sit and have a snack, dip your feet, or climb around on the nearby rocks. Great for families, especially with little kids who like water or climbing on rocks.
