One of my favorite hikes I've ever had the privilege of doing. We started in the morning, passed by…read moreVernal Fall, and went all the way to Nevada Fall. It was a scorchingly hot day when we hiked, so we took many breaks throughout. Luckily, there are plenty of shady, comfortable resting spots. The view from the top of Vernal Fall was already lovely, but I would highly recommend the trek all the way to Nevada Fall. The scenery from the top of Nevada Fall was breathtaking, and it was so lovely to see the beautiful rainbows at Vernal Fall. Keep in mind that there are slippery, steep steps on the way to Vernal Fall. It was a pretty steep hike up to Nevada Fall as well, with many loose rocks - we saw quite a few individuals slipping around. I'd recommend taking your time and going slow for the steepier sections.

I can't believe I haven't written a review for this spot. I have been here lots of times over the…read morelast decade though my last hike was 3+ years ago,and its one of my favorite hikes. I love it, it's challenging in the best ways, beautiful, has waterfalls, its about 6-7 miles or so depending on where you start, make sure to bring a lot of water, more than you think you need as you will go through it and pack snacks as its not an easy hike but its a beautiful hike. Top of vernal falls is a best place to have lunch, make sure to bring a zip lock bag to carry your trash with you!

We love this place! We always stop here to walk the trails amongst the giant Sequoias…read more You need to park and take a shuttle to the Grove. The shuttle runs pretty frequently so the wait isn't very long but the line can get long during the weekends. We like to go early in the day when it's not so busy. The main loop has a wide wooden boardwalk. The trails are well maintained and busy. There are restrooms at the start and benches along the main loop. Highly recommend.

Firstly, if this is a must see, be sure and ask the ranger for a pocket trail map when you drive…read morein. The ranger handed us one when we arrived at the Wawona Gate and told her we hoped to find parking at Mariposa, since the weekend proved too crowded (folks were parking along the main road and walking uphill to the Welcome Plaza, something that would have been too much of a challenge for us in the midday sun). She assured us it was much less crowded this Monday morning, and handed us the pocket map, which became very helpful, once I remembered it was actually IN MY POCKET! This is the first time I've been able to see this grove of Giant Sequoias in Yosemite. It reopened in June 2018 after a long closure and refurbishment to allow better access while protecting the trees in their ideal conditions - meaning, keep humans at bay. When you arrive at Mariposa Grove Welcome Plaza, there are nice bathrooms and a small bookstore, sundries, souvenir shop and information about the various hikes, maps of trails(I suggest taking a pic of, if you don't have the pocket map), and volunteers happy to guide you through hiking options, or easy routes to just see the largest of the popular Sequoias, Grizzly Giant. You catch the shuttle here for the 6 mins ride to the trailhead for Mariposa Grove, Big Tree Loop and Grizzly Giant Loop trails. We opted for the "moderate" hike along the Mariposa Grove Trail to Tunnel Tree, in which we saw the famous Grizzly Giant as well as the notable Bachelor and Three Graces trees. Our elevation gain was about 300ft. We then continued .2 miles to Tunnel Tree. After queuing for our turn to take pics, we added on treks to see Faithful Couple and Clothespin trees and still found it mildly challenging, but not strenuous. I believe we hiked a total of 1.25 miles up, then it was all an easy downhill back. This total visit, with shuttle rides up and back, took 3 hours. We did not find this to be "moderate," but rather enjoyable and only slightly more challenging than a level walk around a forest. My friend often has to stop periodically for heart rest breaks when hiking, but didn't need any breaks on during today's hike. Take plenty of drinking water with you and maybe a light snack. If you need a restroom, try holding out for the ones at the Welcome Center. The set up at the shuttle pickup/drop-off were not as well maintained, lacked TP, had on stall marked "Closed for the Season," like THAT would be a thing, and defunct hand dryers, but no paper towels. All in all, if you're a fan of Giant Sequoias, you'll want to add Mariposa Grove to your list. We are hitting all the Giant Sequoia areas we can during this road trip, so I would say, comparing the 2 so far, Calaveras Big Trees Park was more enjoyable and an easier tour of these amazing Goliaths, but soon we will add Sequoia Ntl Park & Kings Cyn, so THEN we will know definitively which park towers above the rest. Cheers! "CC"

