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3 days in Yosemite National Park is ideal to get a taster of this awe-inspiring natural wonderland.
The park is huge so you could spend weeks there and still not see it all, but this 3 day Yosemite itinerary covers the classic highlights as well as some less well-known sights.
We visited Yosemite in July and were worried that it would be crowded, temperatures scorching, and the waterfalls dried up.
While visiting Yosemite in the summer does have some downsides, it was absolutely worth it. We hiked through alpine meadows and giant sequoia groves, gazed at spectacular granite peaks, and admired one magnificent vista after another.
Despite our fears, the heat wasn’t too bad, we had plenty of tranquil moments, saw some beautiful waterfalls, and benefited from all roads being open in the summer.
We had a full 3 days in Yosemite arriving on Wednesday night and spending Thursday, Friday and Saturday in the park. It was noticeably quieter midweek so avoid the weekends if you can or plan to visit the less visited areas.
Contents
- Yosemite Update 2024
- Video of Yosemite Highlights
- Where to Stay in Yosemite
- Yosemite Entrance Fee
- Arriving in Yosemite
- Yosemite Itinerary Day 1 (9.30am to 9pm) – Cooks Meadow Loop, Glacier Point and Tunnel View
- Day 2 (6am to 5pm) – Mist Trail & Mariposa Grove
- Day 3 (7am to 3pm) – Olmsted Point, Tenaya Lake, Tuolumne Meadows, Gaylor Lakes
- Yosemite 3 Day Itinerary Map
- Extending Your Trip – Mono Lake & Bodie
- Other California National Parks
- Is Yosemite Worth Visiting in Summer?
- More California Posts
Yosemite Update 2024
Reservations Required on Some Dates
Reservations are required to enter Yosemite at peak times on some dates in 2024. See the Yosemite NPS Reservation page for more details. These do book up, so reserve as far ahead as you can.
You don’t need an entrance reservation if you have accommodation booked within the park.
Video of Yosemite Highlights
Where to Stay in Yosemite
Choosing your accommodation is a key part of planning a trip to Yosemite National Park. In the summer it’s essential to book as far in advance as possible.
I recommend staying as close to Yosemite Valley as you can afford in order to avoid long drives. We stayed an hour away to save money and regretted it.
Yosemite Accommodation Inside the Park
If you can afford it, definitely splurge on accommodation in the park (ideally Yosemite Valley)—we plan to do this on our next visit. It’s the best way to see Yosemite in 3 days as you can maximise your time.
Make sure you book far in advance for the summer—the best rooms sell out a year ahead.
The Ahwahnee Hotel (formerly Majestic Yosemite Lodge) is the most luxurious hotel in the park and the Yosemite Valley Lodge (probably my choice for next time) is more affordable and has a great location close to Yosemite Falls.
You could also camp at a number of campsites (bookings needed). See the Yosemite National Park website for the full range of options.
Yosemite Vacation Rentals
There are some vacation rentals inside Yosemite National Park. These are often available when the Valley lodges have sold out (although advance booking is still recommended) and offer a quieter, more private experience.
Having access to your own kitchen is an advantage over a hotel stay, and the extra space is great for families and groups.
Foresta is the closest area to Yosemite Valley (a 20-minute drive) and is the place to find cabins away from it all, but options are limited and book up fast. Here are a few homes that look ideal:
- Lupin Cabin – This cosy one-bedroom cabin has plenty of windows to make the most of the mountain views.
- Meadow Woods Home – A rustic two-bedroom cabin in the woods with a wood stove and outdoor wooden swing to enjoy the view.
- See Half Dome and El Capitan from your Deck – This large, comfortable three-bedroom house has floor-to-ceiling windows to enjoy the mountains views and all the amenities a family needs. There’s even a pool table and foosball in the basement!
Yosemite West has more choice of cabins and condos. It’s a little further away, a 30-minute drive from the Yosemite Valley at a higher elevation, but it’s closer to Glacier Point. Here are some lovely rentals:
- New Modern Home Inside the Park Gates – An ultra-stylish one-bedroom apartment with lots of natural light that backs onto the forest.
