The forests, glacier-carved rock formations, rivers, creeks, waterfalls, flora, and fauna within Yosemite National Park create an unforgettable experience for some 4.4 million sightseers who come each year to enjoy the park’s spectacular vistas and commune with nature. In the valley and the high country, no matter the season, the scenery is simply unmatched.
Yosemite National Park is located about three-and-a-half hours’ drive from El Dorado Hills, covers nearly 1,200 square miles in the central Sierra Nevada, and stretches across four counties—Mariposa, Tuolumne, Mono and Madera. Visitors come from throughout the world to view granite landmarks including Half Dome and El Capitan. They camp, hike, climb, cycle, raft, kayak, bird-watch, wildlife-sight (bears!), wildflower-peep, paint, take photographs, and simply admire the wonders of nature.
Logistics and Getting Around
In summertime, Yosemite Valley, bisected by the meadow-flanked Merced River, draws the vacationing masses. This year, there’s no timed reservation system for park entry, so it’s a free-for-all. Pay your $35 (covers seven days of park entry) and hope for the best. Park officials have promised to control traffic and parking congestion in the valley, but reality is, you’ll be among many, so be prepared. Bring your patience, good shoes, snacks, and water; also, consider a weekday visit and use public transportation. The free, hop-on/hop-off shuttle is ideal for traveling around the valley—the air-conditioned zero-emission buses can go where cars cannot, and drivers push maximum capacity at its 19 stops. Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System (YARTS) buses go into the park and among popular overnighting locations surrounding it. Take YARTS in, then move about the valley via shuttle. You’ll do plenty of walking, but you won’t be fighting to park. You’ll also make friends on the bus.
Learn About Yosemite
In the valley, Yosemite Village beckons with the Yosemite Exploration Center—museum, theater, Yosemite Conservancy bookstore—and the nearby Indian Village, Ansel Adams Gallery, and more. Visitors will gain knowledge and a sense of history through exhibits, interactive signage, lots of artifacts, and a short, free film with gorgeous footage. The Ansel Adams Gallery is packed full of Adams’ famous photography of Yosemite (and other beautiful wildlands) as well as works by other artists and photographers, books, and gifts. Also in the area, the Village Store carries souvenirs—mugs, t-shirts, hats—and camping gear (forget your flashlight?) as well as groceries. The Yosemite Conservancy runs a number of programs, including art classes (watercolor, acrylic, journaling), naturalist-led walks, birding, stargazing, trail rehab, and junior ranger activities and more. Another learning opportunity: Take a two-hour valley floor tour in an open-air tram in good weather.
Waterfalls
They’re flowing, most well into the summer. Yosemite Upper and Lower, Vernal, Nevada, Sentinel, Bridalveil . . . Viewing spots bring visitors in close, within cooling sprays of mist and near wild, dangerous runoff. Stay vigilant, and don’t lose your life for a selfie. (Horsetail, the one that famously glows orange—the firefall—in late February, is dry for the season.)
Hikes
Yosemite Falls—Take the paved loop about a mile to Lower Yosemite Falls, where you can stand on the bridge and the cool mist will coat your skin (and glasses and phone). To get to Upper Yosemite Falls, gear up—it’s a steep, switchback-laden, 6.6-mile climb some 2,500 feet from the valley floor. Reward for reaching the top: panoramic valley views.
Mist Trail to Nevada/Vernal Falls—This strenuous 6.4-mile hike starts at Happy Isles and takes you to a rustic bridge and through waterfall mist—the trail’s namesake. At the top of the Vernal Falls is the peaceful Emerald Pool and more views of the valley. It’s another tough mile and a half to Nevada Falls, climbing right beside the falls.
Mirror Lake Loop Trail and Happy Isles—Mirror Lake, a wide, calm place in the creek, becomes a popular swimming hole beneath Half Dome each summer. It’s a 4.4-mile loop partly paved, partly dirt-and-stone trail. The trailhead is at Happy Isles, home of the Happy Isles Nature Center, with interpretive exhibits. The Merced River is right here; tranquil spots on the small “isles” give this area its name.
Other Yosemite Stops
Curry Village—Of the 13 campgrounds in Yosemite, Curry Village is one of the most popular, with pitch-your-own tent sites; a “glampground” with heated and nonheated tent cabins; hard-walled cabins (with or without bath); and rooms in the Stoneman House. The area also has a general store, mountaineering school, bike and raft rentals, several dining options, an ice cream shop, amphitheater, and ranger programs.
Glacier Point—The road to Glacier Point opens as soon as snow levels allow. Take the 30-minute ride up and treat yourself to the best views. Watch for bears and coyotes sometimes in plain sight.
Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias—Just inside the Highway 41/South entrance and near Wawona (with a museum, golf course, and horseback riding stables), gape in awe at some 500 massive sequoias. A free shuttle runs from Mariposa Grove Welcome Plaza in summer/fall, or visitors can walk the two miles in (and back out). Only cars with disabled placards can proceed to the grove.
Indoor Stays
The Ahwahnee—This landmark hotel, built in the 1920s on the site of a former Miwok village, boasts views of Half Dome, Glacier Point, and Yosemite Falls and has floor-to-ceiling windows and fireplaces tall enough to stand inside. The majestic dining room is open for dinner.
Yosemite Valley Lodge—It’s centrally located with lots of amenities, including bike rentals, Base Camp Eatery, Mountain Room restaurant, even a Starbucks.
Photography courtesy Aramark Destinations and Visit Yosemite Madera County
Helpful websites: nps.gov/yose, yosemite.com, travelyosemite.com, and yosemitethisyear.com
Yosemite National Park creates an unforgettable experience for sightseers who come to enjoy the park’s spectacular vistas and commune with nature.