Midweek in early June we visited Yosemite National Park, one of the oldest and most spectacularly scenic national parks our country has to offer. We found this timeframe to be ideal for limiting crowds, experiencing moderate temperature and witnessing tremendous water flow over the iconic falls in the park. These are the sites we visited to make the most of our two days in the park.
CONTENTS
00:00 Intro Teaser
00:43 Overview
01:12 Tunnel View
02:30 Glacier Point
03:30 Ultimate Epic Hike
04:07 Panorama Trail
04:56 Yosemite Falls Trail
05:44 Columbia Rock Trail
07:00 Curry Village
09:09 Yosemite Village
09:37 Mist Trail (Vernal & Nevada Falls)
Tunnel View
We traveled to Yosemite using the South Entrance and the long, dark Wawona Tunnel. It is immediately upon the tunnel’s exit that we were taken aback by the expansive views of Yosemite Valley. A turnout immediately to the left allowed us to take it all in. This is the oft-replicated viewpoint used by artists galore, and was partly made famous by the iconic black-and-white photo by Ansel Adams. The view looks eastward into the valley, with El Capitan on the left, Half Dome in the background, and Bridalveil Fall on the right. The site even has a 3-D metal sculpture replicating the renowned valley.
Glacier Point
What tunnel view does from the valley floor, Glacier Point does from 3,200 feet higher. On the south wall of the Yosemite Valley, this viewpoint gives a birdseye look at some of the most famous landmarks, including Yosemite Falls, Half Dome, Vernal Fall, Nevada Fall, and Curry Village. Glacier Point is reached by the seasonal Glacier Point Road, a winding pass that reaches the 7,200 foot elevation and trailheads for both the Four Mile Trail and the Panorama Trail. Each of these will take you to the valley floor - or from the valley floor up to Glacier Point. These potentially treacherous trails represent a challenging option available during the winter-ish months that Glacier Point Road is closed (November through May).
Epic Hike: Panorama to Mist Trail
My recommendation for the ultimate Yosemite hike starts at the peak overlook of Glacier Point and uses two of the park’s epic trails to journey down to Curry Village. If you have the time, energy, and transportation for this 10 mile, 6 hour one-way hike, there is no better way to immerse yourself in Yosemite than to start with the awe-inspiring views of the Panorama Trail and finish by hugging several of the park’s famous waterfalls along the Mist Trail (video link).
Panorama Trail
Alternatively, you can create an out-and-back hike on the Panorama Trail by starting near Glacier Point and traveling down to the Illilouette Bridge and experiencing amazing views of Half Dome, Vernal Fall, Nevada Fall and Illilouette Fall. This path takes a 1,350 ft drop in elevation, which you will, of course, need to climb back up when you complete the 5.2 mile out-and-back from Glacier Point. If you’re adventurous, instead of turning around at the Illilouette Bridge, you can travel another mile and a 300 ft climb to the spectacular Panorama Point, creating a 7-mile out-and-back.
Yosemite Falls
From Yosemite Village, it is a quick, easy 1.2 mile stroll to see Yosemite Falls, the tallest waterfall in Northern America. Best viewed in late spring and early summer, the streaming water drops over 2,400 feet from the top of the upper fall to the base of the lower fall. You will have an opportunity for a small rock scramble to get close to falls - or take a step back to catch a glimpse of Upper, Lower, and Middle Cascade of Yosemite Falls.
Columbia Rock
One of the best hikes within Yosemite is the trek to the top of Upper Yosemite Falls. But this 7.6 mile trail has over 3,200 feet of elevation gain - and is not for the faint of heart. If you enjoyed the base of the falls and just want a better vantage point of the valley, you can start up the Upper Yosemite Falls trail to the glorious Columbia Rock overlook. This is a moderate 2.6 mile out-and-back hike. It is still steep, however, climbing 1,000 feet in elevation on the way to sweeping views of the Yosemite Valley.
Mist Trail (Vernal & Nevada Falls)
For many, the top rated hike in Yosemite is not the ascent up the infamous Half Dome. It’s the Mist Trail that takes you alongside the iconic Vernal and Nevada Falls. While not monumentally difficult, this is still a strenuous hike. You have two options. You can ascend 1,300 feet on a 4 mile out-and-back trek that takes you up nature’s “giant staircase” to Vernal Falls, a 318 foot waterfall that is so close that you will be covered head to toe in water droplets. Or you can extend your hike to a 5.4 mile out-and-back that climbs an additional 800 feet to also reach Nevada Falls. This is a 600 foot waterfall that free-falls for the first third of the drop, creating turbulent whitewater. While both of these waterfalls flow year-round, spring and early summer is best for viewing full flow.