- Mountain getaway with Wifi and A/C – This beautiful cabin has three bedrooms and huge windows overlooking the forest.
- Hummingbird Raven House – A spacious three-bedroom cabin (plus office) with a beautiful elevated deck up in the trees. It sleeps 8-10 people but there’s only one shower.
Wawona is the other area with vacation rentals inside the park, but it’s much further from the Valley (nearly an hour from the visitor centre).
There are plenty more options, so search here for vacation rentals in Yosemite National Park on Vrbo.
Accommodation Outside Yosemite
If you can’t afford Yosemite Valley accommodation or it’s already fully booked, I recommend looking for hotels in El Portal, which is the nearest town to the Valley.
Yosemite View Lodge is a good affordable option—rooms have mountain views and kitchenettes, there are indoor and outdoor swimming pools, and it’s only a 20-minute drive to Yosemite Village.
If you are looking for a more special stay, Rush Creek Lodge has beautiful rooms and villas (some with fireplaces) in a tranquil forest setting with an outdoor pool and hot tubs.
They even provide complimentary s’mores to grill on the campfire. It’s only a 5-minute drive to a Yosemite National Park entrance and about 40 minutes to Yosemite Village.
Search for more hotels near Yosemite here.
Yosemite Bug Rustic Mountain Resort
To save money, we stayed at Yosemite Bug, a hostel 26 miles from Yosemite Valley near Midpines.
They have a range of accommodation from dorm beds to private cabins. We went for the least expensive private option, a tent cabin with a proper bed, electricity, and shared bathroom.
We liked the forest setting, having access to a kitchen to make packed lunches, and the comfy sofas in the cafe, but it had some issues.
The car park, kitchen and showers were really busy if we got back too late, the food in the cafe wasn’t great with limited vegetarian options, and we really would have appreciated air conditioning at that time of year (available in the more expensive rooms).
Our biggest regret was staying so far out of the park. The drive takes an hour or more each way and as we were getting started early, the days were really long and we were too exhausted to stay out for sunset. It would have been great to have a break in the middle of the day, but it was too far to travel.
Check the latest prices of Yosemite Bug here.
Yosemite Entrance Fee
Entrance to Yosemite costs $35 per vehicle and is valid for seven days. You can pay in advance or on arrival at the entrance gates (credit card only).
If you plan to visit a number of National Parks within a year, it might be worth purchasing the America the Beautiful annual pass which costs $80 per vehicle. You can buy the annual pass in advance from REI.
Arriving in Yosemite
We arrived at our hostel late afternoon on Wednesday from Sonoma County. We knew Midpines was very small so we stopped in Merced for groceries on the way. There are some big grocery stores there, but we wished we’d done our shopping in foodie heaven Sonoma instead where everything is local and organic.
We’d planned to go into the park for sunset at Artist Point but were too exhausted after the long drive—another reason to stay in the park as you can maximise your time there.
Yosemite Itinerary Day 1 (9.30am to 9pm) – Cooks Meadow Loop, Glacier Point and Tunnel View
Cooks Meadow Loop
On Day 1 of our Yosemite National Park itinerary, we had every intention of making an early start, but we were tired after the drive and didn’t make it into the park until 10.30am. We entered at the entrance on Highway 140 and bought our ticket.
It wasn’t as crowded as we expected and we got parked easily at Sentinel Bridge for the Cooks Meadow Loop hike (2.25 miles) around the Yosemite Valley.
It’s one of the best things to do in Yosemite and was the perfect introduction to the park—easy and flat, not too busy, and with stunning views.
We walked through lush green meadows and along the river, with views of Half Dome and granite cliffs soaring above.
Usually there are views of Yosemite Falls but in the summer it had completely dried up, and the side trip to the falls wasn’t worth it.
We also took a side trip to Yosemite Village to pick up a hiking map and visit the Ansel Adams gallery. There’s also a shop and restaurants here.