Don't think, just stop. This is the best $10 you will ever spend, besides maybe that NFT investment…read moreyou made last year...yes, we all know about it. Anyways, this place is the real deal. Right off the highway, clear water, big leaves like in the dinosaur movies you still watch (no judgement), and the perfect cliffs to jump off of with a rather safe landing. There is a sign about hazards, but I think it's a governmental approach at satire, because everybody and their grandma was jumping (saw one cannonball with walker). Nice work feds, you finally did something right. But still, make sure to bring your goggles and thoroughly inspect all conditions before jumping, flipping, and / or bellyflopping into the best day of your life. I'll post a full story and underwater videos on YouTube and IG soon IG: instagram.com/luke.kitchel YouTube.com/@PlantBasedLuke

!!Warning!! We witnessed a young boy suffer a traumatic head injury here. Please don't dive…read more Protect and supervise your children. There is no reception so getting help takes time (and you have to run to the entrance for help). It took the ambulance 30 minutes and the medical helicopter even longer. We came here late summer 2026, parking is $10 cash only. Parking is very limited but there is plenty out back (10 minute walk). It gets crowded. I'd say the main pool is not a place for kids under 7-8. Rocks can be slippery and there isn't much of a safe space for the littles. You can drop off your gear by the restrooms on the way up. They have smaller pools above the waterfall that may be more suitable for the littles, regardless, parents beware. Many were jumping off the cliffs (we did too) which may be relatively safe for the olders but no way for young ones. Please take care I'd give this a 4 of 5 if I had not witnessed what I did. Swimmers beware

10/10 would do it again! doors open at 8 am , it's not to long of a hike about 5-6 miles total…read moregoing and turning back! definitely take water & sandwiches!! make sure to take ur trash ! leave the trails clean !!!

4.28.18 Please note…read morethat the Gate to Hetch Hetchy opens from 8:00 am - 7:00 pm, so you can't start your hike earlier. A ranger will open the gate usually spot-on at 8 am and then you'll drive a mile or so to pay for entering Yosemite National Park. From there you'll have a 15-20 min drive to parking. For a day hike its in your best interest to not park in the backpackers parking campground but to continue on the road another mile to park literally right next to the dam. I started my hike at 8:35 am. The hike is fairly easy with lots of rolling hills and switchbacks, ups and downs. You'll come to Wapama Falls in about an hours hike. In the early Spring water is flowing at its peak. I came here 3 weeks ago but couldn't even make it to Wapama Falls because there was so much water running off the mountain that there were so many new waterfalls spilling onto the trail. A ranger came by as I couldn't get past one of them and told me that they need to rescue some Boy Scouts via boat because they camped up ahead and can't get past Wapama Falls because the bridge is covered with water. So three weeks ago I turned around and did a much smaller hike nearby. Wapama Falls is nice, a few bridges that provide views of the falls and much needed mist. You'll always have great views of Kolona and Hetch Hetchy because the trail is always on the North side of the mountain. Continue on for another 1:15-1:30 or so and you'll reach Rancheria Falls. You'll first see what appears to be a long water slide, don't stop there keep going and you may come across some backpackers and tents. Keep going... another 10 minutes or so on the trail. It will split, but stay RIGHT for another few minutes. There you will see the Rancheria Falls bridge and have a great perspective. This is an awesome spot to break for lunch. You can head back down and make your way to the river that flows into Hetch Hetchy, there are some pretty good spots to chill. Started my hike at 8:35, made it to Rancheria Falls bridge at 11 am. I took lots of videos and photos on my way up. I had lunch at the falls and left at 12:00 and arrived in the parking lot at 2:15. This is a long hike at 13 miles total.

