Yosemite National Park: valley, granite and the crowds question

Almost everything you picture when you picture Yosemite happens in a valley seven miles long and one mile wide, which receives a very large share of the park's four million annual visitors. The park is roughly the size of Rhode Island. Understanding that mismatch is the whole trick to enjoying the place.

Entrances and getting there

• Arch Rock (Highway 140 from Mariposa): the all-year river route, lowest in elevation and the least snow trouble in winter.
• Big Oak Flat (Highway 120 from Groveland): the usual way in from San Francisco and the Bay Area.
• South Entrance (Highway 41 from Fresno): arrives past Mariposa Grove and Wawona, with the Tunnel View reveal on the way down.
• Tioga Pass (Highway 120 from Lee Vining): the high east gate, summer and autumn only.
• Hetch Hetchy: its own gate in the quiet northwest corner, open daylight hours only.

The 3-day plan

Day 123

Valley floor day. Park once and use the free shuttle.

1. 08:00 Tunnel View El Capitan, Bridalveil and Half Dome in one frame. Arrive before 09:00 or share it with forty tripods.
2. 09:15 Bridalveil Fall A ten minute walk to the base. In spring the wind throws the whole fall sideways.
3. 10:45 El Capitan Meadow Lie back and find the climbers, tiny specks on a 3,000 foot wall. Binoculars pay off here.
4. 12:00 Yosemite Valley Visitor Center Lunch in the village, then the exhibit hall’s relief map to plan tomorrow.
5. 14:00 Lower Yosemite Fall An easy loop to the base of the tallest waterfall in North America. Best in May, spray guaranteed.
6. 17:30 Valley View The river-level goodbye view of El Capitan for golden hour.

Start from this plan →

Waterfalls have a season, and it is short

Yosemite Falls, Bridalveil and the rest are snowmelt-fed. They peak in May, run well through June, and by August many are a stain on the rock or gone entirely. If waterfalls are why you are coming, come in May and accept the crowds. If granite, hiking and quiet are why you are coming, come in late September.

Tioga Road and the high country

Tuolumne Meadows and the high country along Tioga Road are the park most visitors never see, and they are glorious: open meadow, granite domes, alpine lakes, a fraction of the people. The catch is that Tioga Road is closed by snow from roughly November until late May or June, and the opening date moves by weeks year to year. Check before you build a trip around it.

Location: Yosemite National Park

Hikes worth the legs

• Mist Trail to Vernal Fall: steep granite steps, genuine soaking in spring, and the best short payoff in the valley. Continue to Nevada Fall if the legs agree.
• Upper Yosemite Falls: a hard 3,200 foot climb for a view straight down the tallest waterfall in North America.
• Half Dome: 14 to 16 miles, cables on the final pitch, and a permit lottery you must enter months ahead. Not a casual day out.
• Sentinel Dome and Taft Point: modest effort, enormous view, and far fewer people than the valley floor.
• Valley Loop: flat, shaded and the best way to actually look at El Capitan rather than at the car in front of you.

Beating the valley crowds

1. 1 Sleep inside the park or in El Portal, so you are on the valley floor before eight rather than queueing at the gate at ten.
2. 2 Park once, at Curry Village or the Yosemite Village day lot, then use the free valley shuttle all day.
3. 3 Do the famous viewpoints early or late. Tunnel View at sunrise is a different experience from Tunnel View at noon.
4. 4 Check whether a peak-season entry reservation is required for your dates, because the rule has come and gone repeatedly. The official planning page is the only reliable source.

Book it and check it

• Official park page → Entrance fees, opening hours, park maps and seasonal road status. https://www.nps.gov/yose/index.htm
• Current conditions and alerts → Road, trail and weather status. Read this the morning you go. https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/conditions.htm
• Recreation.gov → Campsites, timed entry and permits for most federal land. https://www.recreation.gov
• Half Dome permit lottery → Preseason lottery in March, plus a daily lottery two days ahead. https://www.recreation.gov/permits/234652

Common questions

Do you need a reservation to enter Yosemite?

Sometimes. Yosemite has used peak-season day-use reservations in several recent years and dropped them in others. Check the official park page for your exact dates rather than trusting last year's advice.

What is the best time to see Yosemite waterfalls?

May, at peak snowmelt. June is still strong. By late summer Yosemite Falls often stops entirely.

How hard is the hike to Half Dome?

Very. It is 14 to 16 miles round trip with 4,800 feet of gain, finishing on steel cables up bare granite. It needs a permit, an early start and a real head for heights.

Is one day enough for Yosemite?

One day covers the valley's main viewpoints and one short hike. It cannot also cover the high country, which is two hours of driving away.