yosemite national park
One of America’s best loved national parks, Yosemite attracts millions of visitors from around the world each year. Granite peaks rise up thousands of feet from the valley floor, and waterfalls cascade over sheer cliffs. It’s truly one of America’s great wild places.
Highlights
Walk to the base of Bridalveil Fall, one of the first sights at the entrance to the valley.
Test your mettle on the 12-hour cable hike to the top of Half Dome.
Stand beneath the giant sequoia trees in the Mariposa Grove.
BEST TIME TO GO
May brings warm weather, blooming wildflowers, and waterfalls enhanced by melting snow. And of course, the summer crowds haven’t yet arrived.
CAMPGROUNDS
Upper Pines Campground
Yosemite Valley, CA 95389. nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/upperpines.htm; 209-372-8502. $26. Fire ring, picnic table, food locker, toilets.
At an elevation of 4,000 feet (1,219m), Upper Pines is incredibly beautiful, and incredibly hard to book. Sites fill within minutes on the first day they become available.
Bring your bike, and avoid the headache of automobile travel in the valley. Waterfalls, granite cliffs, and ancient giant sequoias are all within pedaling distance.
Yosemite Ridge Resort
7589 Highway 120, Groveland, CA 95321. yosemiteridge.com; 800-706-3009. $25 to $40. General store, restaurant, barbecue pedestals, laundry, bathhouse, vintage cedar showers.
Reserving a campsite inside Yosemite can require luck, determination, or divine intervention. Finding a good campground outside the park also can be challenging. Yosemite Ridge scores points for being clean and well run and offering roomy, full-hookup sites. Shaded by a grove of trees, the campground is quiet and peaceful.
Campers love the generous portions at the nearby Buck Meadows Restaurant and Bar, which is under the same ownership. There’s no pool on the property, but the staff is happy to direct you to Rainbow Pool, a lovely swimming hole at the bottom of a nearby waterfall.
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Yosemite Valley. |
In 1903, naturalist John Muir led President Theodore Roosevelt on a 3-day camping trip in Yosemite, inspiring Roosevelt to expand the national parks.
Yosemite South/Coarsegold KOA
34094 Highway 41, Coarsegold, CA 93614. koa.com/camp/yosemite-south; yosemitesouthkoa@gmail.com; 559-683-7855. $50 to $65. Swimming pool, game room.
This KOA struggled to maintain its facilities under the preceding owners, but aggressive new ownership has dramatic plans for improvement. It’s a fairly long drive from Yosemite National Park, but if you aren’t camping at a national park campground, that’ll be the case just about anywhere. Sites are spacious, but there’s road noise along the highway, so ask for a quiet spot.
Kids enjoy swimming in the pool after a long day of adventure in the national park, and the game room and outdoor theater also are good for campground downtime.
The campground is set in the Sierra Nevada foothills, and the charming and rustic town of Coarsegold is nearby.
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El Capitan. |
Most of the 4 million annual visitors never leave Yosemite Valley, so take a hike—literally—if you want to escape the crowds.
RESTAURANTS
Ahwahnee Dining Room
1 Ahwahnee Drive, Yosemite National Park, CA 95389. yosemitepark.com; 209-372-1489. Breakfast 7 A.M. to 10 A.M.; lunch 11:30 A.M. to 3 P.M.; dinner 5:30 P.M. to 9 P.M.; brunch Sunday 7 A.M. to 3 P.M. $30 to $50. American.
When presidents and dignitaries visit this iconic national park, Ahwahnee is where they eat.
The stately dining room harkens back to 1920s wilderness luxury, with exposed beams and floor-to-ceiling windows. Stone columns and etched wooden inlays complete the picture. Gaze out at the beautiful landscape while you enjoy the angus prime rib and an old-fashioned cocktail.
Day trippers and hikers should enjoy the casual lunch. A dress code is strictly enforced during dinner.
Curry Village Dining
Curry Village, Yosemite National Park, CA 95389. yosemitepark.com; 801-559-4884. Hours vary by restaurant. $5 to $20. American.
Curry Village is home to four dining establishments, so no matter when you’re passing through, there’s a suitable option.
