Yosemite National Park – Review

What is it?

John Muir, although a controversial figure, busts it down best: “It is by far the grandest of all the special temples of Nature I was ever permitted to enter”

The Ridley Review:

Wow! That is, with 99% likelihood, your reaction upon first entering Yosemite Valley. The pictures don’t do justice to the sheer size of this bad boy. The granite walls are HUGE! Can’t-see-the-top-through-car-windows huge. It looks like something out of a fantasy: the meadows, Merced River, steep peaks, fresh-smelling pines, and flowing meadows. You need to have your head on a swivel just to take it all in.

No joke, this is the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen. It’s insane in all your membranes.

Yosemite Valley

What you get once you find parking (they call it Yosemite National Parking Lot for a reason!) is that you really do get to choose your own adventure. If you want a relaxing time, take the free shuttle bus around the Valley floor, stop by the visitor center which houses some nice exhibits on the history of the park, or take a leisurely stroll through the meadows using Cook’s Meadow Loop or the Valley Loop Trail. Check out Lower Yosemite Falls – it is right near the visitor center, and is entirely flat, paved, and accessible, getting you up close and personal with the tallest waterfall in North America. More adventurous guests can tackle one of the longer day hikes out of the Valley to one of many incredible vantage points. The Valley is also a climber’s paradise, if that is your speed.

The Valley has a lot of food and lodging options. It even, hilariously, had a Starbucks for a couple of years that has now been replaced by a Peet’s Coffee, a local California brand. For both there are cheap options (camping and groceries or grab-and-go sandwiches) or luxury options (the Ahwahnee Inn and its fine dining establishment). Gas is available at several points in the park, but not Yosemite Valley so plan accordingly.

Other Regions

Although most visitors (including this writer) tend to stick to Yosemite Valley, the park is so much bigger than that. Another popular area is Mariposa Grove and Wawona, at the Southwestern edge of the park. This section is home to several groves of massive Sequoia trees, including the one that you’ve probably seen that has a trail leading right through its hollowed-out trunk. Here you also find some odd features unique to Yosemite because they got grandfathered in: tennis courts and a 9-golf course. While definitely looked upon disdainfully by purists, this just adds to charm this park has. There are also lodging, camping, and food options in this section of the park.

Up in the Northwest (and hottest) corner of the park we find Hetch Hetchy Valley. What was once a valley equal in size and beauty to Yosemite Valley is now, controversially, a reservoir. This post goes into greater detail about the history behind O’Shaughnessy Dam, but for now this part of the park is under water. It does have hiking trails along the dam and sides of the walls, and in Spring and Summer still has several impressive waterfalls, Wapama Falls the most famous and accessible. Backpacking is a common activity here.

Run horizontally across the northern section of the park is the Tioga Road, a road only open for a couple of months of the year due to snow and the parks only Eastern entrance. This road provides access to the Tuolumne Meadows section of the park, a series of meadows, lakes, and streams at high elevation. There is camping and hiking available here, without much fewer amenities.

Yosemite is deceptively huge – getting from one section of the park to another takes a long time on winding, narrow road. Driving to Glacier Point from the Valley takes about 60 minutes in total. It will take around an hour to get to Hetch Hetchy, Mariposa, or deep into the Tioga Road from Yosemite Valley. The Valley itself is about 30 minutes from the closest entrance, Arch Rock/Highway 140.

Roads and Gas

Roads into the park are: highways 120 and 140 from the West, highway 41 from the South, and highway 120 from the East. Hetch Hetchy has a separate entrance near Mather. The section of 120 that crosses the park horizontally, called the Tioga Road, is closed due to snow for much of the year; usually between November – May/June. Roads in the park lead to Mariposa Grove/Wawona, Glacier Point, Yosemite Valley, Hetch Hetchy, and Tuolumne Meadows. Gas is available at the Eastern Tioga Pass entrance, the intersection of Big Oak Flat Road and Tioga Road, and Wawona.

Rating:

A must on a bucket list.

Fast Facts:

Location: Eastern California, high in the Sierra Nevada mountains

Founded: 1890

Size: 1,169 square miles

Visited: 1997, 2019, 2023, worked in Wawona 2024

Lodging & FooD

A big note: it is hard to do an impromptu Yosemite trip unless you live locally due to how quickly the lodging in the park fills up, as well as reservations required during busy times.