By the time we’d finished the short hike, things were getting busier and the nearby picnic spots were full.
We drove to the base of El Capitan which is a bit further out, so picnic tables were still available for our packed lunch. (We bought a cool bag and ice blocks to keep our food and water cool during the day.)
Taft Point & Sentinel Dome
After lunch we made our way out of the valley and up winding Glacier Point Road (open from mid-May to October/November).
Most people come for the panoramic views at Glacier Point (a one-hour drive from the valley), but we stopped off for some hikes along the way.
We arrived at the trailhead to Sentinel Dome and Taft Point at about 3pm and spent three hours there—an hour for each hike and 30 minutes at the top of each.
Both hikes are short, not too crowded or difficult (there are some steep parts but we hiked them in sports sandals), and have seriously spectacular views at the top.
It is possible to do a loop that combines the Taft Point and Sentinel Dome hikes, but this actually takes longer (perhaps four hours total) and the trail is less obvious. Plus by returning to the trailhead between each hike we could use the toilet and get more water from our car.
The Taft Point hike (2.2 miles) started through the forest with furry green moss glowing on the trees and deer getting surprisingly close.
At the top we enjoyed the vertigo-inducing views as we tentatively peered over the edge of the rock fissures and down and down to the valley.
A couple of brave guys were attempting to slackline between two rocks, nothing but thousands of feet of air beneath them.
The first one got halfway across before he lost his footing and fell, his cries piercing the air as our hearts stopped. His harness caught him and he managed to get off unharmed but obviously shaken. It didn’t stop his friend who we watched holding our breath as he slowly made it all the way across.
We followed the trail back the way we came to the trailhead before continuing on to Sentinel Dome (2.2 miles). This was a bit steeper at the end as we ascended the rocky dome but still a fairly easy hike.
The views at the top were even better with a 360-degree view of multiple peaks including Half Dome glowing in the late afternoon light.
Glacier Point & Tunnel View
We continued on up to Glacier Point stopping along the way for more amazing views at Washburn Point.
Glacier Point is rightly popular and was quite busy. The views are incredible and it’s the best place to get a sense of the scale and beauty of Yosemite.
You can see the peaks of the high country, Half Dome, Nevada Falls, and right down to the verdant carpet of meadows and forest in the valley far below.
The cafe closed at 5pm so we were glad we had enough food for a picnic dinner. We’d have loved to have stayed for sunset, but it was too late in summer (8.15pm) and we were now a two-hour drive from our hostel.
So we headed back down to the valley hoping to catch sunset at the famous viewpoint Tunnel View.
30 minutes before sunset it was empty, though, as the sun was hidden behind mountains and I think we missed the best light. We were treated to a sky illuminated in pink and purple on the drive back.
Day 2 (6am to 5pm) – Mist Trail & Mariposa Grove
Mist Trail
For our “big hike” we chose the Mist Trail (7 miles/ 5 hours). We were worried that this popular hike would be very crowded and hot in the summer, but by starting at 7am it was fine.
There were other hikers but not too many, and we easily got parked at the trailhead despite hearing that it’s often full with early risers hiking up to Half Dome.
The steep trail, partly on stairs carved out of the rock, took us up past Vernal and Nevada Falls which even in summer had good flows (but not enough to get wet as you do in the spring).
At the top of Nevada Falls we chose to hike back down via the Muir Trail rather than retrace our steps.
The trail was much quieter and there are fantastic views of Nevada Falls from afar. We were often alone and got a taste of the wilderness experience without having to hike too far.
Near the bottom we rejoined the trail to Vernal Falls and at 11am it was extremely busy with tourists struggling up to Vernal Bridge. An early start is definitely recommended.
We treated ourselves to pizza, coffee, and ice cream at Curry Village for lunch.
Mariposa Grove
After our 5am start and five-hour hike, we were exhausted and really wished we were staying in the park for a nap.
