Better Off Red The…read morelargest sequoia grove in Yosemite features over 500 trees, some of which are over 3,000 years old. Fun fact: The grove was first protected by President Abraham Lincoln in 1864, in the middle of the Civil War. The Good: * Free shuttle to get to the grove from the visitor center, leaving every 15 minutes. * Horses are allowed on the Perimeter Trail. * Restrooms are available throughout (check the website or map for locations). * Bikes are allowed on certain trails (check the website). * A variety of different loops ranging from 0.5 miles (Big Trees Loop) to a more strenuous 7 miles (Mariposa Grove Trail). * Obviously, the big draw here is the trees. And, boy howdy, do they have some spectacular trees! The Meh: * The shuttle schedule changes by season, so check the website when making travel plans. * No dogs allowed. * No food services at or around the park, so pack your snacks. The Ugly: * Mariposa Grove Road is closed to cars from December to approximately mid-April (weather dependent), but the park is still open for hiking and snowshoeing. Conclusion: Come for the trees, but stay for the nature. :)

A top sight and part of the original plan for Yosemite. It's quite a drive from the valley at…read moreleast an hour and near the south entrance. You have to park in the lot and take a free shuttle to the grove. The shuttles come every 10-15 minutes. There are bathrooms near the entrance. The hike around the grove is less than 3 miles and pretty easy for most people

BEWARE TOURISTS. THIS HIKE IS NOT FOR YOU…read more I'm in my thirties and not an avid hiker. I'm not going to sugar coat this review because of the views. I'm going to be brutally honest about this trail, which changes from nicely paved dirt path to treacherous piles of jagged rocks (sometimes slippery if you're at Mist trail) that you need to figure out how to get down or up (depending on what direction you are taking) without falling and hurting yourself badly. Also, keep in mind there are other people sharing this path with you in the opposite direction so you not only need to navigate through the treachery of the rocks but also the people sharing them with you. I had planned to do the four mile trail (from Glacier point) because it was shorter but the Glacier point gift shop employee Jeremy said he had done this hike in 2 hours with his 40 year old mom and all he took was one water bottle with no problem. LIES!! The other gift shop employee Olivia said panorama trail was longer but definitely easier than four mile because it was less steep and all downhill. MORE LIES!!! Its because of what they both said that changed my mind to switch from four mile to panoramic trail. This trail is labeled as strenuous but should have "treacherous" added to it. There are parts of the trail where there are no signs and you lose your way because there is no clear path on where to go. At Vernal Falls, after you cross the bridge, you have to walk up a huge slab of rock to figure out which direction to go to continue on (you go right). It was late in the afternoon for us so there wasn't anyone around for us to follow. The bad signage, or lack thereof, was frustrating. If you see squiggly marks on the map (that you can get at the visitor centers) it means you have to walk down jagged/slippery rocks. 99% do not have rails. You could fall hard on your way to Neveda Falls or fall straight down slippery rocks at Mist trail (your shoes will get wet--mine were completely soaked). Some of the trail were paved dirt roads (which was what I was expecting, including the switchbacks) but many parts of this trail were just rocks stacked on top of rocks done by Yosemite staff to create a challenging hiking experience. You are climbing down these rocks for miles non stop. Your knees will hate you. There are no bathrooms. The first bathroom is at Nevada Falls. The first place where you will see a water fountain to refill your water is after Vernal Falls on the Mist trail and before you reach the Happy Isles Nature Center. After you reach the Happy Isles Nature center, you still have to walk a bit to the #16 shuttle stop. Our driver was ending her shift so she was making select stops. Thankfully she stopped at stop #8 to the Yosemite Valley Lodge where we had left our car. We got to our car by 8pm and took off for our hotel by 830pm. We were exhausted and now had to drive home down a winding trail to exit the park in the dark. It was a tough drive back to our hotel and we didn't expect to have a day like this. This trail is not all downhill from Glacier point. You have a good 2 miles of steep uphill hiking. There was not a lot of shade in the day hours during summer. I carried with me 3 waters, 1 gatorade, 1 snapple (bought at gift shop located at Glacier Point) and it was not enough to last me the 9 hours it took for us to complete this trail. I recommend bringing more if you plan to do this complete 9 mile route. Also, I recommend bringing a walking stick (or buying one at the gift shop for $22.99) and a bucket hat for $32.00). These are definitely worth the investment or added weight to your gear because in the 90 degree heat and the treacherous areas of the trail you will be so thankful to have had them. All in all, the waterfalls started to look the same to me. Illilouette Fall and Nevada falls looked very similar. If you want to get misty, do lower yosemite falls and walk towards the bottom of the falls (off trail) instead of Vernal Falls. Or take shuttle #16 and walk to Vernal Falls instead of seeing it from panoramic trail. In my opinion this trail was not worth the energy, sweat and tears. I was more impressed by Igazu falls and Niagara Falls when I visited them. I thought this trail would be like others I've taken when visiting other National parks or International parks. I thought it would be a cleared dirt path. I was WRONG. If you want to get great pictures of everything from Panoramic trail, I recommend breaking up your trip in two. First trip: park at Glacier point, walk to Illilouette Fall, then turn back. Second trip: take shuttle to #16 stop, walk Mist trail to see Vernal Fall and Nevada Fall. In my opinion, this is a much less strenuous and treacherous itinerary and you can see everything you would have seen on the Panoramic trail without the pain and stress.

