Yosemite National Park
Discover Majestic Peaks and Iconic Landscapes
by Celeste Lipford and Terry Lipford - last updated on 8/31/2024
Yosemite is certainly high on everyone’s list of top national parks to visit in the United States and for good reason. Within its
nearly 1,200 square miles you can experience the power of glaciers, the wonder and beauty of waterfalls (best viewed in the
springtime), Yosemite Valley with views of El Capitan lurking around almost every corner, sprawling meadows and groves of giant
sequoia trees.
Yosemite National Park, established in 1890, is one of the United States' first National Parks. Its history began with the Mariposa Battalion discovering the valley in 1851, during a conflict with Native American tribes. Soon after, artists like Albert Bierstadt and photographers like Carleton Watkins captured its beauty, inspiring public interest. In 1864, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Yosemite Grant, setting aside the valley and Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias as protected land. This marked the first time the federal government protected land for public use, laying the foundation for the National Park system.
Naturalist John Muir played a key role in Yosemite's preservation. His writings and advocacy led to Yosemite becoming a national park in 1890. Over the next decades, efforts to protect the park intensified, with Muir successfully pushing for federal management of the area. Yosemite has since become a symbol of America's commitment to preserving its natural landscapes
Interesting Facts about Yosemite National Park
- Total size of Yosemite is 1,187 square miles. 94% of which is “designated wilderness”. This is not quite ⅔ of the original size of the Park, land was removed from the Park dimensions early in the 1900s for various reasons, almost always commercial in nature.
- Yosemite contains 800 miles of trails and/or bicycle paths and 214 miles of paved roads.
- Various Indian tribes lived in Yosemite Valley for thousands of years; the Paiutes and the Miwok tribes were the most recent. There is a considerable amount of evidence that Indians lived in this area for the previous 3,000 years.
- The first European/American visitors to Yosemite were a group of trappers led by the famous Jedebiah Smith in 1827. Even though Spain and subsequently Mexico had explored extensive areas of California, there is no recorded information about any exploration of the Sierra Nevada Mountains until Americans began visiting in the early 1800s. Even though Father Junipero Serra explored all of California from Mexico all the way to the Santa Rosa area, he and his exploration group never went inland towards the Sierra Nevada mountains.
- In 1833 a group of trappers led by Joseph Walker appear to have entered Yosemite via the Merced Grove area. Unfortunately the journals created by that group were lost in a fire in a Philadelphia print shop while waiting to be printed. If this is accurate, these men were the first to see the Giant Sequoia trees.
- California drove the Indian Tribes out of Yosemite Valley during the "Mariposa War" in 1851. The Army group that was sent to push the Indians out (the Mariposa Battalion) spent quite a bit of time in the Valley and the Doctor that came with them (Dr. Lafayette Bunnell) named many of the geographic features they came across in the Valley. The Army group found that the Indians already called the Valley “Yosemite” so they retained that name.
- John Muir arrived in California in 1868 and took a job at a sheep ranch in Yosemite Valley. As he became familiar with the area, he began to realize that it needed to be protected from visitors who were slowly destroying the land, cutting down the giant trees and John Muir began a long campaign to have Yosemite protected by Federal laws. On 10/1/1890 Yosemite became a National Park and Muir turned his attention to other areas of California, and in 1892 he became one of the founding members of the Sierra Club.
- Yosemite has been receiving over four million visitors annually, that number was 2.36 million in 2020 and 3.43 million in 2021. The National Park Service required reservations in 2021 & 2022, which may be anr impact on annual visitation.
Navigating Yosemite National Park in California USA for the first time can be overwhelming, so we've crafted a user-friendly three-day itinerary to help you make the most of your visit and to show you some of the top things to do in Yosemite. Yosemite was a standout highlight during our multi-week trip to the beautiful state of California. To make the most of your visit, especially if it's your first time navigating this iconic park, we've crafted a user-friendly three-day itinerary. Explore some of the top things to do in Yosemite National Park, including must-see sites and optional hikes, all conveniently outlined in our itinerary and accompanied by a Yosemite Route Map. Whether you're an active explorer or have physical limitations, our plan caters to all. And for the perfect Yosemite stay, discover the excellence of Rush Creek Lodge - one of the best places to stay in Yosemite, offering unparalleled comfort amidst breathtaking landscapes.