Sierra Point. The…read morevery spot in which Ansel Adams hiked to in 1916 at the age of 14 with his new Kodak 1 Brownie camera and took some of his very first pictures. It was this moment that inspired him to want to be a photographer and ultimately come back to Yosemite later in life and take some of the most recognized Yosemite pictures in the world. Talk about one historic spot. A little history on the trail itself. (Which is no longer in use due to a rockslide in the 70's but is still there...just not maintained.) "During the late 1800s early explorers were looking for an area that would view all five major waterfalls. On June 14, 1897 Charles A. Bailey and a friend located the area called Sierra Point by triangulation. This process is achieved by lining up three central points to locate any given area on a map. From this location one can view all five falls, Upper and Lower Yosemite, Illilouette, Vernal and Nevada Falls." I only found out about this spot through a friend who has been going to Yosemite for 30 years. You REALLY have to know where you are going to find the trail...its on older Yosemite Park maps, but because of the rockslide in the 70's the Rangers will not tell you where it starts and will advise you against doing the hike. It took me three times to finally make it all the way to the top, but that was because I had to find the old trail, (which took a couple attempts) and then take one full trip to make sure I had the time to get to the top. Its only an 800 foot climb over less than a mile, but you might lose the trail once or twice the first time so don't get discouraged. There is one spot about halfway up where the rockslide occurred and you have to do a bit of scrambling, but I have never ever climbed anything in my life and I was able to do it just fine. Just keep close watch were you step and you should be fine. Once at Sierra Point you are treated to one of the most amazing spots in all of Yosemite. To top it off, basically no one knows about this spot or how to get here so you almost feel like John Muir in that you feel like you have the whole park to yourself. (There are hundreds of people on the Mist Trail below you.) This trail isn't for everyone, but if you do enough research online and give yourself some time its totally something you can do. You won't regret it at all, its one of the most amazing hikes I have ever accomplished. :0)

You are truly off the beaten path on this one (trail) but only for a tiring short distance. A steep…read more800 feet in under a vertical mile used to get hikers to this lookout point. When you hike the Sierra Loop trail or Mist trail to Vernal falls in Yosemite you are on the busy beaten path. This epic trail to Sierra point veers off the Vernal falls trail way before the bridge but you will not find a marker since the trail is no longer maintained since a huge rockfall covered it. There is a marker that can be used as a guide to find the trail and that is an informational sign that is labeled Rock Piles and has information about Talus, the jumbled rock piles. Since the trail is not recommended to be used this is just for historical information. Walking back from the sign towards happy isles about 25 yards you will see a huge vertical walled stone slab through the trees which is sort of a marker. From that huge slab the old trail is to the right through some scrambling and climbing a rock pile then heading up hill. Hikers who found their way to the railed lookout on top were able to see Yosemite falls, Illilouette fall and it's gorge, Nevada and Vernal falls and the point of Glacier Point. I found my way to the old trail but was not able to get to the lookout. The trail disappeared possibly due to recent dirt slides. You can how ever, see Sierra point from a safer location. If you continue hiking towards Vernal falls on the mist trail eventually you can see Sierra points railings by looking back and up towards the ridge above you. You may find another Sierra point on some maps located near Yosemite Point. The mix-up could be similar to the two rainbow views known in Yosemite.

Our tour guides were absolutely amazing (John and Mia) and they were very knowledgeable and helped…read moreanswer all of our questions (about Yosemite in general, specific famous features on our hike, and even random questions about birds and plant life). The hike is as advertised (in terms of ratings and what features you will see). They always put safety first and even offered to help carry our back packs when we got tired or were crossing a small stream! They treated us like close family/friends, were encouraging us along the way, and adapted to our pace and schedule. Our group ranged from age 6 to adult and we couldn't have made it to the end of the hike without them! Book them for your tours and have fun on your Yosemite Vacation!

Will definitely be booking again with John and Y Explore!!! Honestly when we booked the guided half…read moredome hike I went into it thinking we were just utilizing the purchased permits as hadn't won the lottery ourselves but as the day progressed I became more and more grateful for the wisdom and knowledge of our guide. From breathing techniques and tips for ascending and descending the cables to the order of of our group and perfectly timed rest breaks this was worth every penny as we had not only a successful summit but an overwhelming positive experience! Hubby and I are excited to travel again to more destination with Y Explore in the near future!

