Plan a Trip to Yosemite Valley
Yosemite Valley is the crown jewel of the Sierra Nevada mountains. It's located inside Yosemite National Park, about 150 miles (240 km) due east of San Francisco. If you want to plan a trip to this amazing place, but don't know where to start, read this article!
Steps
- Decide what time of year you will go. This depends on what you want to see or do in Yosemite. Roads to the valley (but not to other areas of the park) are open all year.
- Spring: April to early June is the best time to see the waterfalls. The weather can vary during this time. Crowds are light, except on May weekends.
- Summer: While most people visit during the summer months, the crowds and heat arguably make it the worst time to visit. Since the water in the waterfalls comes from snowmelt, the water levels may be very low in late summer; the peak runoff is during May-June. On the plus side, all park roads leading to attractions outside of the Valley should be open during the summer.
- Fall. In early Fall, the weather can include pleasant warm days and chilly nights. That said, some early winter storms can pop up and chains may be required. It should also be noted that Yosemite isn’t a good place to see Foliage Tour in North America, since most of the trees there are evergreen. The waterfalls are often dry by early fall.
- Winter: During December to March, there will often be snow. Tire chains will probably be needed.
- Plan how you will get there. It is about a four-hour drive from San Francisco and about a six-hour drive from Los Angeles. A Vehicle Pass is $20 and works for seven days; an Individual Pass, for people on foot, bus, bicycle, or horse, is $10. The Yosemite Pass is $40 and lasts for one year. There are no car rentals in the park. There is a shuttle inside the Valley with 21 stops and it is very convenient. There are four entrances:
- the Big Oak Flat Entrance in the northwest of the park on Hwy 120
- the Tioga Pass Entrance in the east on Hwy 120
- the Arch Rock entrance in the west of the park on Hwy 140
- the South entrance on Hwy 41
- Reserve a hotel or campsite. Some hotels are the Ahwahnee, Yosemite Lodge at the Falls, and Wawona Hotel. If you are going camping, some campsites require reservations, and reserving a site will ensure that you have a place to stay. Remember to reserve as early as possible. North Pines, Upper Pines, and Lower Pines are campgrounds all located in the Valley and require reservations. Camp 4, a smaller campground that is open year-round, is also in the Valley and is a first come, first served campground.
- Explore the educational and recreational resources.
- Visitor center - This is at shuttle stops #5 and #9. Here, you can get some information about Yosemite and watch Spirit of Yosemite, a film about the park (in the Visitor Center Theater).
- Museum - Check out the Indian Cultural Exhibit about the Miwok and Paiute Indians.
- Curry Village - Visit the ice skating rink.
- Nature center - This can be found at Happy Isles, near shuttle stop #16. It has natural history exhibits and a bookstore. It is also the beginning of the trail to Vernal Falls.
- Ansel Adams Gallery - The iconic photographs of one of America's most beloved nature artists can be seen here, and prints and postcards from Ansel Adams and many other artists can be purchased for reasonable prices.
- Visit some popular viewpoints.
- Glacier Point offers breathtaking views of the valley, including Half Dome and a few waterfalls. It is accessible by car from early June to November, although the road there is not in Yosemite Valley.
- Tunnel View also has great views, perhaps the most famous, of the valley. From here, you can see El Capitan, Bridalveil Fall, and Half Dome. It is at the east end of the Wawona Road, which is also the very west end of the valley.
- Valley View is another viewpoint along Northside Drive, and you can visit it on your way out of the valley. It is between Bridalveil Fall and Pohono Bridge. You may also find some interesting views in any other ordinary turnout on the road.
- Take a hike. You can go hiking or bicycling. Remember that bicycles and Hike with Your Hound are only allowed on bike paths and regular roads. You can rent bicycles at Yosemite Lodge at the Falls or the Curry Village Recreation Center. Pets must always be leashed. Also carry plenty of water and always stay on the trails. Try to plan your hiking trips early or late in the day, as there will be fewer people and more wildlife at those times. These are also good times to take pictures. (The trails in the list below are in order of difficulty.)
- Bridalveil Fall – This is a 0.5 mi. (0.8 km) round-trip paved trail to Bridalveil Fall; pets are allowed.
- Lower Yosemite Fall – This is a 1 mi. (1.6 km) loop trail is easy and its trailhead is at shuttle stop #6. Pets are allowed on this trail.