Yosemite Valley

Hotels:

Glamping:

Real Camping: (all except Camp 4 have reservations open 5 months prior, starting on the 15th on the month)

Food:

There is plenty of food available in the Valley, including a full grocery store located on the east side of Yosemite Village if you wish to cook yourself. In addition, there are fast options available Curry Village, Degnan’s in Yosemite Village, and the food court in Yosemite Valley Lodge. Upscale dining can be found in the Ahwahnee Hotel and Mountain Room at Yosemite Valley Lodge.

Glacier Point

Glamping:

Real Camping:

Food:

There is a seasonal (Summer) snack stand next to Glacier Point

Mariposa Grove/Wowona

Hotels:

Real Camping:

Food:

Full service dining inside the Hotel; gas station-type food at the general store and Pine Tree Market in Wawona.

Hetch Hetchy

There is a small backpacker’s camp that requires a Wilderness Permit to camp at; otherwise there aren’t any amenities in this section.

Tioga Road/Tuolumne Meadows

Glamping: (White Wolf and Lodge were closed in 2023; current rates unknown)

Real Camping: (only Crane Flat and Hodgdon Meadow are year-round; rest are Summer only)

Hikes and attractions:

Yosemite Valley

Four Mile Trail – a genuinely amazing hike. Starting from the bottom of the Valley and climbing the Southern wall before making your way to Glacier Point. With views so stunning it is almost hard fathom all the way, you are in for a treat. What makes this trail one of the great ones is the how well maintained it is: despite a near-constant elevation change, the trail is plenty wide, has lots of traction, and never feels as intense as it really is. Allow 7-8 hours for the full loop to allow for time to enjoy the Glacier Point views.

Mist Trail (to Vernal and Nevada Falls) – one of the most popular hikes in the park, this has become my go-to recommendation to the average visitor seeking a decent length hike without going too crazy. The Mist Trail takes off from Happy Isles Nature Center (shuttle stop 16) and heads up an “accessible” section, paved yet steep, to a footbridge a mile uphill, with an amazing view of the majestic Vernal Falls. Continuing onto the true hiking terrain, a series of steep stone steps climbs adjacent to the Falls, spraying hikers with freezing Merced water. A guardrail makes the viewing section at the top safe. From there, a choice: return down or keep going to Nevada Falls, a solid 1.5ish miles upstream. Passing Emerald Pool, which is swimmable in Summer, and crossing another footbridge, a series of steep switchbacks heads up the much more primal, raging Nevada Falls. A surprisingly large, flat rock stands at the top, becoming a frequent stop for lunch or just to sit and enjoy the incredible scenery. The John Muir Trail meets up with it here; either trail is the start of hiking Half Dome.

Lower Yosemite Falls – a wheelchair accessible, short, paved trail leading to the base of the mighty Yosemite Falls. While you can’t see up to the top, it is a great view of the lower falls and during Spring and Summer will cool you off!

Upper Yosemite Falls – a nasty brute of a hike. Best done in morning or afternoon, as the Sun beams down on the upper half of this steep, rocky, and slippery trail most of the day. Starting with a set of switchbacks leading to a view of the Valley from Columbia Rock, 1 mile up the trail, that is both spectacular and a good spot to stop for hikers seeking a less intense experience. Another mile up the trail takes you to a view of Falls, about halfway up, that is a spot to savor the sheer power of Yosemite Falls. From there to the top, the trail transitions back into a set of switchbacks that seems never ending.

At the top, the signage is a little confusing. The “Overlook” spot doesn’t offer much in terms of viewing the waterfall; heading a short distance to the left path towards Yosemite Point to reach the river (surprisingly small!) that feeds the waterfall. It feels great to dip your toes in the cold mountain water, but beware of slick rocks – I almost saw someone slip and fall over the edge while I was up there.

Yosemite Point – from the top of the Yosemite Falls trail, this is an optional add-on that takes you to an amazing vista of the Valley that you will most likely have all to yourself. Worth doing if you already made the effort to climb the Falls!

Valley Loop Trail – the best of the Valley hikes, for my money. A mostly flat, leisurely grand tour of Yosemite Valley. You can pick up and leave the trail at many different points throughout the Valley. This is a great hike if you don’t want to exhaust yourself or just have a couple of hours to spend. It takes you through by the Merced River, in and out of meadows and tall pines, and by the visible waterfalls from the Valley floor.

