Finding a place to park for this hike was a struggle! We failed the last time we visited but…read moremanaged to figure it out this time. We parked at Yosemite Valley Trailhead Parking, took a short walk to Happy Isles and where the restrooms were, then took the free shuttle, got off after one stop at Mirror lake! And going back to the parking lot, we took the shuttle one stop again and it was a short walk back to the parking lot. This hike reminds me of the Little Yosemite hike in Sunol, CA in the Bay Area! It's paved for most of it and there's restrooms at the beginning and about midpoint of the hike. The fall foliage was beautiful, but the lake wasn't full since its fall. There was still some water in it since it rained and snowed not too long ago.

I had not done my research and was taken aback that mirror lake was completely empty when we came…read morein late September 2025. I was hoping to show my husband the lake for the first time to get the beautiful reflection but not this time. It was still fun to walk around in the lake bed and hike the surrounding trail and picnic here, but a real bummer not to get the reflection.

Upper Yosemite Falls trail was definitely the hardest hike I've done. It was about 7.2 miles…read moreroundtrip, took exactly 7 hours starting at 10:40am and finally making it down at 5:40pm (5 hours going up, 2 going down), and was 2,700 ft of elevation gain. The terrain is mostly rocks and goes up most of the way, so it's an insane leg workout that left me sore for a couple days after. Going up was exhausting, but there's plenty of spots to sit down and take breaks. About halfway through, we stopped and ate snacks. Going down felt more difficult on my knees, but it was a lot faster. It also started to rain so we had to be careful about slipping. The views were absolutely beautiful and worth it every step of the way. I constantly stopped and took photos and admired it all. Once you get up to the top, you can get really close to upper yosemite falls on a narrow path along some rocks. If you're afraid of heights, you might be a bit scared. It was super chilly when we got up there. Almost everyone we encountered on the trail was super friendly, and it was fun to see familiar faces when we got up to the top and overhear people exclaiming how proud they are of themselves. Going in May when the weather was still cold (about 40° when we were here) was definitely helpful. I don't know if I would have been able to do it if it were hot outside. I get lightheaded pretty easily and there were times I felt like I was going to pass out, but I did it!! Definitely take breaks, don't rush yourself, drink plenty of water, and bring snacks. Make sure you have hiking boots!!! If I didn't have hiking boots I probably wouldn't have been able to do it.

Went mid-March valley floor hardly any traffic early 8 am. Got busy after 10am. Rode bikes Yosemite…read morevalley loop El Capitan, Half Dome, Horsetail, Bridal veil, and Vernal falls. Tried singletrack that paralleled then the crowds at Yosemite village slowed our pace to a crawl. A family of four walking side by side blocking the path completely. Even oncoming hikers gave them dirty looks. Selfish people have zero consideration or self awareness. If you go biking, go early to avoid crowds.

Like Nevada Fall, Vernal is a gorgeous waterfall but it was a little small when I visited due to…read morethe lack of rain. Nevertheless, an amazing site and experience. Please come and create your own adventure.

The journey it took me to get here was crazy and I almost gave up twice, but that VIEW? All of the…read morenature and smell of the trees was breathtaking. The water was insanely cold, but felt really ~ refreshing ~ to jump in. Added years on my life and made me think about life. Great 5/6 mile hike, but expect lots of elevation and prep with the stair master! Bring your bathing suit and shoes that can get wet because it gets misty and rainy up there... I'd come back again! Parking is a bit rough, but just keep circling around because people are constantly leaving and arriving. Bathrooms are available right before the trail and halfway through the hardest part of the hike.

One of my favorite hikes I've ever had the privilege of doing. We started in the morning, passed by…read moreVernal Fall, and went all the way to Nevada Fall. It was a scorchingly hot day when we hiked, so we took many breaks throughout. Luckily, there are plenty of shady, comfortable resting spots. The view from the top of Vernal Fall was already lovely, but I would highly recommend the trek all the way to Nevada Fall. The scenery from the top of Nevada Fall was breathtaking, and it was so lovely to see the beautiful rainbows at Vernal Fall. Keep in mind that there are slippery, steep steps on the way to Vernal Fall. It was a pretty steep hike up to Nevada Fall as well, with many loose rocks - we saw quite a few individuals slipping around. I'd recommend taking your time and going slow for the steepier sections.

