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.

We hiked From the beginning of Mist trail to base of Vernal fall. Parked at curry village and took…read morea shutter #14 to #16. It's a paved path with immediate incline. Like many people, we stopped a few times to catch our breath. Took our time and enjoyed the views and took lots of pictures on the way. When you get to the flight of stone stairs, you do have to climb up the stairs to reach the bottom of Vernal fall to get the whole experience of the mist. NO PONCHO or Raincoat needed at this point. Nice refreshing mist. You will not get soak or wet. After this point you will need it. We turn around and took the same route back down. Hope this help for people that does not want to hike the whole way up but still able to enjoy the view and experience the mist from the spectacular Vernal fall.

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.

We came from Tenaya lake and it was my favorite hike in Yosemite. The trail and the rock…read moreformations were utterly stunning. Summit allows you to have an amazing view of Half Dome. Please come and create your own adventure.

My first hike in Yosemite, and it happened to be this one...I didn't know what I was getting myself…read moreinto. Cloud's Rest is a strenuous and challenging hike that will exhaust you for a couple days or more! This hike isn't for beginners, if you want to attempt this, you will have to actually enjoy hiking. Cloud's Rest takes around 6-8 hours to complete and is a 14 miles hike with an elevation gain of 2,700 ft. Parking - We arrived around 9:30 AM and found parking at the Sunrise Lakes Trailhead. The earlier you arrive, the better, to avoid crowds and get a good spot to park. There is one pit toilet at the trailhead and would be my first stop after arriving because you're going to be consuming plenty of water during this hike, including many more bathroom breaks in nature. Don't be afraid to take plenty of breaks during the hike, rest stops are great to enjoy some snacks and water. After crossing the wooden bridge, follow the signs pointed towards Cloud's Rest and you'll be right on your way! What I like about this hike is the changes in scenery throughout the hike. It was like a different hike every couple of miles! The first part takes you through a forest-like scenery and then the incline switchbacks, which were extremely tiring and difficult. After conquering that part, the trail takes you through a well-deserved flat area with a nice view of a lake. The final stretch includes a steep, straight incline and then finally the granite steps, which requires a bit of climbing to reach the summit. The views are spectacular at the summit, you will be able to see Half Dome and the Yosemite Valley. We arrived at the top around 1 PM and took a lunch break as well as many pictures. The descent was just as challenging as the ascent, if not more, because you're already pretty tired. Take your time and pace yourself, I think we took ever longer breaks on the way down. Overall, if you're looking for a challenging hike in Yosemite, Cloud's Rest is that hike! Great views at the summit and changing sceneries makes this hike a great one to reflect back on and tell stories.

When you enter into Yosemite be prepared because it's a really huge national park. To get to…read moreSentinel Dome and Taft point it takes about 40 minutes once you get inside the park however, Yosemite in general, especially this hike is worth the drive. This has to be one of the most scenic hikes that I've been on. You have full view of the Yosemite Valley, and all the peaks that come with it the hike itself is medium in terms of challenging. There is some uphill which will push you but worth it when you get to the top if you feel like cheating, you can actually park in the parking lot hike about a mile and you're already at Sentinel Dome. If you go the back way, which I did the whole trip is just under 6 miles.

This was such a nice and beautiful hike. The views at Taft Point was unbelievable. Very peaceful.read more

How we even stumbled upon this trail is beyond me. Probably the highlight of my trip there. Was…read morepretty easy flat trail getting there. Took some time though just on account of going off the trail and seeing as much as possible. Nice trail and the views are spectacular!!!

This is one of the best hikes I've ever been on…read more To get here, you go to glacier point and go off towards the sides and there is a sign that tells you how long each trail is. I think you can also get to Nevada falls but it was about 5 miles away (one-way). It says on the sign that this hike is 1.5 miles (one way)....THAT IS A LIE. I swear it's about 2-3 miles!! It's completely downhill but don't let that fool you! The trail can get very rocky and unstable so watch your step!! Some parts are also very steep so don't slip! And don't forget that you have to climb all the way back up to get back to glacier point!! When we reached the bottom, you get to a bridge and then you see Illilouette Fall. It's not your typical waterfall, where you see the water coming off the cliff. It's more off a cascade of water going downwards, beautifully glistening off the rocks. It just looks like a piece of art, the water gently gliding down the very smooth rocks. Be careful about stepping into those part because its very slippery! At the bottom of the fall, there is a pool of water, perfect for swimming!! I just love how you can literally sit next to the waterfall, dipping your feet in. Just laying there made me feel so rejuvenated. I went in mid-late July so there wasn't as much water. This is probably why I could sit next to the waterfall on some of the smooth rocks. The hike back up was such a mind game. It was so steep on some parts that I had to just remind myself to take it one step at a time. Remember, it's all uphill when you go back!! It's weird though, it took us 1.5-2 hours to get down to the falls, but 1 hour to get back! I guess when you really put your mind to it, going uphill isn't so bad!!

We hiked this on a perfect day. We started early at 5 am and got up to sub dome before the crowd…read more I was able to get a permit two days before the hike. It was so fun going up the cables that I did it two more times, but resorted to outside the cables as it got more crowded during my second and third time. My friends had to stop me after 3x because they were afraid i was going to free solo it. So fun. Please come and create your own adventure.

Half Dome really said "welcome to your villain origin story"…read more We pulled up thinking we were fit... nature said "prove it." 15+ miles, 5,000 feet up, clinging to cables like our lives depended on it (because they did??) By the time we reached the top, our souls left our bodies... but the views brought 'em right back 10/10 would get wrecked by this mountain again. Half Dome: 1, Us: spiritually stronger (physically ruined)

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!

