Yosemite in 3 Days

A couple of years ago we had a chance to spend a few days in Yosemite National Park. It was our first trip to Yosemite and even though we have all seen those beautiful photos of Half Dome, El Capitan and Yosemite Fall, we found that photos just do not do justice to these iconic landmarks. There is simply nothing like seeing it for yourself! In this post, we will share our recommended itinerary for a 3-day visit to the park. If you haven’t been to Yosemite yet, we hope you will make it there sometime soon. You won’t regret it!

About Yosemite

President Abraham Lincoln signed the Yosemite Grant in 1864 and in 1890 Congress established Yosemite as a national park. Yosemite is a huge park at about 750,000 acres, and more than 4 million people visit each year. Most visitors congregate in the 7-mile Yosemite Valley, so it can get very congested in the valley area.

The park is open 24 hours a day and all year long, but the main times to visit are from May to September. While the gates are always open, they are only manned during daytime hours, generally around 8AM to 7PM. But no worries, if you enter the park while no one is manning the gate, you can just pay when you leave.

The park pass is $35 per car and is good for 7 days. It is really a bargain depending on the number of people in your car. There are options for seniors and other discounts, including annual and lifetime passes. You can visit the National Park Service site for all of the options.

How to get there

Most people will be driving from the coastal areas of California, i.e. San Francisco, Sacramento, San Jose. If traveling from these areas, it will take 3 to 5 hours, depending on the route you take, where you are staying and which park entrance you choose. The drive to Yosemite from the California coast is beautiful. You will enjoy ever-changing scenery as you drive through hills, valley farms and majestic mountains. If you have never driven to Yosemite, the time will pass quickly, since the drive is so scenic.

Places to Stay

There are limited places to stay within the park. Reservations at any of these spots are a must. Even though reservations can be made 1 year in advance, they tend to fill quickly. Staying outside the park may be a good option, but just be prepared for up to a one-hour drive each day to get to the park.

– In the Park

o Hotels – There are several hotel options inside the park, but they can be relatively pricey. And the closer you are to the Valley, the higher the price and the faster they book. The advantage to staying in the park is that you will be close to all of the sites and be able to get an early start without having to drive a long way to get there. You will have to decide if the additional cost is worth it.

o Campground – There are many camping options in the park, and if you don’t mind ‘roughing it’, then this can be a great option.

– Outside the Park

o Accommodations – You will have more options if you stay at the nearby towns of Mariposa or Oakhurst. There are chain hotels, as well as many Airbnb and VRBO options. We opted for a very nice VRBO unit in Oakhurst, which is about 25 minutes from the south entrance to the park at the Mariposa Grove Welcome Center. From the Welcome Center at the south entrance, it takes another 45 minutes to drive to Yosemite Valley.

Things to Do – Yosemite offers a whole host of things to do and you could easily spend a week or more in the park. Of course, there are expected activities like hiking, canoeing, biking and horseback riding. But you can also participate in some guided tours and interpretive activities led by park rangers. You can even create your own custom adventure through the Yosemite Conservancy.

In this post we are recommending a 3-day itinerary that includes all the iconic sites, hikes and drives, along with a few other options.

– Day 1 – We started our trip to Yosemite by driving early in the morning from Fremont, California. It took about 3 hours to reach the Big Oak Flat Entrance, on the west side of Yosemite Valley. We entered at this entrance since we planned to drive Tioga Road to Toulomne Meadows. Once in the park, we continued on Big Oak Flat Road until we reached a discernible ‘fork in the road’. The right fork continues on Big Oak Flat Road and the left fork is Tioga Road.

TIP: The Crane Flat Gas Station is located at the fork of Big Oak Flat Road and Tioga Road. It is one of the few gas stations within the park. This is a good place to make sure you have a full tank of gas and pick up a few snacks.

o Tioga Road – After grabbing a snack at Crane Flat, we started our trek to Toulomne Meadows on Tioga Road. This road is usually much less congested than the road in Yosemite Valley and you will have a chance to see a large area of the park. It is about 40 miles to Toulomne Meadows. So, take your time and stop along the way for some spectacular views and hikes. We probably stopped about 8 times, but there are three stops along the way that you will not want to miss.

TIP: Tioga Road is only open from around mid-May to November. But the weather and amount of snow impacts the exact opening date. In 2019, the road didn’t fully open until July 1st, so be sure to check this site for updates.  The picture on the right is from the first week of June a couple of years ago. We were lucky, as it had snowed the week before and the road had only recently opened.

• Olmsted Point – About 30 miles from the start of Tioga Road is Olmsted Point. From the parking area you will get your first views of Half Dome. To the left of Half Dome you can also see Cloud’s Rest, a massive granite formation rising almost 10,000 feet. If you have binoculars, you can usually see climbers scampering up the cable to the top of Half Dome.

