Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park is home to one of the most iconic landscapes in the United States.
Rising from Yosemite Valley are El Capitan and Half Dome. Waterfalls tumble over the granite cliffs, hiking trails weave their way from the valley floor to top of the highest peaks, and massive sequoia trees form a quiet sanctuary within the park.
Like other popular parks such as the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone, Yosemite is a bucket list destination, a park that everyone should visit at least once. It’s a beautiful park that is full of many wonderful adventures.
Yosemite National Park Stats
Founded: October 1, 1890
Annual Visitors: 3.9 million in 2023, making it the 6th most visited park that year
Size: 760,000 acres
Location: California
Interesting Fact: Yosemite National Park is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Top Experiences in Yosemite National Park
Hike the Mist Trail. The Mist Trail takes you to two of Yosemite’s most famous waterfalls: Vernal Fall and Nevada Fall. It’s a tough 7+ mile round trip hike to see both waterfalls.
Tunnel View. For an iconic view of Yosemite, make sure you visit Tunnel View. It’s an essential experience on your first visit to Yosemite.
Yosemite Valley. As you walk the trails or drive the loop around Yosemite Valley, enjoy the views looking up at all of the famous landmarks. Mirror Lake is a popular spot for photography in Yosemite Valley.
Visit Tuolomne Meadows. Tuolomne Meadows is located on Tioga Road, a fairly long scenic drive away from Yosemite Valley. This is a much less popular spot to visit, since it is not located in the heart of Yosemite, so it’s a good place to leave the crowds behind, especially in the summer months.
Olmsted Point. Olmsted Point is located on Tioga Road. From here, enjoy another view of Half Dome, this time from the east side. If you zoom in with your camera, you may even get to see hikers climbing the Half Dome Cables.
Enjoy the view from Glacier Point. This is our favorite viewpoint of Yosemite. From here, you have panoramic views of the park, with a view of Half Dome, Yosemite Falls, and Yosemite Valley.
Taft Point. This is another popular viewpoint of Yosemite. To get here, it’s a rewarding 2-mile round trip hike to a viewpoint with a stunning view of Yosemite Valley and El Capitan.
Hike to Yosemite Falls and Yosemite Point. This tough hike takes you past Yosemite Falls to Yosemite Point. From Yosemite Point, you are treated to a stunning view of Half Dome.
Hike a portion of the John Muir Trail. The John Muir Trail (JMT) is a long-distance hiking trail that is 211 miles in length. It shares the same trailhead with the Mist Trail at Happy Isles, climbs up to Nevada Fall, and continues on to the eastern part of Yosemite National Park.
Visit the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias. This is the largest grove of sequoia trees in Yosemite. There are miles of hiking trails that wander through the Mariposa Grove and you could spend hours here.
Ultimate Adventure
For the ultimate adventure in Yosemite National Park, hike to the top of Half Dome.
This is one of Yosemite’s most challenging hikes. It’s 17 miles round trip, extremely strenuous, and you must have a permit to climb the Half Dome cables, which is the final leg of this massive hike. Your reward from the top is one of the best views of all of Yosemite.
Learn More About Yosemite National Park
Climbing the Half Dome Cables: A Journey in 18 Photos
Have you ever wondered what it is like to climb the Half Dome cables? Did you even know that hiking Half Dome was something you could do? I will admit it, when I saw my first photos of people clinging to the steel cables on Half Dome, climbing one of Yosemite’s most famous icons, this […]
The Half Dome Permit: How to be One of the Lucky Lottery Winners
If you have plans to hike to Half Dome, you must have a Half Dome permit. A maximum of 300 permits are awarded per day in a lottery system. In this guide, we cover why you need a permit and how to get one. Why Do You Need a Permit? Since 2010, the National Park […]
Half Dome 2024, A Step-by-Step Hiking Guide
The hike to Half Dome is one of Yosemite’s most challenging and most memorable hikes. On this hike you get to walk on some of Yosemite’s most popular hiking trails, view the Vernal and Nevada waterfalls, and walk through shady forests of Sequoia trees. But the best part of the trail is the final climb […]
How to Hike to Upper Yosemite Falls and Yosemite Point
There are a lot of great reasons to hike to the top of Upper Yosemite Falls. From the trail, the views of Yosemite Falls are magnificent. For part of the hike, you are close enough to feel the spray and hear the waterfall thundering down the mountain. Halfway up the climb you get an amazing […]
Mist Trail vs. John Muir Trail to Vernal and Nevada Falls
Hiking to the top of Vernal Fall and Nevada Fall is one of Yosemite’s most popular activities. You have several options to get there and the route you choose will have a big impact on what kind of experience you will have. Two trails wind their way up to these waterfalls, the Mist Trail and […]
30 Epic Things to Do in Yosemite for First-Timers
Yosemite National Park is packed with famous landmarks, awesome hikes, and breathtaking views. If you are planning your first trip to Yosemite, how do you know what to do? I am a big fan of lists (and photos!). In this post, I list the best things to do in Yosemite: the best landmarks to visit, […]
How Many Days Should You Spend in Yosemite?