I can't believe I haven't written a review for this spot. I have been here lots of times over the…read morelast decade though my last hike was 3+ years ago,and its one of my favorite hikes. I love it, it's challenging in the best ways, beautiful, has waterfalls, its about 6-7 miles or so depending on where you start, make sure to bring a lot of water, more than you think you need as you will go through it and pack snacks as its not an easy hike but its a beautiful hike. Top of vernal falls is a best place to have lunch, make sure to bring a zip lock bag to carry your trash with you!

No need to rate this place it's one of the top national parks. A few practical things I would…read morenote. It's $35 for most cars for 7 days. No cash payments accepted. Plan your hikes ahead of time and map them out. There is very little reception in much of the park. Zone your sightseeing because it can take an hour or more to get to your destination. Staying there n the valley is expensive but saves hours of driving. The valley floor ground tour for $40 gives you a good introduction to the park and is good for people who can't hike a lot or have mobility issues. Have plenty of water and gas during your visit. Enjoy one of the most beautiful places in the country!

The things that went well: it is majestic! The views are incredible. I cannot recommend this park…read moreenough. I was happy to see additional parking being added. Arrive early!! A must. Have a plan. Ask questions at the visitor center and show up with patience, patience and understanding and more patience. Make a plan and make sure you know where you want to go. Last minute planning is dangerous. Don't do it. Now the miserable. Signs and directions are very few. It is so easy to get lost. Please be vigilant with directions. Even the staff and rangers are not familiar with this place. True story - Question - is this the way to staircase falls on the map? Answer, Vernal falls? Question: no Answer - sure. We ended up at the expensive hotel! Not one sign stated where things were. Some places have one or two markers. Make sure you don't walk past them or else. The roads could stand to be painted with information. The sidewalks as well. My favorite was the floor that was undergoing "restoration" with the small signs and rope all Lying in the dirt!! I was dying laughing as folks who had never seen the sign were trying to take photos. It was spectacular, as fails go. We must have made 3 loops in the village, no markings or directions. I would pay extra to have convicts or fire or someone volunteer to place signs, distance, directions through out. I know money is scarce, but let one of the administrators go and dedicate their salary to signs. This brought up My favorite part - Ansel Adams and the tunnel. Folks were parked where the tour vehicle needed to be. No one stopped or listened to the horn!! It was awesome. Several class b and one smallish class c were parked in the labeled parking that is not manned or patrolled. I know... send a ranger to show up 15 before the schedule and ensure folks know what is going on. They can answer questions. Get vehicles ticketed and then moved. What a concept!! Again, no signs. Folks just guessing. Oh, the other one, the guy that launched his drone... in spite of the sign he was standing in front of!! Maybe vendors selling items could help out. Not sure. Patrol supervisor could establish a point of contact for the public to ask questions and encourage people to move or obey signs. Options exist. Federal law enforcement... options. Okay, the last item is the outdated little info website. That thing is useless. I hope AI generates more information than the dated site. NSA or FBI could help out. As a courtesy!! The park itself is okay. The curry village has little to no breakfast options and the stores have nothing healthy. But they sell the best junk food money can buy. And with the minimum of alternatives, it sells. Pack food if you have dietary restrictions or needs. There is nothing selling. The fare is basic and do not expect unnecessary food. You can eat at the hotel or before you arrive. The small market is scarcely stocked. Bring water bottles. For some reason they want you to use metal or plastic containers. Be prepared for the wait at the one functioning fountain. 45 minutes is a record!! Soda abounds!! When the fast food joint is open. Also, plenty of ice cream options!!!!!!!! Again be patient with new or skittish drivers. If you can take a bus or tour group do that. Those guys seemed to know what to do and where things were located. Parking is at a premium. Final thought, be prepared to pay. Things are not cheap and the park is in CA. Third most expensive place in the world and country!!