There is a short .2-mile hike from this point that will provide views of Tenaya Peak, Tenaya Lake, and Mount Conness. It’s well worth taking this short jaunt to see these amazing views.

• Tenaya Lake – Only two miles past Olmsted Point, Tenaya Lake comes in to full view. Tenaya Lake is the largest natural lake in Yosemite and is very popular because of its easy access from the road. If you brought your canoe or kayak, now is the time to unload. If you can stand the very cold water, you can even go for a swim. We decided to just enjoy the view from the shore.

• Tuolumne Meadows – Just six more miles and you will arrive at Tuolumne Meadows. One of the largest, high-elevation meadows in the Sierra Nevada range, Tuolumne Meadows is 8,600 feet above sea level. This is a beautiful area and there are several hiking trails where you can hike a short distance for more incredible views. One of the views is of Lembert Dome, rising 800 feet above the meadow. You can just admire Lembert Dome from the meadow, or if you feel ambitious, you can climb the dome on a 2.8-mile round trip path that can be a bit challenging. Be careful if it is wet, the granite can be very slippery.

o Yosemite Valley – After our Tioga Road adventure we headed for Yosemite Valley, which is about 40 miles from Tuolumne Meadows. The drive takes about 80 minutes if you don’t make any stops. We arrived in the Valley in early afternoon. Our first priority was to stop and marvel at our very first views of the Yosemite Valley. We were actually kind of surprised that all of the classic views of Yosemite, i.e. El Capitan, Yosemite Fall, Half Dome, and Nevada Fall are all located relatively close together in Yosemite Valley. After some photos, we set about planning our activities for the next two days.

• Yosemite Valley Visitor Center – Yosemite Valley is about 7 miles long. The roadway in and out is actually a giant one-way loop through the valley, with the Merced River flowing through the middle of the loop. Our first stop was the Yosemite Valley Visitor Center where we were able to grab some hiking trail maps, ask some questions and take a look around the area near the visitor center. We recommend stopping at the Visitor Center to get all the information you need to make the most of your visit.

The Visitor Center is located within Yosemite Village. There are several shops and places to grab a bite to eat, as well as nice walking areas where you can stretch your legs.

• Lower Yosemite Fall Trail – From the Visitor Center walk a short distance to the Lower Yosemite Fall Trail. This trail is an easy, paved 1-mile loop with spectacular views of the falls. We recommend this hike not only for the great pictures you will get, but also because it’s an accessible hike that is quite doable for most everyone.

• Yosemite Valley Drive – To end our first day, we drove around the entire loop, stopping along the way for more photos of Yosemite Fall, Half Dome and other amazing vistas. One of our favorite spots was in the middle of the loop looking up at El Capitan.

– TIP: The Yosemite Valley gets very congested every day, and once the parking is full you will need to ride a shuttle to get into the Valley. We recommend arriving at the park before 8:00 AM, if possible. Once you find a parking space, leave your car parked for the day.

– Day 2 – Day 2 of this itinerary is devoted to hiking. If you choose these hikes, be sure to be prepared with appropriate footwear, snacks, plenty of water and, of course, your camera! As we said earlier, the Yosemite Valley gets incredibly crowded during the day. If you want to really enjoy the Mist Trail hike, our recommendation is to be on the trail between 7:00AM and 7:30AM. Yes, it is early, but you will likely enjoy the hiking so much more if you avoid the huge crowds that tend to start hiking in late morning.

o Mist Trail: Vernal and Nevada Falls Hike – To get to the Mist Trail, take Southside Drive as far as you can toward Curry Village. If you arrive early, you might be able to continue on Happy Isle Loop Road to the Yosemite Valley Trailhead Parking area. From there the walk is just over .5 miles to the Mist Trail. As soon as you cross the Merced River, the trailhead will be on the right.

After about .8 miles of hiking on a paved walkway, you will reach a footbridge with some of the first views of Vernal Fall. This first mile of the hike is the most popular and by mid-day this area will look like a California freeway. But if you get an early start, you will not see too many people. Note that the last restrooms are located just over the bridge.

The next .5 mile of the hike includes the famous 600 steps of a granite stairway that parallels Vernal Fall. As you ascend the granite stairs, you will quickly discover why this route is called the “Mist” trail. If the waterfall is really flowing, you may want to put on a rain jacket, otherwise you may get a good soaking. On the other hand, on a hot day, that spray can feel pretty good. Either way, the steps will be very slippery, so be super careful on the steps. There are many spots along the steps for exceptional pictures. At the top you can get very near the falls. Be sure to look straight down as the falls tumble some 317 feet to the rocks below.

TIP: The Merced River and falls can be a gentle flow or look like raging rapids. The snow melt from the Sierra Nevada Mountains can make for high water levels and roaring falls, like these pictures we took from early June. Arrive during the dryer months of late summer or early fall and the river will look much more placid.

