Chilnualna Falls Trailhead, Yosemite National Park: 2026 Jul 29 (4.75 of 5)…read more Chilnualna Falls: Strenuous but Worth the Pain Chilnualna Falls is my favourite hike in Yosemite. Even before you begin your hike, the sounds of rushing water welcome you. Stay awhile and enjoy the mist before you climb the rock steps. The climb up Chilnualna Falls is strenuous and steep, with continuous uphill climbing and several switchbacks. In some areas you'll hear the waterfall but not see one. If you feel like challenging yourself, continue climbing to the top. Every time I reach the top, I want to stay awhile -- maybe because I'm too tired to climb back down... but also because reaching the top of Chilnualna Falls is not mere accomplishment, it's an exhilarating feeling. You'd want to stay and enjoy the sounds of water rushing below you. The water sliding over granite drops 240-feet down and is a sight to behold. Wear comfortable hiking shoes and cotton socks. Dress in layers. Wear a hat and sunglasses. Tips and What to Bring: 1) Start early. Preferably before 6:30 am. 2) Bring plenty of water: More than you think you need. Dehydration sets in pretty quickly. 3) Pack emergency items just in case. 4) Pack a light lunch. 5) Rubbish bags (take out what you bring in) 6) Horn (to scare wild animals away) 7) Sunscreen

This review is for Chilnualna Falls Trail which was a ~7.7 miles round trip that took ~6 hours to…read morecomplete in the snow. Chilnualna Falls Trail was located near the south entrance of Yosemite National Park; away from the busy Yosemite Valley. Lower Chilnualna Fall was a short ~0.2 miles and gets crowded at this particular spot. For the most part, the trail was a steady incline on dirt and rock with snow at higher elevations. In addition, there were a few downed trees over the trail. Overall, stunning views throughout this hike! There was a ~3 minute walk from the parking to the trailhead. Restrooms available at the parking area. Short video of the hike for those interested! https://youtu.be/jACscCHBcOg

Superb little picnic and frolic spot near Wawona - ideal for young families…read more Visited a couple of times when we were staying at the Redwoods (vacation rental) nearby. The walk from the parking lot is an easy half-mile through the trees, and then you have to make your way to the swinging bridge and down to the water and the rocks. Walking across the swinging bridge (which we did one at a time) was my favorite experience, followed by swimming in the water below. The early am visit was much more pleasant, later in the day it gets hot and there isn't much shade down near the water. We all had a blast, and will surely return!

Parking is free was lots of empty spot .Hike is like a mile depends on your speed was fun we get…read moreto see the river water flow, bird chipping, butterflies and also lizards the swinging bridge was nice took lots of pictures .Fun for all ages. Must visit place!!

The Wawona entrance to Yosemite and the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias was a new to me area of…read morethe park, when I visited in Mid-June 2026. Without the reservation system this year, even a weekday brings lines at the entrance kiosk. It was about a 45 minute wait. But, once entering the park, the Mariposa Welcome Center parking area had ample parking. The grove's gateway is just a couple of minutes from the Wawona entrance where there's a gift shop, restrooms and the shuttle bus to the grove (only runs seasonally.) I found the shuttles to run efficiently, albeit crowded. However, unless you want to hike up a steep paved road and add 2 miles to your hike, they're the only way up to the grove, as private vehicles are not allowed to drive or park there (those with disabilty tags are the exception.) The lower grove was packed and features the popular and iconic trees such as the Grizzly Giant and Tunnel Tree. It was too chaotic to really enjoy fully, but I was on my way to Wawona Point and the upper grove, so didn't linger in the main area too long. Once past the Grizzly Giant loop, the crowds exponentially thinned out and the forest became peaceful. It's a beautiful area and has a decent length hike to the upper grove, where the Guardians Loop trail was the standout along with Wawona Point (featuring a scenic overlook of the Wawona area.) The upper trails reminded me of a shorter version of Sequoia National Park's "giant forest loop." The trails were well kept and featured an array of wildflowers, green meadows and of course the iconic sequoias. You can make a longer loop or out and back and see most of the area in a longer day hike. It's a quieter and beautiful area of Yosemite that gets overlooked in comparison to the touristy lower grove and the valley. It is about a 45-50 minute drive to connect back down to the valley so you can visit both in one day, but I decided to linger and take my time in the beautiful upper grove areas. Either way, Mariposa Grove is a worthwhile stop in your Yosemite itinerary

Half day at Mariposa Grove. Parked at the visitor center and took a shutter. This will be the only…read morelocation for parking and shuttle ride. 6mins and you will reach the groves. We did the grizzly giant loop trail. Very easy and we took our time and enjoyed the trees. The trail is nicely kept and very easy to walk on. The end of the loop has a slight incline and it is all down hill from there and it peas straight out to the shutter.