Beautiful area for an intermediate hike to sentinel dome or Taft point. It's a lot going uphill do…read morehave good shoes and be ready for that. You have amazing views at the top. It's the easiest place for a hike there. The parking lot area is large but fills up fast. There are some bathrooms. It's a good place to start the different hikes

We did the Sentinel Dam hike for the first time and wow have been we missing out. This is a very…read moreeasy trail with a surprisingly grippy steady walk to the top of the dome. Love the woods and birds on the start of the trail and then the views on top of the dome are just insane. Take binoculars and take your time to enjoy the views.

We had an excellent day with David. We booked a private tour for my wife and me. We are not so…read moreyoung so David tailored it to our pace and abilities (still made it to the top of Sentinel Dome- well worth the effort!). Literally went from the valley floor to the peak of sentinel dome. His knowledge of the park is outstanding. He picked us up at our lodge and dropped us there at the end of the day- even gave us the picnic we couldn't eat during the trip because clouds blocked the astrophotography portion. He even apologized for the clouds! An all day adventure; we were happily exhausted when we got back to Evergreen Lodge. Highly recommend.

Dave is AMAZING! We had the best day with him on our private tour of Yosemite. He is so fun,…read moreknowledgeable, a great conversationalist and made the day fabulous. I had the best time and felt like we got to really see Yosemite and get to know the park. I would 100% recommend booking with him and his company. Hands down the BEST!!

We love this location and it's so beautifully fresh green during late Spring. It's just so calm…read moreand peaceful and so blessed to walk around here or just to sit down glazing the waterfall and amaze at beauty of nature

Yosemite Lodge Lower Falls was definitely a different experience than I expected. I've visited…read moreYosemite before, but I had never seen the waterfalls completely dry. I was honestly a little sad when we arrived because seeing the falls flowing is such a beautiful part of the Yosemite experience. Unfortunately, this visit was very different, and I think the timing of the year made a huge difference. If you're coming specifically to see the waterfalls, I would definitely recommend researching the best time of year before planning your trip. Yosemite itself is still absolutely beautiful, but I don't think I'll ever come this late in the year again. I'll definitely plan a future visit earlier in the season when the waterfalls are more likely to be flowing.

Review is for the Merced River Trailhead near Briceburg, this is very south of Yosemite but I…read moredidn't want to make a new review page just for this small trailhead. If you are taking 140 south leaving Yosemite you'll drive right next to the river and you can stop here. You can get under the freeway underpass for some nice variety but the main attraction is the River. There are small tributaries throughout this area and the kids enjoyed building dams with the rocks here. There are also some nice flat stones closer to the water if you want to teach the kids how to skip stones. There is a bridge you can hike over to for a higher view of the scenery, cars and trucks did drive in this smaller bridge so we didn't cross it all the way. Overall, it was a nice stop with plenty of parking and no one else there when we went, it's much more secluded than some of the more popular Merced River stops closer to Yosemite.

Beautiful river that feeds into Yosemite Valley…read more If you are entering the valley from the west which we did, you will be driving along the river for a while before the entrance of the park. The water is beautiful and clear and lots of people fish in the river. Tubing is also a fun activity to do. Take photos, enjoy the view!

Our tour guides were absolutely amazing (John and Mia) and they were very knowledgeable and helped…read moreanswer all of our questions (about Yosemite in general, specific famous features on our hike, and even random questions about birds and plant life). The hike is as advertised (in terms of ratings and what features you will see). They always put safety first and even offered to help carry our back packs when we got tired or were crossing a small stream! They treated us like close family/friends, were encouraging us along the way, and adapted to our pace and schedule. Our group ranged from age 6 to adult and we couldn't have made it to the end of the hike without them! Book them for your tours and have fun on your Yosemite Vacation!

Will definitely be booking again with John and Y Explore!!! Honestly when we booked the guided half…read moredome hike I went into it thinking we were just utilizing the purchased permits as hadn't won the lottery ourselves but as the day progressed I became more and more grateful for the wisdom and knowledge of our guide. From breathing techniques and tips for ascending and descending the cables to the order of of our group and perfectly timed rest breaks this was worth every penny as we had not only a successful summit but an overwhelming positive experience! Hubby and I are excited to travel again to more destination with Y Explore in the near future!