Getting Around Yosemite & some Tips
A book such as the "Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon" by Ann Marie Brown and published by Moon (click here to search Amazon for Yosemite media) is a useful tool for getting familiar with the parks and what there is to see and do. Since cell service is spotty in the park and frequently non existent doing things the old fashioned way and keeping a book with you in your pack is recommended.
We recommend also reading the newspaper (the "Yosemite Guide") with current information when you receive it at the park entrance so that you are aware of anything that will affect you while you are visiting and you can plan around it.
Usually there are buses that help move people around the park but due to COVID the buses were NOT running when we were there and that created some logistical challenges. The park is huge and there can be a lot of driving time. Reservations were required for the park when we visited but currently that restriction has been lifted. Head to the official Yosemite parks page for current information here.
If you aren’t staying in the park, getting there as early as possible is crucial to finding a parking space at the site that you are most interested in. We have a family joke and it seems to apply to wherever we travel & it goes like this; "Everyone arrives by 10:00 AM". This applies to boating on a lake, going to the beach, and clearly national parks as well. If you can get there much earlier than everyone else then you have a much better chance at finding a spot and having less crowds and lines.
3 Day Itinerary for Yosemite - Click here to Print Itinerary
It’s always easier to know what to do once you’ve been somewhere. We found the information about Yosemite a bit overwhelming and it was hard to come up with our plan. We thought we’d share some information to make it easier for first time visitors to get the lay of the land by providing a suggested three day itinerary. Note that this can be for people who are active or those who have some physical limitations. Much of the suggested itinerary involves driving to viewing areas. If you want more exercise add more hikes to your day.
NOTE: Scroll down to see our images and descriptions of our 3 day adventure in Yosemite.
Day 1: Yosemite Valley Area and Hikes
- Mist Trail (moderate) - The Mist Trail is the most difficult trail on our list and may be challenging for anyone with walking issues (or arthritis) due to the incline of the trail, but we saw young children and families on the trail and they were able to make it with frequent stops. The trail is paved the entire way and there is water and bathrooms at the bridge viewing area below the falls.
- Lower Yosemite Falls (easy) - This is a very short flat hike to the lower falls.
- El Capitan - turnouts along Big Oak Flat Road (Highway 120 to Yosemite Valley) provide stunning views of El Capitan and Half Dome. Stop and take your time enjoying the views.
Day 2: Glacier Point
- Tunnel View on the way to Glacier Point - This is a turn out just before the tunnel on the way to the Glacier Point viewing area.
- Glacier Point Viewing area (driving). Amazing views await you at the main viewing area for Glacier Point. There is a large parking lot and bathrooms and water available at the viewing area. Take a picnic lunch and enjoy the vistas.
- Hikes: Sentinel Dome and Taft Point are two hikes near the Glacier Point viewing area. Parking can be challenging if the buses aren’t running. The parking is along the road there isn’t a parking lot. These are considered moderate trails so gauge your ability to do them. More information can be found here.
Day 3: Sequoia Groves - Merced Grove or Tuolumne Grove and Tuolumne Meadows or Mariposa Grove
- Merced Grove: This is closest to the entrance on route 120 and is the smallest grove with about 20 Sequoia trees but the least crowded. It’s a 3 mile round trip hike. It’s downhill to the grove and uphill rising about 600 feet on the way out. It’s a very pleasant hike.