Sierra Point. The…read morevery spot in which Ansel Adams hiked to in 1916 at the age of 14 with his new Kodak 1 Brownie camera and took some of his very first pictures. It was this moment that inspired him to want to be a photographer and ultimately come back to Yosemite later in life and take some of the most recognized Yosemite pictures in the world. Talk about one historic spot. A little history on the trail itself. (Which is no longer in use due to a rockslide in the 70's but is still there...just not maintained.) "During the late 1800s early explorers were looking for an area that would view all five major waterfalls. On June 14, 1897 Charles A. Bailey and a friend located the area called Sierra Point by triangulation. This process is achieved by lining up three central points to locate any given area on a map. From this location one can view all five falls, Upper and Lower Yosemite, Illilouette, Vernal and Nevada Falls." I only found out about this spot through a friend who has been going to Yosemite for 30 years. You REALLY have to know where you are going to find the trail...its on older Yosemite Park maps, but because of the rockslide in the 70's the Rangers will not tell you where it starts and will advise you against doing the hike. It took me three times to finally make it all the way to the top, but that was because I had to find the old trail, (which took a couple attempts) and then take one full trip to make sure I had the time to get to the top. Its only an 800 foot climb over less than a mile, but you might lose the trail once or twice the first time so don't get discouraged. There is one spot about halfway up where the rockslide occurred and you have to do a bit of scrambling, but I have never ever climbed anything in my life and I was able to do it just fine. Just keep close watch were you step and you should be fine. Once at Sierra Point you are treated to one of the most amazing spots in all of Yosemite. To top it off, basically no one knows about this spot or how to get here so you almost feel like John Muir in that you feel like you have the whole park to yourself. (There are hundreds of people on the Mist Trail below you.) This trail isn't for everyone, but if you do enough research online and give yourself some time its totally something you can do. You won't regret it at all, its one of the most amazing hikes I have ever accomplished. :0)

You are truly off the beaten path on this one (trail) but only for a tiring short distance. A steep…read more800 feet in under a vertical mile used to get hikers to this lookout point. When you hike the Sierra Loop trail or Mist trail to Vernal falls in Yosemite you are on the busy beaten path. This epic trail to Sierra point veers off the Vernal falls trail way before the bridge but you will not find a marker since the trail is no longer maintained since a huge rockfall covered it. There is a marker that can be used as a guide to find the trail and that is an informational sign that is labeled Rock Piles and has information about Talus, the jumbled rock piles. Since the trail is not recommended to be used this is just for historical information. Walking back from the sign towards happy isles about 25 yards you will see a huge vertical walled stone slab through the trees which is sort of a marker. From that huge slab the old trail is to the right through some scrambling and climbing a rock pile then heading up hill. Hikers who found their way to the railed lookout on top were able to see Yosemite falls, Illilouette fall and it's gorge, Nevada and Vernal falls and the point of Glacier Point. I found my way to the old trail but was not able to get to the lookout. The trail disappeared possibly due to recent dirt slides. You can how ever, see Sierra point from a safer location. If you continue hiking towards Vernal falls on the mist trail eventually you can see Sierra points railings by looking back and up towards the ridge above you. You may find another Sierra point on some maps located near Yosemite Point. The mix-up could be similar to the two rainbow views known in Yosemite.

Classic Yosemite backpacking route. 30 miles, +/- 4000 feet…read moreelevation. White Wolf to Glen Aulin/Tuolumne Meadow. Either way is good, it goes down and goes up, so either way is similar elevation wise. This is one way route, so carshuttle is required. Or you could catch YARTS but it could be full, so it is risky. 2 night/3 days is appropriate. This route is along Tuolumne River. This has massive amount of water. Since there is a lot of elevation gain/loss, you can see many beautiful waterfalls. The most specutacular falls is Waterwheel falls. As the name indicates, the falls look like waterwheel. It is gorgious. I was just staring at the falls for a while. Not only waterwheel falls, california falls, White Cascades are also very pretty. This is real wilderness Yosemite.

Activity Type: Hiking Nearby City: Lower Yosemite Fall…read moreLength: 8.8 total miles Elevation Gain: Minimal Trail Type: Out-and-back Skill Level: Moderate Duration: 6 to 9 hours Season: Summer and fall Local Contacts: Yosemite National Park North Dome is one of the most photographed features of the park, especially from the Happy Isles Bridge with the Merced River in the foreground. It is smooth and rounded, more symmetrical than Half Dome, crowning the exfoliating Royal Arches. This is probably the best full-day outing on the north rim, and it is a popular one. The views are everything you would expect from such a vantage point, and as a bonus, you get to see the famous granite arch atop Indian Ridge, accessible only to foot (or horse) travelers.

I love North Dome. So much so that even though it was an integral part of my Yosemite experience…read morethe first time, I gladly came back to Yosemite and North Dome'd it up again with another group of people. If you're in OK shape, I encourage you to skip some of the trails near Yosemite Village and do some North Dome trekking. Parking is at the Porcupine Trailhead for a good start to the trail. The beginning is wooded and you don't run into a lot of people and 3 miles later or so later, you get up into the beautiful views of the valley. Don't stop here. Continue on to to the actual base of North Dome. You'll have to go down quite a bit, but it's worth it. The trek back up will be challenging, but the final part of the hike is definitely the best. Nothing beats eating your picnic lunch right at the base of North Dome under a tree. You'll see backpackers sometimes setting up a tent at some of the bases with some excellent views, so if you're a backpacker this is definitely a possible clandestine hiking spot ;). Bottom line: - Not usually crowded - Somewhat strenuous; about a 10 mile round trip if you go to the bottom base. - Starts out a bit slow, but the views at the end of are incredible. - Can usually catch cell phone service at the end of the hike