Best Views and Hikes in Yosemite National Park

3.5 million people visit Yosemite National Park every year! Nestled in the high Sierras, Yosemite is known for its beautiful waterfalls, massive granite rocks, breathtaking valley views and so much more! If you are planning to visit Yosemite any time soon, read on to find the best places to go to during your trip.

Best time to visit Yosemite National Park

• May to September (summer) – The perfect weather is during the summer. It’s more than that. All the roads are open and accessible during this time and the temperatures are warmer. Waterfalls flow in their full glory during Spring. This is peak season, so everything is on the expensive side.
• October to April – Off season and a cheaper time to visit. Several roads are closed around this time. See below for more information on road closures. Skiing is popular in the Badger Pass Ski area.

Winter road closures in Yosemite (tire chains needed if there is snow)

• Tioga Road is usually closed from November. This means vehicles are not permitted between Crane Flat and Tioga Pass and the Tuolumne Meadows area.
• Glacier Point Road is closed around the same time. This opens from mid-december and cars are allowed until Badger Pass Ski area for cross-country skiing.
• Mariposa Grove Road is closed until mid April.

Yosemite Park Reservations

Reservations are currently not needed to visit the park. You can find the most up-to-date information here.

Wilderness Permits

Wilderness permit is needed all year. This is for overnight stay in the Yosemite wilderness or overnight climbing. 60% of the permits become available 24 weeks (6 months) in advance by lottery and 40% become available seven days in advance so plan accordingly. Remember that 95% of Yosemite is considered as wilderness.

Half Dome Permit

A permit is needed to hike to the top of Half Dome. You can still go on the trail without the permit but you cannot go past sub-dome. The Half Dome cables usually go up by the end of May and will be up until October.

You can either apply for the lottery in March or try for the daily lotteries during hiking season at recreation.gov. Each person can apply for a permit that allows up to six people. Hiking half dome is one of the most exciting things to do in Yosemite, so bookmark the permit application days on your calendar!

Viewpoints that you can drive to in Yosemite

Glacier Point

If there is only one view point that you can stop by at Yosemite, it should be this! Glacier Point has the most breathtaking views of the valley, three of the waterfalls in Yosemite – Vernal, Nevada and Yosemite Falls as well as incredible views of Half Dome at a distance.

Tunnel View

If you are entering Yosemite from the West, this a must-see spot. You get a full view of the Yosemite valley from here right at the end of the Wawona Tunnel.

From left to right, there are sweeping panoramic views of El Capitan, Half Dome and Bridalveil Falls. Try to get here around sunset to see the Half Dome in shades of beautiful pink during the twilight hour. This place is quite crowded but people leave quickly after enjoying the views.

You can hike to Artist Point for a less crowded view point.

El Capitan

To get an up close view of El Capitan, the massive granite wonder of Yosemite, go to El Capitan Meadow on your way to Yosemite village. If you look closely, in the mornings and evenings, you will see climbers scaling heights over this massive rock!

Tenaya Lake and Olmstead Point

If you have more time, you can drive through Tioga Pass for unique views of the Valley and Half Dome. Then head to Tenaya Lake for swimming, relaxing and kicking it back by the beach there.

Note that Tioga pass is closed during the winter.

Hiking Trails in Yosemite

One of the best reasons to go to Yosemite National Park is for Hiking! Here are nine hiking trails for people of different levels.

Trails under 5 miles

Glacier Point trail

• Difficulty Level: Easy
• Distance: 0.6 mi
• Elevation Gain: 137 ft
• All trails link

This trail is accessible only if the Glacier Point Road is open. It is a super short, well-paved walk to beautiful views of the valley and Half Dome.

Lower Yosemite Falls trail

• Difficulty Level: Easy
• Distance: 1.2 mi
• Elevation Gain: 55 ft
• All trails link

This is a dog-friendly trail and dogs should remain on the leash. It is also wheelchair, family and stroller friendly. This is a popular trail to get views of the Yosemite Falls from its base.

Sentinel Dome trail

• Difficulty Level: Moderate
• Distance: 2.2 mi
• Elevation Gain: 459 ft
• All trails link

The top of Sentinel Dome offers 360 degree panoramic views of El Capitan, Yosemite Falls, Nevada Falls and Half Dome. There is not much tree cover and it can be very hot during the summer so prepare accordingly.

Vernal Falls trail

• Difficulty Level: Moderate to Hard
• Distance: 3.1 mi
• Elevation Gain: 1131 ft
• All trails link

Vernal Falls is a must-see when you are visiting Yosemite. It is so beautiful during the spring but the view is not great when the water flow is weak. If you are in the mood for a longer adventure, keep hiking to get up to Nevada Falls.

Trails over 5 miles

Vernal and Nevada Falls via Mist trail

• Difficulty Level: Hard
• Distance: 6.4 mi
• Elevation Gain: 2208 ft
• All trails link

This is the most popular trail with over 10000+ reviews on AllTrails. This trail is highly trafficked during hiking season so you will have a better hike if you start early. During the spring, when the water flow is at its full, it is a joyful hike as you get drenched from the mist on a hot summer day. This will always be one of my favorite trails in Yosemite.

Upper Yosemite Falls trail

• Difficulty Level: Hard
• Distance: 6.6 mi
• Elevation Gain: 3254 ft
• All trails link

For a short hike, you can go up to Columbia Rock and for a longer one, continue to Upper Yosemite falls. This trail is a bit rocky and challenging so wear good shoes. Hiking for half-a-mile from Columbia Rock offers the best views of Yosemite Falls along the entire trail so you can turn around after this if you don’t feel like going all the way.

Four Mile trail

• Difficulty Level: Hard
• Distance: 9.7 mi
• Elevation Gain: 3418 ft
• All trails link

The name of this trail is pretty deceiving. It’s more than twice the distance of its name out and back. The hike is extremely beautiful and there are unobstructed views of Yosemite at several stops as you gain elevation.

Clouds Rest trail

• Difficulty Level: Hard
• Distance: 12.2 mi
• Elevation Gain: 3100 ft
• All trails link

This trail is for the above average hiker. It is also relatively quiet compared to the other trails. It is pretty exposed with steep drop offs at the end, so take it slow and easy.

Half Dome trail

• Difficulty Level: Hard
• Distance: 15.3 mi
• Elevation Gain: 5213 ft
• All trails link

This is one of the most epic hikes that I have done in my life. We hiked at the end of June after the pandemic. What started as a nice beautiful summer day turned out to be a nightmare downhill with hailstorm and flooding, but we made it back safely. Keep an eye on the weather changes and do not risk going here during rain and thunderstorms. It is especially dangerous to be on top of the half dome when the thunder clouds are closing in.

Yosemite National Park is a magnificent gem of California. Hope you get to plan your trip soon and explore the vast wilderness that this park offers. You can follow my Instagram for more outdoorsy trip ideas @explorewithswe. Have a lovely day!