Coffee Corner, open 6 A.M. to 10 P.M., brews Peet’s Coffee, cappuccino, and espresso. For breakfast, try the oatmeal bar or grab a pastry to go. In the evening, indulge in a towering ice-cream sundae. Pizza Deck, open noon to 10 P.M., is a casual option for pizza, salads, and beers after a long day of hiking in the park. Meadow Grill serves more traditional pub fare like burgers and chicken sandwiches from 11 A.M. to 7 P.M. The menu at Curry Village Pavilion changes daily and features home-style cooking with comfort food sides and a salad bar. It’s open 7 A.M. to 10 A.M. for breakfast, and dinner is served from 5:30 P.M. to 8 P.M.
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Sequoia Trees at Yosemite Falls. |
Hike a 2-mile (3.2km) round-trip trail to Yosemite Falls, the tallest waterfall in North America, with a 2,425-foot (739m) drop.
Degnan’s Deli
9006 Yosemite Lodge Drive, Yosemite National Park, CA 95389. yosemite park.com; 801-559-4884. 7 A.M. to 5 P.M. $7 to $9. Sandwiches.
Here you’ll find both premade and made-to-order sandwiches, perfect to pack for your picnic lunch in the park. The sandwiches are reasonably priced and made with fresh ingredients.
Plenty of vegetarian options also are available, as is a wide variety of cold beverages, including local beers.
ATTRACTIONS
Tioga Road
Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite National Park, CA 95389. nps.gov/yose; 209-372-4025. Tuolumne Meadows Visitor Center 9 A.M. to 5 P.M. 7-day vehicle pass $30.
This scenic route bisects the park, running east to west, north of Yosemite Valley. Driving straight through takes about 2 hours, but you should stop in at the Tuolumne Meadows Visitor Center and talk to a ranger about the stunning hikes in the area. Options are available for any ability level, and the lack of crowds is refreshing.
Rafting the Merced River
Curry Village Recreation Center, Yosemite National Park, CA 95389. yosemitepark.com; 209-372-4386. 10 A.M. to 3:30 P.M. $31.
Rafting the Merced River is another way to escape the crowds and enjoy some of the most iconic views in Yosemite in a tranquil river setting. The trip takes you through the heart of the valley.
You can rent a four-person raft from the Curry Village Recreation Center. The price includes a return trip by shuttle at the end of your float. Or use your own raft, and pay a smaller fee for the shuttle ride. Height and weight guidelines are strictly enforced, so carefully check them if you have small children. No reservations are taken, so arrive early.
Valley Floor Tour
Yosemite Lodge at the Falls, Yosemite National Park, CA 95389. yosemitepark.com; 209-372-4386. 10 A.M. to 3 P.M. Adults $25; seniors $23; children $13.
Instead of fighting traffic congestion and overly full parking lots, consider seeing the Yosemite Valley by way of a 2-hour ranger-led open-air tram tour.
You’ll see all of Yosemite’s most famous attractions while also learning about the history and geology of the region. The tour includes discussion of the park’s flora and fauna, too. Stops are made to view and photograph Yosemite Falls, Half Dome, El Capitan, Tunnel View, and Bridalveil Fall.
Tours leave on the hour during the summer from Yosemite Lodge at the Falls, which is shuttle stop 8. During the winter months the tours still run, but in enclosed, heated buses.
Special evening tours are offered periodically, so check the schedule or call before your trip.
Reservations can be made online.
ITINERARIES
If you have 1 week …
Start at the Yosemite Valley Visitor Center, and learn about the history and geology of the park. Tour the Yosemite Museum. Take a tram tour of Yosemite Valley. Raft down the Merced River. Hike to Yosemite Falls. Have Sunday brunch at Ahwahnee.
If you have 2 weeks …
All the above, plus visit the giant sequoias in Mariposa Grove. Drive the Tioga Road, take in the views from Olmsted Point, and explore Tuolumne Meadows. Take a sunrise hike to Mirror Lake, walk Cook’s Meadow Loop, and swim in Tenaya Lake. Eat dinner on the porch of the Wawona Hotel.
If you have 3 weeks …
All the above, plus visit the Ansel Adams Gallery. Hike the Mist Trail to Vernal Fall and the John Muir Trail. Take the moderate walk to Sentinel Dome. Take a personal fly-fishing lesson with a Yosemite outfitter. Join the lottery for a permit to hike up Half Dome.