- Tuolumne Grove and Tuolumne Meadows. First of all Tuolumne is pronounced like this...too.aa.luh.mee. Everytime we read the word we would get stuck so now you know how to pronounce it and can move forward. The grove is a 2.5 mile round trip hike. It’s downhill on the way in and rises about 400 feet on the way out. There are a few dozent trees in the grove including one that you can walk through. If you chose this grove and head there early you could also drive over to Tuolumne Meadows (about an hour away) and try one of the hikes there. There are different hikes for different levels. Check them out here.
- Mariposa grove - furthest drive from the route 120 entrance and is the most popular grove. There are some restrictions during covid that require an additional (x) amount of hiking to get to the trail head. It is the largest grove with several hundred sequoia trees including the grizzly giant which is somewhere between 1900 and 2400 years old. More information about hikes in Mariposa Grove can be found here.
How to get to Yosemite National Park
- We flew into San Francisco and drove to I-5, south to the Modesto area and then east on Route 120 - and this route was predicated on the fact that we were going to stay at the Rush Creek Lodge (click here to read our Rush Creek Lodge Page).
- The closest airport is the Fresno Yosemite International Airport, so you would still need to either rent a vehicle or arrange for transportation to get to the park or your accommodations. Once at the Fresno Airport, you would drive straight north on Route 41 into the park.
- There are bus charter companies from what Google says, we did not research those methods.
- The best time to visit Yosemite? Most people say May or September, note that many roads in Yosemite are closed in winter due to snow.
- You need to remember that Yosemite requires reservations to enter right now. Click here to go to the National Park Service Page to make reservations.
Lodging in Yosemite
Visiting Yosemite can be challenging. The roads (all of them are two lanes) into the park can be curvy and steep and it’s a little slow going. The park is so big that there can be a lot of driving to see the different sites and planning is important. We stayed at Rush Creek Lodge which is just outside of the park on Route 120 because there wasn’t any availability within the parks when we booked. Rush Creek lodge exceeded our expectations with a bit of rustic luxury during our visit and we can’t recommend it enough. However, if you want to reduce the amount of drive time required and challenges with parking consider trying to book in advance within the park itself close to the area that you want to see the most. The Travel Yosemite site has a list of properties from the luxurious Ahwahnee resort, to the Yosemite lodge to tent cabins and campgrounds, etc.
As of 8/31/2024 Google says there are 74 hotels in or near Yosemite National Park - click here to view a Google Search Results list of all of them.
Day 1: Yosemite Valley
As you can see in this map, Rush Creek Lodge is approximately 25 miles from Curry Village, and the road twists & turns as it descends into Yosemite Valley - and joins Route 140. There are only 3 roads into the park from the western side; routes 120 & 140 and 41 and all 3 join together on the way to the village.
The road into Yosemite Valley has been turned into a one way loop road to help with traffic flow. Pictures can be taken on the way in and on the way out. You may want to head to one of the parking areas (there are numerous turn-outs to park in or you could park at Curry Village) so that you get a parking place and take pictures on the way out of the park later on if you aren’t staying in the park itself.
There are numerous waterfalls with the biggest attraction being Yosemite falls which is the highest waterfall in North America dropping 2425 feet from the top to the base of the lower falls. We didn’t get to see the falls because it was dry when we went in September. Go earlier in the season if you want to see it in its full glory. Check out images of the falls in Yosemite here.
Yosemite Valley was carved by glaciers and it measures about 7.5 miles long and up to 3500 ft. deep. It comprises only about 1 percent of the park but is where you’ll find the most visitors. It is surrounded by granite peaks such as half dome and El Capitan. The drive into the valley offers views of these giant granite formations.
There are numerous waterfalls with the biggest attraction being Yosemite falls which is the highest waterfall in North America dropping 2425 feet from the top to the base of the lower falls. We didn’t get to see the falls because it was dry when we went in September. Go earlier in the season if you want to see it in its full glory. Check out images of the falls in Yosemite here.