This was my first time visiting Yosemite National Park as an adult, and I honestly cannot get over…read morehow incredibly LARGE and beautiful this park is! I left Yosemite completely in awe. The views were absolutely incredible, and every hike we did , from easy trails to some that were challenging, was amazing in its own way. There is truly something for everyone here. One thing I really appreciated is that you can drive into the park, and there is parking available, which made exploring much easier. Yosemite is also a very family-friendly park. We saw everyone from babies and young children to elderly visitors enjoying the trails and taking in the scenery. There are SOOO many beautiful spots throughout the park to take pictures, so definitely bring a camera! We visited in October, and there hadn't been any rain, so some of the waterfalls were still flowing. They weren't as strong as they might be during other times of the year, but they were still beautiful to see. Yosemite has so much to do that I honestly wish we had stayed a couple more days. There are hiking trails, scenic areas, waterfalls, museums, historical and cultural sites, dining options, and so much more. I also noticed that the park has campgrounds, as well as glamping tents available for reservations, which I thought was pretty cool. We were told that you have to reserve up till a year in advance for those. The park also has a shuttle system that regularly takes visitors to different areas, so you don't have to walk everywhere. We definitely utilized the shuttles, and they were very easy to use and navigate. The buses were air-conditioned, and the drivers were friendly and helpful. They let you know which stops are available and where you can get off to explore different parts of the park. There is also a museum, a Native village, several places to eat, plenty of bathrooms, and water stations where you can fill up your bottles. We even came across employees who had displays with different artifacts and were explaining their history and significance. And one of the craziest things we saw was a man who showed us the skin of a bear with the actual claws still attached! Please make sure you follow the park's safety guidelines and pick up after yourself. There aren't a lot of trash cans along the trails, especially because of the wildlife and bears. We didn't see any bears during our visit, but there are signs throughout the park explaining what to do if you encounter one and what to do if there is a sighting. The park does a really good job of keeping everything clean and well maintained. The bathrooms we used were clean and fully stocked, and overall, the entire park felt very organized. Yosemite is definitely busy, but because the park is so enormous, it never felt like there wasn't room for everyone. There is a really great system in place for managing the number of visitors while still allowing people to enjoy the beauty of the park. I honestly cannot wait to go back! If you're planning a trip to Yosemite, make sure you bring the proper hiking gear, comfortable shoes, plenty of water, a camera. And give yourself more time than you think you'll need because there is sooo much to see and do! Yosemite is definitely a new favorite, and I already know this won't be my last visit.

Fantastic drive up over Hwy 120 (from US 395)..east gate heavy snow. Drove through to west gate…read morewhere it was mid 80's and sunny. Excellent customer service at both gates. Great roads, lots of scenic pullouts, clear signage, beautiful and clean, ample bear proof trash bins, what a wonderful surprise to get the first snow and the Indian summer fall weather, all in the same day.

Soda Springs is one of my favorite spots to visit in Tuolumne. It's easy to get to, and it's…read morebeautiful in an other-worldly sort of way. Several small natural springs bubble up from the ground in this area. The mineral content causes the surrounding soil to become all shades of red, pink, white, and yellow. There is a small wooden fence built around the main springs to protect them from grazing wildlife. The walk out to the springs is a very short, accessible five minute walk from the parking lot. To make a day trip out to Soda Springs, you don't need any kind of special permit for hiking or parking (although you do need these things if you are planning to backpack overnight). The visitation fees are included in the entrance fees to Yosemite. The first time I ever visited Tuolumne, my friend showed me Soda Springs. Back then, it was not quite so touristy, and the water was not thought to be contaminated. We used to bring sterile water bottles to fill up, but these days, I would strongly advise against doing this-- you might be clean, but the person who filled up an hour before you might have contaminated the spring. (I've seen people let their dogs walk through the springs.) (Pets are not allowed in any water source in Yosemite, including the spring water.) The view of Tuolumne and the mountains from the springs is very pretty. Definitely worth checking out or including in your hike if you're in the area.

Nice flat easy hike on dirt trail from Tuolumne Meadows to the Soda Springs…read more I think it's worth it to hike here because it's a really beautiful area with the creeks and meadows. You can drink the water but it doesn't taste very good as it's really high in iron. We tried a sip!