After a long lunch we made the effort and headed up to Mariposa Grove, about an hour’s drive away, to see the giant sequoia trees.
Unfortunately, we missed the sign saying the car park at the Grove was full and had to drive an extra four miles each way and come back to the visitor centre parking where we took the shuttle.
I admit our enthusiasm was waning at this point and we decided just to do the short 1.2-mile hike to the 1800-year-old Grizzly Giant.
The giant red trees are impressive, but at this time of year many were burnt (the burning is needed for restoration) and it was very hot and crowded—Friday afternoon definitely felt busier than Thursday. We much preferred our experience at Armstrong Redwoods State Reserve in Sonoma.
I think it’s only worth going up to Mariposa Grove for a longer hike, preferably early, in order to escape the crowds.
It probably would have made more sense to combine the grove in the morning with Glacier Point in the afternoon and do the valley stuff in one day, but we didn’t get an early enough start on Day 1 to do that.
Day 3 (7am to 3pm) – Olmsted Point, Tenaya Lake, Tuolumne Meadows, Gaylor Lakes
Our final day was a Saturday, so we visited one of the quieter areas of the park high up along Tioga Rd (only accessible in the summer), a two-hour drive from our hostel (one hour from the valley).
We entered the park through the west 140 entrance as usual but left via the east Tioga Pass entrance and spent our last night in Lee Vining (details below).
Olmsted Point & Tenaya Lake
Our first quick stop was at Olmsted Point for yet another view of Half Dome, this time from far above, and as always, it was stunning. We were sad to realise this would be our last glimpse of the valley.
A little further along is Tenaya Lake. It was quiet and beautiful, with reflections of the surrounding granite domes in the calm water, and only a couple of stand up paddleboarders around.
We didn’t hike around the lake, but it’s only 2.5 miles so it would be worthwhile.
Tuolumne Meadows
After stocking up on food at the Tuolumne Meadows grill and store, we went back a few minutes down the road to the Tuolumne Meadows Visitor Center. From here we did the flat, easy, and surprisingly quiet 1.5 mile hike to Soda Springs.
It was a gorgeous sunny day but cooler than the valley and far quieter, even on a Saturday.
We walked through the green Tuolumne Meadows, along a winding crystal clear river with a backdrop of granite mountains and forest in the distance. Soda Springs is a small spring with carbonated water bubbling from the ground.
Gaylor Lakes
Our last hike was at Gaylor Lakes just before the Tioga Pass park entrance at nearly 10,000 feet (3000 metres) altitude.
We felt the altitude on the short but steep climb at the beginning, but it was worth it for the views down to the lakes and back to Dana Meadows and Mt Dana.
From the pass we climbed down to Middle Gaylor Lake which, with only a few other people around, felt very remote, incredible considering how close we were to the car park.
The changeable weather and craggy granite mountains surrounding the lake gave it a real alpine feel.
After walking around the middle lake we set off through the meadow of boulders and wildflowers towards Lower Gaylor Lake. We’d lost the trail as we didn’t have a map, but it’s open and flat up here and hard to get lost.
It felt utterly secluded and peaceful, and even on a Saturday afternoon, there were only a few fishermen on the far side of the lower lake.
It took us three hours to visit the two lakes including a leisurely picnic, but you could spend as long as you like up here visiting the other lakes.
We highly recommend this hike for a taste of high mountain scenery and seclusion without having to hike too far.
After Gaylor Lake we left the park at the Tioga Pass and drove along the narrow winding road on the edge of the dramatic Lee Vining Canyon.
Yosemite 3 Day Itinerary Map
Here are all the places we visited on our 3 day trip to Yosemite plus a few of the best places to stay.
I also recommend the Alltrails app for trail maps on your phone. We have the Alltrails+ subscription, which allows us to download maps in advance for offline use (definitely useful in Yosemite).
Extending Your Trip – Mono Lake & Bodie
We were finished by 3pm on Day 3 and could have driven back to San Francisco, but it’s a long drive (5 hours) and there are some fascinating attractions just outside the park.