For the best experience, plan on spending three days in Yosemite, especially if you like hiking.
Three days gives you enough time to hike a few trails, explore Yosemite Valley, drive Tioga Road to Olmsted Point, and visit Glacier Point and Taft Point.
If you are an avid hiker, you could easily spend 5 days in Yosemite and never run out of things to do.
If you only have one day in Yosemite, I recommend Tunnel View, Glacier Point, driving the loop in Yosemite Valley, and picking one hike that sounds good to you.
Best Time to Visit Yosemite National Park
If you want full access to the park, the best time to visit Yosemite is from mid-May through November, when both Tioga Road and Glacier Point Road are open. Just be aware that this is also the busiest time to visit the park.
For the remainder of the year, when Tioga and Glacier Point Roads are closed due to snow, you can still visit Yosemite Valley. Yosemite National Park is gorgeous when it is covered in snow.
Yosemite National Park appears in our Best US National Parks Month-By-Month series as a great park to visit in May, August, and October.
15 Best National Parks to Visit in May 2024 (USA)
Planning a trip to the US national parks in May and don’t know which ones to visit? May is a beautiful time to visit the national parks, now that the snow has melted across much of the country and roads are beginning to reopen. The list of national parks to visit in May is a […]
15 Best National Parks to Visit in August 2024 (USA)
Planning a trip to the US national parks in August and don’t know which ones to visit? August is a busy time to visit the national parks, but crowd levels aren’t quite at their peak (that typically happens in July for many parks). In this guide, we list some popular summertime parks to visit plus […]
13 Best National Parks to Visit in October 2024 (USA)
In October, fall colors sweep across much of the United States. The majority of the parks that you will see on this list are parks that are ablaze in fall colors. Some of these are obvious picks, such as Acadia and Shenandoah, but a few may surprise you. In this guide, we list 13 beautiful […]
USA Road Trip Idea
Best USA Road Trips: 18 Ideas for Your Next Big Adventure
One of the best ways to explore the USA is on a good old-fashioned road trip. Cruise along Route 66, road trip through the Florida Keys, explore the American Southwest, or even drive from coast to coast.
In this guide, we share 18 great USA road trips. Yosemite National Park is listed in itinerary #17, the California National Parks road trip.
More Information About Yosemite
Here are a few more articles on our website where Yosemite National Park makes an appearance.
In this guide, we list 20 epic hikes in the US national parks. These hikes range from short, easy strolls to extremely strenuous full day hikes. Half Dome is listed in this guide and it is one of the most challenging hikes on this list.
20 Epic Day Hikes in the National Parks (USA)
Yosemite is one of our 15 favorite national parks in the United States. For the complete list (and get ideas for your next national parks adventure) take a look at this article.
Best National Parks in the USA: 15 Amazing Parks for Your Bucket List
Yosemite National Park Timed Entry Permit
US National Parks that Require Reservations – 2024 Guide
Yosemite National Park requires timed entry reservations for Horsetail Fall in February and during peak season. Learn more about how to get a reservation in our guide to the best things to do in Yosemite National Park. We also cover these timed entry reservations, plus the other US National Parks that require an advance reservation of some sort, in our guide to National Parks that Require Advance Reservations.
Yosemite National Park Map
Yosemite National Park Photos
US National Parks List
In our US National Parks List, get information on all of the US national parks, including interesting facts, the most and least visited national parks, and a FREE printable national parks checklist with map.
Ultimate US National Parks List for 2024 (+ Printable Checklist)
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