August 2023
One of the most renowned national parks in the world, Yosemite is known for its granite mountain tops, waterfalls, giant sequoias, and more. It paved the way for the National Park System as it exists today.
General Tips / Notes
- Yosemite Valley is about an hour drive from the South Entrance (main entrance)
- Rent or bring a car, and be prepared to drive a whole lot. I cannot emphasize this enough. Since it is 1 hour from the South Entrance to the Valley, it is a minimum of 2 hours of driving each day but usually much more than that
- Try to plan so that the activities you are doing at similar times are close to each other and try knocking them out that way as the drives in general are not very short
- Would recommend a day for Mariposa Grove/Glacier Point (these are musts), some days for hikes from The Valley, a day for Hetch Hetchy if you have time, and another day for Tioga Road if you have time
- Download a hiking app (I use AllTrails) and use that to map your route as you go. Helpful for not getting lost and also nice to keep track of what you’ve done
- Pack lots of food and water (ideally a Camelbak) for the longer & more difficult hikes
- Be prepared to not have service in many areas. Download offline maps on Google Maps, hit “Start” on AllTrails whenever you have service, and make plans with your group on where to meet at certain times
- Highly recommend watching the documentary “Free Solo” before your trip, its about a guy who scales El Cap at Yosemite without any harness, will get you excited for the trip and maybe get you a bit more familiar with the park. I do not recommend trying to free solo any mountain at the park
Hikes From Yosemite Valley
The Cables at Half Dome
- This is the holy grail. Considered one of the more dangerous hikes in the country (at least as far as popular hikes go), it is about 12 hours in total with plenty of elevation gain
- Not for the faint of heart
- To reach the top, you must use the infamous cables (bring gloves, can look it up but really any gardening gloves from a local hardware shop would do)
- NOTE: A permit is required for this hike (at least to get past the ranger and use the cables to get to the top of Half Dome). There are seasonal permits as well as a lottery for daily permits (held 2 days prior to the hike day), applications can be found here
Upper Yosemite Falls
- One of Yosemite’s best and most famous hikes, described as “very strenuous”, is about 7 miles and usually takes about 5-6 hours at least
- Can stop for a swim at the pools that flow upstream of Yosemite Falls (make sure to go in a spot that’s far enough back) when you reach the bridge near the top
Lower Yosemite Falls
- A much easier alternative to Upper Yosemite Falls
Mist Trails
- One of Yosemite’s best and most famous hikes. Somewhat strenuous but not as difficult as Upper Yosemite Falls
- This is actually the first half of the hike to Half Dome (no permit required)
- See Vernal Falls and Nevada Falls on this hike
Mirror Lake
Places / Activities
Glacier Point
- Must visit. Some of the best views to be had in the park
- Fine for all ages, as you can drive there or hike there to/from Yosemite Valley
Mariposa Grove
- Must visit. Home to one of the largest collections of Giant Sequoias in the world
- Can do 2-mile hike (very chill) and see some Giant Sequoias, or 7-mile hike to/from Wawona Point (pretty chill, just a bit more lengthy) and see many Giant Sequoias
Hetch Hetchy Reservoir
- Reservoir which gives San Francisco its clean water, equipped with a large dam. About a 2-hour drive north from the South Entrance
- Can hike to Wapama Falls, or even further if you want
- Interesting lodge nearby. Might be fun to stay for a night
Merced River Rafting
- Pretty chill and great time
- Can reserve spots at place near Curry Village
Tioga Road
- Famous & scenic road (open for only some months of the year) that can be driven down while stopping at points of interest along the way, including (but not limited to):
- Tuolomne Grove (easy hike with some Giant Sequoias)
- Olmsted Point (great viewpoint)
- Tenaya Lake (cool spot to hang for a moment but not too special)
- Tuolomne Meadows (can find hikes here)
- Mono Lake (didn’t seem special to me, no area to really get out of car)
Food
Curry Village
- Best food in the Valley, places included:
- Taqueria @ Meadow Grill (Mexican)
- Pizza Deck (pizza)
- Bar 1899 (American)
Base Camp Eatery
- Food court-esque place in the Valley, can get things like burgers, chicken sandwiches, poke bowls, etc.
Jackalope’s Bar and Grill (Tenaya Lodge)
- Attached to a nice hotel/resort which is just outside of the South Entrance to the park, this was easily the best place I ate during my trip. Make a reservation
Timberloft Pizzeria (Tenaya Lodge)
- Part of a nice hotel/resort which is just outside of the South Entrance to the park, this is a solid spot for a large group
Oakhurst
Small town about a 30 minute drive from the park’s South Entrance. Solid area to stay, as there are nearby grocery stores, gas stations, restaurants (although they are a bit sub-par), and whatever else one may need. The park itself will of course contain many nice lodges and hotels but for us it was not worth it to pay those high rates with a larger group when we were not planning on spending time around the place anyways. Would recommend staying here if availability / pricing closer to the park is not ideal
Food
Glow Cafe
- Good food, good coffee
Deli Delicious
- Easy place to stop in and get subs to-go for a hike
Mariscos Colimas
- Solid hole-in-the-wall Mexican spot with a good quesabirria taco
Tandoori Express
- Decent Indian food, not special
El Cid
- Avoid this place even if you are dying of hunger and it is the last place open. Do not go here
Taco Bell
- Self-explanatory