1. This hike has been called by many as the most beautiful hike in Yosemite. Ok, if not many…read morepeople, at least me, who has done almost all the hikes in this park, except Half Dome. 2. We drove in just as Glacier Point was opening for the season in May 2015 . This year being El Nino with huge snowdrifts, Glacier Point road will be closed until June 2016. 3. We did both the Taft Point and Sentinel Dome hikes, using the single pit toilet bathroom at the trailhead, just in time ahead of a bus load of hikers. 4. Drove to nearby Glacier Point, overrun with tourists, checking out the views of the Yosemite Valley 3000 feet below, taking in awesome sights of El Capitan, 2425' Upper and Lower Yosemite Falls, tallest waterfall in North America, before heading onto the Panorama Trail. 5. Hardly a person on the Panorama Trail at 7,200 feet elevation, with an in your face view of Half Dome. This massive granite mountain is an awesome sight, dominating the landscape. 6. The trail becomes a series of downhill switchbacks, through vast forests of trees. In the distance we can see Vernal and Nevada Falls coming closer, roaring full blast in the late Spring, but disappearing by late Fall. 7. We walk along the edge of a cliff, fronting the Yosemite Valley, somewhat similar to walking along the south rim of the Grand Canyon. Great photographer's spots everywhere, of Half dome, and the two waterfalls, framed between the trees, as we go downhill. 8. Walk down the path two miles to the Illilouette Fall, and then on the John Muir trail to Nevada Falls, and then to Vernal Falls, and down the 700+ granite stairs of the Mist trail. We go past the Vernal Falls footbridge, onto the lower mist trail, all alongside the raging Merced river, swollen by the melted snow of winter. 9. People wade in the water in the summer, when the falls are a trickle, only to slip on the wet rocks, and fall into the river and become one of 200+ people each year who need to be rescued, and taken out on a stretcher on an equipment cart on the paved Lower Mist Trail 10. The entire trail is 8.5 miles one way, starting at 7,200 feet and ending at 4,020 feet elevation, taking about 8 hours, open from June to October. 11. We walk only two hours, one hour from Glacier Point, and one hour back, taking in the best views of the Panorama trail -the time limit for the wife before making another pit stop! 12. We come back in time to enjoy a awesome view of the sun glimmering on Half Dome, and then the sunset on the Dome, before a harrowing drive in the darkness along the winding Glacier Point mountain road at night, with speeding tailgaters close on my tail.

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!!