We spent the night in Lee Vining, a tiny town a short drive outside of the park. We stayed at El Mono Motel which was the cheapest we found and had modern, nicely furnished rooms, a small garden, and onsite coffee shop.
We were there to visit the unusual tufa rock formations at Mono Lake at sunset and sunrise, just a 20-minute drive away.
On our way back to San Francisco the next day we also stopped at the remote ghost town of Bodie.
Both places are definitely worth a detour and adding an extra night to your Yosemite itinerary.
Other California National Parks
If you are inspired to explore more of California’s National Parks, we recommend picking up an America the Beautiful annual pass (excellent value if you visit three or more parks in a year).
Death Valley National Park is very different to Yosemite but just as beautiful with its stark wildness. It’s about six hours from Yosemite village in the warmer months (when you can drive out via Tioga Rd) or eight hours in winter.
See our guide to what to see in Death Valley for all our tips.
Joshua Tree National Park is another desert park in Southern California that we absolutely love with quirky trees and massive boulder piles. It’s about seven hours from Yosemite or you could do an epic road trip and stop at Death Valley on the way.
We share the best hikes in Joshua Tree as well as lots of other useful advice.
Is Yosemite Worth Visiting in Summer?
Yosemite exceeded all of our expectations. With some careful planning, the summer weather and crowds didn’t prevent us from enjoying this spectacular place, which has some of the best views and hikes we’ve ever experienced.
We saw a lot in three days but still only a fraction of what the park has to offer. We know we’ll be back—at any time of year.
More California Posts
Are you looking for more California travel tips? Read these posts:
Near Yosemite
Further Afield
- 17 Best Things to Do in Sonoma County
- 23 Fun Things to Do in Southern California
- 14 Best Hikes in Joshua Tree National Park
- 15 Incredible Things to Do in Death Valley National Park
- 21 Fun Things to Do in Encinitas San Diego
- 18 Best Outdoor Adventures in San Diego
- Disneyland and California Adventure in One Day: An Itinerary for Adults
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Thank you for these informative descriptions. It has helped me tremendously with planning. Wondering- how would any of this change if I go in early October? Will the falls be dry, etc.?
It should be fairly similar in October, although of course, you’ll have fewer crowds and cooler weather (better for hiking). Glacier Point Road is usually open until November so that should be fine too.
Have a wonderful time!
I booked the Ahwahnee already for next August. Quick question…. With Glacier Point Rd scheduled to be closed in 2022, will we still be able to head out of the valley up the road to hike Sentinel Dome and Taft Point?
No, unfortunately, you won’t be able to drive up to Sentinel Dome and Taft Point next year. The only way to access the area will be on foot on trails like the Pohono Trail, but that’s a very long and strenuous hike, especially as you’d have to hike both ways.
hi, i’ve a question did you rent a car?
Yes we did – from San Francisco and combined Yosemite with a trip to Sonoma.
This was such a thorough description of the visit that I want to change my tour plans and just do this trip on my own! Thank you so much for taking your time for this post!
Hi!
Thank you for this wonderful article.
Just a little error on your article… The Glacier Point Road closure is scheduled for 2022 instead of 2021 :)
Thanks for the info Tania. I think it was originally 2021 but seems to have been delayed. I’ve updated the post now.
I absolutely love all this information, super super helpful!!!
Im in awe with the 3 days itinerary to Yosemite…. been looking for information because we might be a group of 30 salseros wanting to visit Yosemite mid June (2020 we visited Shasta 6 waterfalls 2 days trip)
Wow wow!!
Hi there,
Can I use your 3 day itinerary in February instead? We r couple with 3 teenagers and use our own car. Where should we find budget accommodation please? Thanks.
In winter you wouldn’t be able to go up to Taft Point/Sentinel Dome and Glacier Point or do Day 3 of our itinerary, as those roads are closed. You can do the things in the valley though.
The NPS has info on visiting in winter: https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/winter.htm
See the where to stay section in this post for accommodation ideas.