Day 1: Curry Village (formerly known as "Half Dome Village" in 2019)
Curry Village which used to be known as Half Dome Village has a good sized parking lot and is a great location to park if you want to reach the Mist Trail to Vernal Falls. You can get provisions, eat breakfast, use the rest rooms and ask questions of a Yosemite park ranger about the park and hikes and even rent bikes. Note that some of the text we ran across still mentions Half Dome village. Just remember that they are the same village.
Curry Village also features standard hotel rooms, wood cabins and canvas tent cabin accommodations. Numerous dining options and activities are available at the Village. There is a gift shop, multiple dining options, a bar, a mountaineering school, and an outdoor swimming pool on the premises. Did I forget to mention the public restrooms ? It is a nice central location for accessing numerous hikes and a great place to stay or park for the day to access sites in the valley. When the buses are running you can grab a ride and leave your car parked in the lot for the day.
More Info for Curry Village
- Curry Village Website Page: National Park Service (NPS)
- Curry Village Wikipedia Article:
- Curry Village Google Images Set:
- Google Reviews for Curry Village: oogle Reviews
Image Credits:
All of the above images are the property of Just Traveling Thru, LLC.
Day 1: Mist Trail
The Mist Trail vertically climbs 400ft in about 1.6 miles. Along the way you are rewarded with views across Yosemite Valley and then rewarded at the top with views of Vernal Falls. In the spring the falls are really flowing. While we were there it was more like a trickle. visit the National Park Service page for more info.
The Vernal Falls Footbridge crosses the Merced River. The footbridge is a mile from the trailhead and the elevation rise is 300 feet, but neither of those numbers can make you understand how steep the trail was. Even though the difficulty rating is 4 out of 10, it certainly kicked my butt! There is a water fountain there, and you can see how everyone has decided to chill out for a few minutes. From the footbridge, the trail continues up to the top of the Vernal Falls, but since it was dry, we decided to take a break and then head back down."
WARNING: Do not jump into the Merced River, when it is "high volume" the current is very strong and you could easily be swept away!.
NOTE: See that mule-train in these images - they were hauling something back down to the bottom, but we have no idea what it was?
More Info for Mist Trail
- Mist Trail Wikipedia Article:
- Mist Trail Google Images Set:
- Mist Trail on the "All Trails" Website:
- Google Reviews for Mist Trail: oogle Reviews
Image Credits:
All of the above images are the property of Just Traveling Thru, LLC.
Day 2: Glacier Point
Click above Image to view larger Google Map
As shown in this map, Rush Creek Lodge is approximately 26 miles from Glacier Point, and the road twists & turns as it descends into Yosemite Valley - so you will need to realize that there is no quick way to drive there! The views along the road to Glacier Point are non-stop fascinating, so the ride is long but enjoyable. There are a number of "picture opportunity pull-outs" along the way, take advantage of them!
It is a 32.9 mile drive (says Google Maps) from Curry Village to the vista area of Glacier Point, however, it is only approximately 4.5 miles via the Four Mile Trail (one way). It should be noted that the National Park Service states that the Four Mile Trail is strenuous and you should be in excellent hiking condition to do this hike but it is supposed to be the ultimate Yosemite Hike.
Glacier Point is located on the south wall of Yosemite Valley at an elevation of 7,214 feet, 3,200 feet above Curry Village (previously known as "Half Dome"). The point offers a superb view of several of Yosemite National Park's well-known landmarks, including Yosemite Valley, Yosemite Falls, Half Dome, Vernal Fall, Nevada Fall, and Clouds Rest. Between 1872 and 1968, it was the site of the Yosemite Firefall.
The Glacier point overlook allows you to see the entire valley and envision how glaciers formed it 2 to 3 million years ago. The USGS site provides information about the geology of Yosemite.
More Info for Glacier Point
- Glacier Point Wikipedia Article:
- Glacier Point Google Images Set:
- Google Reviews for Glacier Point: oogle Reviews
Image Credits:
All of the above images are the property of Just Traveling Thru, LLC.