Once you reach the top, you have a few options:
1) Turn around and return to the trailhead by heading back down the Mist Trail
2) Proceed up the Mist Trail for about .2 miles and then turn off toward Clark Point and make the return trip along the John Muir Trail (2.5-mile total)
3) Continue on the Mist Trail for 1.5 miles to Nevada Fall.

We wanted a longer hike, so we chose to hike to the top of Nevada Fall. Along the way the trail passes through forested areas with lots of rock outcroppings. Nevada Fall is almost 600 feet of falls that can be thunderous during the spring melt, so you will hear it well before you get there. Once at the top, turn right and cross the top of the fall via a footbridge. From this spot, we recommend making the return trip via the John Muir trail. This trail will give you different views of the falls and distant mountains. If you go up the Mist Trail and down John Muir your hike will be just over 6 miles in length. So, plan on 5 to 6 hours of hiking, depending on your pace.

After your hike you will probably be ready for lunch. There are several good options just a short walk back to Curry Village. We recommend the Pizza Patio for a great pizza on the outside deck.

TIP: The Pizza Patio has been undergoing renovations in 2020 and no completion date has been published. If it is closed during your visit, try Meadow Grill right next door.

o Mirror Lake – If you still have energy after your morning hike and lunch,take an easy 1-mile hike to Mirror Lake. This hike offers some nice water views along Tenaya Creek. From Curry Village just take a short walk across the Merced River and begin your hike on the paved path. The lake is never very full or deep and provides some beautiful reflections of the surrounding trees and mountains.

– Day 3 – Day 3 of this itinerary involves visiting more spots that get extremely crowded later in the day. So, once again, try to get an early start. We think you will enjoy these experiences much more when it is less crowded.

o Glacier Point – Glacier Point is about 16 miles (45 minutes driving) once you turn off of Wawona Road. We recommend starting Day 3 here. Fantastic viewing spots of the Yosemite Valley, Half Dome, and the High Sierra are just a short walk away from the parking lot. The morning light also makes for some impressive and colorful photos.

Two very good hikes are located on the road to Glacier Point, about 2 miles before you reach the top. The Sentinel Dome and Taft Point hikes start from the same trailhead and are each about 2 miles roundtrip. They are both considered moderate hikes and provide more incredible views.

TIP: Glacier Point is extremely popular and the parking lot at the top fills quickly. Once full, visitors are shuttled up from the Badger Ski Area parking lot. There can be a long line for the shuttle and you can expect large crowds at the top. Make Glacier Point an early morning stop and you will be rewarded with small crowds, parking at the top, and incredible morning pictures.

TIP: Glacier Point Road will be closed to all traffic in 2021 to rehabilitate and improve the road. The only access to Glacier Point will be by foot via the Four Mile, Panorama, and Pohono Trails, all of which are strenuous hikes.

o Yosemite Fall Hike – Yosemite Fall Trail leads to the top of North America’s tallest waterfall, which rises 2,425 feet from the Valley floor. Access to the trailhead is off of Northside Drive at Camp 4, just past the Yosemite Valley Lodge.

Make no mistake, this is a strenuous hike, but take your time and you can always turn around if it gets to be too much. At the beginning of this hike you will ascend via nearly 70 switchbacks. (Really, they go on and on as far as you can see!) You will gain elevation very quickly, ascending 1,000 feet in the first mile. Even if you start early, there will be plenty of people on the hiking path. But some of the crowd tends to drop off during the hike, probably because it is so tough! Be very careful as you hike and stay aware of your surroundings. We walked right up on this Northern Pacific Rattlesnake in the middle of the trail and he did not want to move! There was quite the backup of hikers on the trail until one brave soul used a hiking poll to encourage the critter to move off the trail.

At the one-mile mark you will be at Columbia Rock with spectacular views of Yosemite Valley, Half Dome, and Sentinel Rock. After another half-mile and much easier hiking, you will have views of Upper Yosemite Fall. Some hikers choose to turnaround at this point, which would make for a 3-mile roundtrip hike, taking about 3 hours.

If you decided to continue to the top before returning, you will have climbed over 2700 feet and hiked over 7 miles roundtrip. Total time on the trail will be around 7 to 8 hours. So be sure to take plenty of water and some snacks.

o Other Options – If all of that hiking is more than you want to do, there are several other options you might consider. These options include horseback riding, biking, fishing, water activities and much more. You can find out about many of these activities at the visitor center or visit this site.

Thanks for joining us on our trip to Yosemite National Park. This is truly a ‘bucket list’ destination and we hope you make it there one day to enjoy the natural beauty of this national treasure. If you liked this post, be sure to check out our posts on other trips we have taken in both North America and Europe.

Until next time, safe travels!