Enjoy!
Great Information for making me firm 3 day schedule^^^
We are ready enjoy there and thanks a lot Erin ^^^
Have a wonderful time, Charles!
Your blog has been extremely helpful. Me and my two kids are planning a trip for May 2020 to celebrate my 60th birthday. I plan on doing all the hikes I am an avid runner, practice yoga and consider myself in pretty good shape. Thank you for the advice !!
Have an amazing trip Karen – what a perfect way to celebrate your 60th!
I just stumbled across this post and I really enjoyed it! I have never been to Yosemite, but I’d like to plan a family trip there for 2020. I’m already excited! Posts like yours are exactly what I need to make plans.
I hope you have a fantastic time in Yosemite, Rebecca!
If you go in spring, the Upper Yosemite Falls Trail is amazing. It is strenuous but my athletic, mature 9 and 11 made it. The views from the top are stunning. Just bring tons of water. If you can’t make the whole hike, you are rewarded with great views of the valley (but no waterfall) after you complete the steep, shaded switchbacks at the beginning of the trail. Be prepared for unstable footings and steep drop offs as this is not paved and there are no guard rails. Do not bring children if they are not mature enough to understand the dangers of this type of hike.
Sounds wonderful! Thanks for the tip!
Thanks for the great article! This has been super helpful for our trip and my dad has me reference this post each day we plan our hikes!
Thank you so much and have a wonderful time in Yosemite!
Great Post, very helpful!!! Thank you. We are planning to visit Yosemite for labor day weekend, but I believe we wont be able to see waterfalls much as I heard spring is the best time to visit waterfalls.
I hope you get to see some waterfalls, but even without them Yosemite is stunning. Enjoy!
Great post. Thanks for the detailed write-up. Appreciate your efforts !!
I’m glad you found it useful Roopa. Enjoy your trip to Yosemite!
Very helpful info for us to digest before our trip in mid July.
Our trip involves entering the park at the Tioga Pass at about midday and hiking Gaylor Lakes and Soda Springs en route to Buck Meadows for a 3 night stay (accommodation in the Valley unavailable even back in late ’16). With short photo stops at Tenaya Lake and Olmstead Point, will we be okay timewise to get to our destination by say 7 o’clock?
Keeping an open mind on doing the Mist Trail as we may not be as early out of bed as you and the crowds may be a deterrent; Plan B would be to loop the valley floor, Lower Yosemite Falls and on the Mirror Lake.
What I would value your opinion on is how to explore the Glacier Point area on our second day. With the restriction on cars getting beyond Badger Pass after 10 o’clock, we would hope to get to the Sentinel Dome car park by 9 with the hope that we could hike out to Taft Point and use the Pohono Trail to reach Sentinel Dome and ultimately Glacier Point. The shuttle bus could return us to the Sentinel Dome car park. Was there any reason why you didn’t take this option? Is the Pohono Trail particularly difficult in comparison to the two out-and-back hikes you made to TP and SD?
Hi Ciaran, I think you should be able to get there by 7 pm on your first day.
When we visited there wasn’t a restriction on driving up to Glacier Point (I’ll update the post with this info). But it sounds like your plan should work. I didn’t consider the Pohono Trail as I only saw descriptions of the whole thing (13 miles and 5-10 hours) from Glacier Point to the Valley. You will be hiking uphill to Glacier Point, so I think it will be more difficult that what we did, but you won’t be doing the whole trail so it should be doable. Enjoy!
We are heading to Yosemite in late June over a weekend and I am fearing the crowds. We currently have reservations in the valley (needed book more than a year out) but the idea of the weekend summer crowds is having me consider lodging outside of the valley instead. What are you thoughts and opinions? We have 3 kids and 3 adults on this trip so we are hoping to hit the park highlights and some high sierra highlights too but can’t take on any long day hikes with a four year old in tow (he can do 1-4 miles no prob). Also would you give up Yosemite Valley Lodge reservations for more space and a kitchen 20-30minutes from the valley?