Mirror Lake – best done in Spring/Summer when the lake is full, this is a beautiful little hike tucked in the Northeastern part of the Valley between Half and North Domes. The lake is so named because you can often see the high Valley walls reflected in the lake. The full loop trail tends to get flooded at one section during snowmelt in the Spring, leading to some fun off-roading.

Bridalveil Falls – short and sweet stroll up the base of Bridalveil Falls, which can be a nice way to cool off on a hot day.

Mariposa Grove/Wowona

Grizzly Giant Loop – The most popular trail in the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias. This takes you to plenty of heavy hitters: the largest tree (by volume, not height!) in the park, the Grizzly Giant, foremost. This bad boy has seen some sh*t in his day: he is over 1,800 years old and still racking up the years. Also of note are the Bachelor and 3 Graces: 4 closely chilling sequoias, as well as the California Tunnel Tree, a tree that got hollowed out by the park in a different time, hilariously not learning the lesson of another tree they hallowed out to drive through and then died. This trail looks quite a bit different than it did just a decade ago: a road has been removed to restore the grove to a more natural appearance, only for recent wildfires to ravage a lot of the landscape. The scars are very evident, but the trees are still spectacular.

Swinging Bridge Trail – A hidden gem, this trail goes off the beaten path in Wawona. The Swinging Bridge, which certainly lives up to its name, is accessed by one of two trails. You can reach the bridge from a 0.3 mile trail, parking at the end of Forest Road, but the far superior option is the 0.7 mile trail from the end of the dirt road that continues from the end of Chilnualna Falls Rd. Taking you from a beautiful waterfall into some lovely meadow and wooded areas, you end up at the peaceful Swinging Bridge, with breathtaking views of a roaring river (the East Merced) beneath you, lovely tall pines, and mountains off in the distance. Best seen at dusk. Not at all needed for a full trip to Yosemite, but if you spend a multiple evenings in Wawona, do this late one afternoon.

Wawona Meadows Loop – a casual 3 mile stroll around woods, meadows, streams, and even the (in)famous Wawona Golf Course. Pick up the trail from the Wawona Hotel. Best done in morning or at night to enjoy the serenity and more animal activity.

Hetch Hetchy

Wapama Falls – With the main attraction buried 500 feet underwater, my expectations going to Hetch Hetchy were low. I fully expected to be forlorn at the lost beauty of the place. You know what? Dam it, it’s still an incredible place. By no means does the reservoir enhance the place, but Hetch Hetchy is so incredible it still has the power to overwhelm even with its valley long-lost. This is the hottest section of the park, and there is little shade, so I recommend visiting in Spring/Fall. A hike to Wapama takes guests first across the dam, where you can get a good sense as to how high they built it by peering over the edge to the Tuolumne River continuing far below. Next one passes through a dark tunnel to the real good stuff. In Spring, hikers cross several streams and smaller waterfalls (including the very neat Tueeulala Falls) on the way to Wapama Falls, the end of the hike. Man, Wapama is an impressive sight at full blast, even missing its final 400 feet. I got drenched standing at one of the many footbridges crossing the falls, as its disperses across rocky cliffs in its final descent to the water. Just an awesome sight, and a reminder nature can still pull punches despite man’s best attempts to thwart it.

Big-Name Hikes I haven’t done

Half-Dome – The mother of all National Park day hikes, this behemoth requires a reservation just to attempt to climb it. Reservations sell out within minutes for the entire year on the day they are released. Not for the faint of heart: by all accounts don’t do if you are scared of heights or aren’t in very good shape. It takes all day, out in the heat, climbing about 5,000 feet from start to finish. The cables, for the 45-degree climb near the end, go up late Spring and are taken down at the beginning of October.

Taft Point – from Glacier Point road, this trail is 2.2 miles in total and leads to a unique view of the Valley below.

Cathedral Lakes – up in the Tuolumne Meadows region, this long 7-mile hike takes you to several remote alpine lakes.

National Park Rankings

1. Yosemite National Park
2. Olympic National Park
3. Zion National Park
4. Mount Rainier National Park
5. Bryce Canyon National Park
6. Arches National Park
7. Canyonlands National Park
8. Crater Lake National Park
9. Indiana Dunes National Park
10. Shenandoah National Park
11. Capitol Reef National Park
12. Acadia National Park
13. Redwood National Park
14. Pinnacles National Park
15. Cuyahoga Valley National Park

A note: as with all reviews to come, this will be updated upon any re-visit to the park. Feel free to comment or send in your own reviews or recommendations and we will get it added here!