Trail head Elevation: 3818 Feet…read more Top Elevation: 5,900 Feet Trail Type: Out-and-back Range: 2.7 Miles from Rancheria Falls Type: Moderate to Strenuous Tiltill Valley is a remote valley in northern Yosemite National Park. It is accessible only to hikers. The valley is most easily reached via trail heads in the vicinity of the Hetch Hetchy Valley and Lake Eleanor.The valley provides access to many remote alpine lakes throughout the largely untamed wilderness that defines the northern portion of Yosemite National Park and the adjacent Emigrant Wilderness. This route tours the northern edge of Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. Across the lake, the views of Kolana Rock and the sheer granite walls of the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne are majestic, contrasting pleasantly with the intimate serenity of Tiltill Valley. The trail was barely used. Strewn with broken trees and branches. We had to jump over some big branches and I have a few scratches to show for. This is one of our three day hikes from the base camp in Rancheria falls Sunday. It was a solitary hike. No one was there at all. We can not see the trail at 5900 feet. At the top at 5900 feet there was about two feet of snow. We were sinking and it was fun for a little bit but without our snow shoes it just won't work. We also decided that since we can not see the trail it is not safe to proceed. So we headed back down to camp.

We had an excellent day with David. We booked a private tour for my wife and me. We are not so…read moreyoung so David tailored it to our pace and abilities (still made it to the top of Sentinel Dome- well worth the effort!). Literally went from the valley floor to the peak of sentinel dome. His knowledge of the park is outstanding. He picked us up at our lodge and dropped us there at the end of the day- even gave us the picnic we couldn't eat during the trip because clouds blocked the astrophotography portion. He even apologized for the clouds! An all day adventure; we were happily exhausted when we got back to Evergreen Lodge. Highly recommend.

Dave is AMAZING! We had the best day with him on our private tour of Yosemite. He is so fun,…read moreknowledgeable, a great conversationalist and made the day fabulous. I had the best time and felt like we got to really see Yosemite and get to know the park. I would 100% recommend booking with him and his company. Hands down the BEST!!

Had a great experience with David, caught some fish, learned a lot and had interesting talks.read more

David took my husband and I on a wonderful fishing and hiking excursion! He is knowledgeable, kind…read moreand professional. We learned a lot about fishing techniques, and saw some amazing views!

An excellent place to volunteer!…read more This is a review of Coexist with Wildlife Day, which was awesome: a bio blitz, some volunteer work and tacos from a food truck with a band. Also free Otter Pops!

I really enjoyed visiting the River Pky. We gathered for a meeting and for some attendees, it was…read moretheir first visit and the atmosphere was amazing for all. I have been back just to enjoy the grounds. So pretty!

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!

Raptor walk trail along the south side of the King's River is amazing! You'll see egrets, herons,…read moreducks, turkeys and many more. Nice benches to sit on and relax at the riverside.

An awesome family tour of Sequoia National Park enriched with an excellent tour guide, Pani of…read moremountain trekking adventures! We all learned so much about the history and geology of this vast Park. Having a knowledgeable tour guide really eliminates any stress of searching for features you want to see! Our party of 10 agreed we had the best park trip ever with Pani guiding us through the exceptional features of Sequoia national park. We are spoiled now and highly recommend mountain trekking adventures for anyone going to the Sequoia national Park or Kings Canyon national parks.

What an incredible experience! It's truly a gift to have a guide who has spent their life living in…read moreand exploring these mountains. It's a rare and priceless opportunity to be shown this special area by someone so connected and committed to the place. Pani's guidance is truly from the heart, and when you add his lifetime of experience exploring here, you have a guided tour that cannot be matched elsewhere. His love of the place is infectious and he's fun, flexible and kind. So thankful to have had him as our guide!