- Cook’s Meadow Loop – This loop is 1 mi. (1.6 km) long and starts at the Valley Visitor Center. From this trail you can see Half Dome, Glacier Point, and Royal Arches.
- Mirror Lake – This trail is 2 mi. (3.2 km) round-trip and pets are allowed on it. There is also another trail going around the lake that is 5 mi. (8 km) where pets are not allowed. There can be lots of wildlife here.
- Valley Floor Loop – This is a 13 mi. (20.9 km) trail of moderate difficulty that travels around Yosemite Valley and starts at shuttle stop #7. The half loop is 6.5 mi. (10.5 km) long.
- Four Mile Trail – This is a harder trail; it is 9.6 mi. (15.5 km) long and has a {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}}. (975 m) elevation gain. You can get to the trailhead using the El Capitan Shuttle during the summer; it is also about a 1/2 mile from shuttle stop #7.
- Panorama Trail – This 8.5 mi. (13.7 km) trail starts at Glacier Point and ends at the valley floor and has a {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}}. (975 m) descent. It passes by Illilouette Fall and then joins the Mist Trail.
- Upper Yosemite Fall – This 7.2 mi. (11.6 km) trail to Upper Yosemite Fall passes by Columbia Rock, which has great views of the valley, and has a {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}}. (823 m) elevation gain.
- Vernal Fall – The trail that leads to Vernal Fall is 3 mi. (4.8 km) long and has a {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}}. (366 m) elevation gain. It starts at Happy Isles, at shuttle stop #16. You can also hike up to the top of the fall.
- Nevada Fall – This 7 mi. (11.2 km) trail continues after the Vernal Fall trail and has a {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}}. (610 m) elevation gain. On this trail, you can also continue to the top of the fall.
- Half Dome – This trail can be up to 16.3 mi. (26.1 km) depending on where you start, and has a {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}}. (1,463 m) elevation gain. It goes up the east side of Half Dome. There are cables on the last {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} of the trail.
- Explore recreational activities. There's more to the Yosemite Valley than hiking:
- Backpacking– There are many backpacking trails; ninety-five percent of the park is designated wilderness. A permit, which can be obtained at a wilderness center, is required. When backpacking, you do not have to camp at a designated campsite. Camping is not allowed on top of Half Dome. Remember to store all food in bear canisters. Find out about all the other regulations before going backpacking.
- Horseback Riding – These trails in Yosemite Valley are not open for stock use: The Mist Trail from Happy Isles to Nevada Fall, Snow Creek Trail from Mirror Lake, and the Mirror Lake Road. You can go on the Yosemite Falls Trail from Yosemite Valley to the top of Upper Yosemite Fall, but it is not recommended. All the other trails in the valley are open.
- Fishing – The season for stream and river fishing starts on the last Saturday in April and ends on November 15. In Frog Creek, it starts later, on June 15. Lake and reservoir fishing is open year-round. Fishing supplies and licenses are available in some shops in Yosemite.
- Rock climbing – Yosemite has many places for rock climbing. Remember to stay Avoid Climbing Injuries and follow all guidelines.
- Discover other areas of Yosemite, since the valley is not the only place in the National Park, although maybe the most popular. Consider visiting Wawona, the Mariposa Grove of giant sequoias, Glacier Point and Badger Pass, Hetch Hetchy, Crane Flat, Tioga Road and Tuolumne Meadows.
Tips
- Use the shuttle to travel around Yosemite Valley so you won’t have to drive.
- Look for wildlife. – Some animals that live in Yosemite are the coyote, mule deer, the western gray squirrel, the spotted bat, Steller's jay, the golden eagle, the great gray owl, mountain lions, and black bears. Remember that they are wildlife, even though they may be small or cute, and never approach them. Always store food (or any other items with a scent) in bear canisters or lockers so that bears cannot get into it. If you see a mountain lion or a bear, stay calm and don't run, and make loud noises. Report all bear sightings. Read How to Escape from a Bear before you go.
- Bring rain gear so that you don't get caught by a surprise thunderstorm.
Warnings
- The water in rivers and lakes in Yosemite may have giardia. Remember to filter or boil any water from streams.
- Follow the speed limit; speeding may cause collisions with animals.
- Never plan to hike up Half Dome if there will be any chance of rain or thunderstorms. The peak's exposure makes it a frequent target of lightning.
- Remember to never stand in the water right above a waterfall. Although it looks shallow and calm, it moves fast and has sucked a few tourists over the falls.
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