All I can say is that we really wished we had stayed in the park itself. It would have saved on travel time and made it easier to start early and take a break during the hot part of the day. It’s what we would do if we went back.
Thanks for sharing this.. I was looking for some pointers to visit during Summer.
Briliant! Richard (UK) & I (Naomi from Israel) so muck enjoyed reading about your time in Yosemite. We are planning a road trip in October starting in SFO and visiting Yosemite as well as 6 other parks. Your advice is so helpful. Thank you! Naomi & Richard.
PS We know how much time it takes to put travel articles together as we have published a few bookes in the past telling of our journeys in Europe. Well done!
Thanks for your kind words Naomi and have an amazing road trip! I bet Yosemite will be beautiful in the fall.
We are going July 21st and are nervous about the waterfalls being dry and the meadows starting to brown. Your pictures look great, however! How late in July did you go?
It was the end of July. Some of the waterfalls were dry but there was still plenty to see. Yosemite is stunning at any time of year! Enjoy!
Me and my friends are planning to go hiking for 3 days to see the waterfalls. Will it be good to visit it this 4th of july(2016) weekend?
It will be busy but still worth it if you get up early and do some of the less well-known hikes.
Thanks for this information, and the pictures. I appreciate your humility and honesty about things you would do differently. I am going this week, and you have been most helpful.
thank you for sharing! i am on my way now to yosemite and will follow your plan. gotta’ love the internet :). you are awesome! thank you!!!!!
Thanks for sharing. Great pictures!
It’s too bad you didn’t get to see the Wanwona point which is at the peak of the Mariposa grove trail. It show all of yosemite going into the Valley and is one of the nicest views in my opinion. But you certainly took in a lot more than most people in only 3 days.
What a comprehensive review of Yosemite … I knew it was a beautiful place, but I didn’t know how beautiful!
You guys are nearby!! If you need a place to stay in LA and fellow adventurers to show you around a new area please feel free to reach out! We have a couch with your name on it :) PS – I have still yet to go to Yosemite, Drew went on Thanksgiving with a buddy a couple years back. Needless to say it’s on our list of places to go before moving abroad.
Unfortunately not -it’s actually taken me 7 months to write this post! We are hoping to visit California again in the fall though. Thanks so much for the offer!
Gorgeous pictures. In May we’ll be driving Hwy 395 from Oregon to Arizona for Overland Expo and, while we won’t have time to actually hike around in Yosemite (and w/ our dogs with us it wouldn’t be allowed anyway) we will be checking out Mono Lake and Bodie ghost town (along with all of the other great sites as we head South towards Death Valley). Can’t wait to read your stories about them.
Sounds like a great trip. Definitely visit Mono Lake and Bodie -one night at Lee Vining is enough for them both.
These pictures are stunning; quite unlike anywhere else I’ve seen. And thanks for all this information, a very useable guide as always!
Thanks Sam. Glad you found this huge amount of info useful :)
This is great. I haven’t been to Yosemite but plan to make it there eventually. I’m saving this post as an example to use.
Beautiful photos and useful information. I will be going to Yosemite for a few days this spring and will use your suggestions to plan our time.
I was surprised to see the photo of the guy slacklining/highlining there…Mich Kemeter was the world-record holder in slacklining. 2 years ago, he was one of my students (I teach ESL). He used to go to Yosemite to train on the weekends (I live about 3.5 hrs from the park). One of his most famous feats was when he actually walked across at that location without a harness. Crazy!
Oh wow! That’s so cool that you taught him, and crazy to do that without a harness. We were terrified just watching!
What a full on few day you guys had. It look so beautiful, I can’t wait to explore myself soon. Thanks for sharing your tips they will be a big to me.
It really was a busy few days but there were just so many places we wanted to see. Lots more to return for as well!
Thank you for sharing. Yosemite is one of my favorite parks and I loved seeing it again thru your pics and blog post.
We’d heard so many good things about Yosemite and it was just as wonderful as everyone said.