We were staying in Oakhurst with some friends over the weekend. After spending a long day in…read moreYosemite Valley the previous day, I wanted to do some more hiking and found this trail less than 10 minutes away. I started at the trailhead near Corlieu Falls, went north towards Red Rock Falls. It was a beautiful hike with some varied terrain going slightly uphill for parts of it. The fall foliage was beautiful, and it was nice to hear the running water all along the way. There is occasional highway noise since this runs parallel to the main road, but I didn't mind it. Went at 730a and didn't see another person for about two hours. Red Rock Falls was peaceful and beautiful. I crossed the stream a bit clumsily and ended up with wet feet, but it was worth it for the photos. I made my way back. Corlieu Falls had a good amount of debris around it, including part of a bridge. Round trip was less than 4 miles, and I got back in time for brunch.

A nice and easy walk but make sure to bring water and sunscreen because it gets HOT and there are a…read morelot of areas on this trail that are not shaded so you're just getting beat down by the hot sun. Unfortunately, we had two small kids with us in tow so we didn't make it too far on the trail but I hear there are some nice waterfalls as a visual treat if you finish the trail. The trail itself had some slopes and elevations but nothing too crazy. There isn't a lot of parking available in the designated lot - we were lucky to grab a spot as someone was leaving right when we pulled up, otherwise I don't know where one would park to easily get to the trail head.

This is a great trail if you have dogs! We had a great day trip and walk. There were some beautiful…read morewildflowers. There was shade available but the trail itself was still pretty hot. Probably would pick a different time of the day to do this next time.

Pathetic…read more Advertised as a MEADOW Loop Trail. But - you are always separated from the meadow by about 10' of woods. Any time you can see meadow, it's really golf course. Nothing to see. You're straining to see meadow through the trees. But can't really see the meadow scenery. It's an old road, but it is in poor condition and I found it hard to walk on. The second half of the loop you are really near the road so hear all the vehicles driving by. I found this trail to be a pathetic waste of time and footsteps.

i hiked from badger pass ski area to glacier point on 3/28 and posted a vlog on yoütübe including…read moretips and info so you can be prepared! search "Nikko Gandia Travels." wilderness permit issued at badger pass ranger station (200 ft. to the right of main ski lodge) or a-frame. self registration on porch when open. make sure to keep up with the road closure/construction updates! fresh powder so the snowshoes were needed. camped near ostrander rocks.