Day 3: Merced Grove
For our day 3, we chose to visit Merced Grove due to its proximity to our hotel and the fact that it was an easy hike down to see the Sequoia trees. After the previous two days we needed some relaxation and decided to spend the rest of day three hanging out at the Rush Creek Lodge and enjoying the amenities.
The trail was not excessively steep, but it was certainly a continuously downhill grade with very few flat spots. The grove was impressive with about 20 large trees spread out over the last .4 km of the trail. There is a cabin that marks the end of the grove. Once you get to the cabin you know you've seen the bulk of the trees. You can sit and take a rest there before returning back. Bring water and snacks as there aren't any amenities on this trail.
More Info for Merced Grove
- Merced Grove Wikipedia Article:
- Merced Grove Google Images Set:
- Merced Grove Google Map:
- Google Reviews for Merced Grove: oogle Reviews
Image Credits:
All of the above images (unless otherwise noted) are the property of Just Traveling Thru, LLC.
Yosemite National Park Tips for Visitors
- Consider staying inside the park to reduce driving time.
- If you want to hike, get into shape before your visit - unless you are used to hiking above 7,000 feet you are going to feel the altitude in Yosemite!
- The spring offers the best views of the waterfalls, many of them dry up later in the summer are not flowing then. There are only a few that flow all year.
- Layer clothing so you can remove clothes as it warms up during the day.
- Read the Yosemite paper they give you when you arrive so that you are aware of closures, construction, activities and anything else going on in the parks.
- Bring a refillable water bottle with you wherever you go. Water and bathrooms can be found on some of the most popular hikes but don’t assume it will be there.
- Pack snacks for eating during your hikes (bring more than you think you will need).
- Make sure your cameras have enough battery power for an entire day adventure. Bring extra power to ensure your camera or phone doesn’t die on you.
- Avoid crowds by going early - seriously - go early or you won’t get parking which is even more important during COVID restrictions. The buses are not operating in 2021.
- Rest during the heat of the day.
- Click here to search Amazon for books about Yosemite.
Some Useful Links for Yosemite
- Just Traveling Thru Travel Planning Tips
- Yosemite National Park page on the "National Park Service" site
- Yosemite History Wikipedia Article
- Yosemite National Park accommodations inside the park on the "National Park Service" site
- Lodging in Yosemite and Mariposa County on the "Yosemite" site
- Yosemite National Park on the "Visit California" site
- Google Search Results list for "restaurants near Yosemite National Park"
- Google Search Results list for "accommodations near Yosemite National Park"
- Amazon Search Results for "Yosemite National Park"
- Youtube Search Results for "Yosemite National Park"
- Yosemite National Park Full Day Tour from "Get Your Guide"
- Best hikes in Yosemite National Park on the "All Trails" site
- National Park Service Curry Village page
- Visit our Youtube Channel
- Our Image Gallery for Yosemite National Park
- Wikipedia Article for Yosemite National Park
- Google Image Gallery for Yosemite National Park
- Google Reviews for Yosemite National Park
Trip Itinerary & Overview Map
Click above Image to view larger Google MapAs you can see in this static map, we had a number of destinations (as well as a number of side trips) that would require a considerable amount of driving. Each of the itinerary stops is linked to our content (or page) to allow you to view our content.
Locations / Start & End points are both San Francisco International Airport
- San Francisco Hilton Financial District.
- Bonita Point Lighthouse and Fort Baker area.
- Sausalito, CA.
- Santa Rosa, CA in the heart of the Sonoma County Wine District.
- Salida, CA - overnight rest stop along the way to Yosemite.
- Yosemite National Park, CA where we stayed at the Rush Creek Lodge.
- Frontieres Underground Garden Fresno, CA - this was an entertainment side stop, as we had read about this place and also wanted to get lunch.
- Santa Barbara, CA
- Morro Bay, CA.
- Monterey Bay, CA to explore the Monterey Bay and Carmel by the Sea areas.
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Note: All images on this page are the property of Just Traveling Thru, LLC unless otherwise noted.
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