This is the road to some of the most popular attractions in Yosemite Park, but only open half the…read moreyear, closed in the winter due to snow. We were driving from the Bay Area to Yosemite, 4 hours including a potty break in Mariposa, to Yosemite Valley, and then another hour going by dried up Bridalveil falls, and then the tunnel view, to Glacier Point. Glacier Point Road is some 22 miles long, and intersects Highway 41 between Yosemite Valley and Wawona, on the way to Fresno. It's not only a winding mountain road, but takes you from the 4500 foot elevation of the Yosemite Valley, to 7700 foot Glacier Point. As we go up the road, we pass a sign saying 'road closed 7pm', on Sunday November 1, 2015. No overnight parking allowed after October 15. The first part of the road is relatively straight roadway with 35 mph speed limits, through dense forests on both sides of the road, going up the mountain. Last April when the road opened, we saw a heavy duty construction grader, with chains on all four giant tires, each taller than a man, towing snow removal equipment. Badger Pass skiing resort is here, and once the road is covered with snow, cross country skiers will be able to ski on the road. There are very short turn outs on the sides of the road, for pulling over for faster cars to pass. Inevitably if I drive at the 35 mph speed limit, some guy in a hurry comes on my tail. This time its somebody in a pickup, probably local, as he is the only occupant. I speed up to 50 mph, but he clings right up to me, even when I slow down for a car in front of me. Long distances of solid double lines -no passing. The recently paved smooth asphalt road going uphill reaches a peak, and degrades into cracked surface with potholes and jagged edges. At the 16 mile mark, I pull over to the small parking lot at Sentinel Dome, the tallest location on the road, where we do both the Sentinel Dome and Taft Point hikes in 3 hours. At 4:30 pm we drive down the remaining 6 miles to Glacier Point, to enjoy the sunset. Speed limit drops to 15mph as we go down through some hairpin loops in a darkened forest, when all of a sudden, Half Dome rises on the horizon, prior to Glacier Point. We leave at 5:15 for the 1 hour trip back to Yosemite Valley. This part of the Glacier Point road has a 15mph speed limit, with hairpin 180 degree turns, and steep cross traverse roadways in a deep forest. One guy going way too fast approaches us, going way over the center line on the hairpin turn. We were going real slow, and just missed a head on collision. The road becomes dark, and there is nothing like driving on a dark winding mountain road. Amazingly enough cars are still driving up the road to Glacier Point in the darkness! Full moon at Glacier Point? I'm going the speed limit, when some joker comes up right behind me, lights in my rear view mirror, saying go faster. I'm not about to go 50 mph in a 35 mph zone in the dark. Last April I saw a coyote on the road, and the last thing I want to do is hit a bear or deer at dusk, and damage my car. I pull over at the Sentinel dome parking lot, to let the speedster past. Inevitably another car comes onto my tail, and actually passes me on the road in one of the few straight aways, only to pull over at the next turn out to enjoy the setting sun on the horizon, emitting a purple glow. About half way down the road, another car comes onto my tail,.I find a turnout, and let him pass, and then comes a whole series of cars, all going 10-15 mph over the 35 mph speed limit, like it is the Indianapolis 500! Dusk becomes complete darkness. Fortunately the road has a newly painted center line, and two bike lane solid white lines on the edges of the road. Another car comes onto my tail. but this time, I can't utilize the turn outs, as it is too dark, and I have no way to estimate the length of the turnouts. And there are snow poles on the side of the road, to delineate the roadway when covered with snow. The guy follows me at the speed limit for what seems like half an hour, down to the end of Glacier point road, past the tunnel view, onto the Valley loop, where the road becomes two lanes in one direction. At least he never blew his horn. It's 6:15 pm, on this first day of standard time, and is completely dark, when we arrive at Yosemite Lodge at the Falls, after the hour drive from Glacier Point. The following day, it rains hard the entire day. Glacier Point is closed with snow and ice, at least temporarily, and perhaps for the season, until next April, or June if El Nino materializes.

Awesome trail! It was one hell of a hike going up and zig zagging but the views are absolutely…read morebreathtaking views! Worth every step! If you keep going you will head towards Upper Yosemite Falls. I believe that is what we were told. Which we will be doing next month lol fun times! You cannot beat the views on this trail. The views are spectacular--everything Yosemite is about. You shouldn't be too afraid of heights either. We made it in time to experience the Firefall phenomenon! EPIC!

We were looking for a short, moderately strenuous, and view rewarding hike…read more Found at this Columbia Rock viewpoint via Upper Yosemite Falls trail. Distance is about 2 miles round trip, all switchbacks, and about 1,000 ft elevation. Our entire hike took about 2 hours, including a long break at the famous viewpoint,180 degrees views of Yosemite Valley with Half Dome. 32 oz water required for Winter and Spring, 64 oz wafer required for Summer and Fall. We started the trail from Camp 4, bathrooms avail there. Saw lots of climbers practicing their sport. I also saw a plaque listing Camp 4 as a National Register of Historic Places for the growth and development of rock climbing. Later, I read that Camp 4 is one of 3 most famous climbing base camps on earth, along with Everest Basecamp, and Chamonix by Mont Blanc. Look for Midnight Lightning, a chalk lightning bolt drawn on a super difficult concave shaped boulder.

Not only have I been in Angel Falls on my last camping trip, I've also ran past it on my most…read morerecent half marathon run! What a great and lovely place to run!!

We made it to Angel Falls! This place was easy to hike to…read moregood for kids too. The water is freezing and super clear. It was a hot day so we didn't mind taking a dip. The rocks are very slippery so please be careful. We had a chance to take a dip and dry off too. when in bass lake you need to make it to angel falls.