Upper Yosemite Falls trail was definitely the hardest hike I've done. It was about 7.2 miles…read moreroundtrip, took exactly 7 hours starting at 10:40am and finally making it down at 5:40pm (5 hours going up, 2 going down), and was 2,700 ft of elevation gain. The terrain is mostly rocks and goes up most of the way, so it's an insane leg workout that left me sore for a couple days after. Going up was exhausting, but there's plenty of spots to sit down and take breaks. About halfway through, we stopped and ate snacks. Going down felt more difficult on my knees, but it was a lot faster. It also started to rain so we had to be careful about slipping. The views were absolutely beautiful and worth it every step of the way. I constantly stopped and took photos and admired it all. Once you get up to the top, you can get really close to upper yosemite falls on a narrow path along some rocks. If you're afraid of heights, you might be a bit scared. It was super chilly when we got up there. Almost everyone we encountered on the trail was super friendly, and it was fun to see familiar faces when we got up to the top and overhear people exclaiming how proud they are of themselves. Going in May when the weather was still cold (about 40° when we were here) was definitely helpful. I don't know if I would have been able to do it if it were hot outside. I get lightheaded pretty easily and there were times I felt like I was going to pass out, but I did it!! Definitely take breaks, don't rush yourself, drink plenty of water, and bring snacks. Make sure you have hiking boots!!! If I didn't have hiking boots I probably wouldn't have been able to do it.

It gets super busy in the area, but its worth checking out if you love waterfalls. the hikes are…read moregreat, it's worth it, the waterfalls are breathtaking, and hiking is hard but worth it.

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!

Beautiful area for an intermediate hike to sentinel dome or Taft point. It's a lot going uphill do…read morehave good shoes and be ready for that. You have amazing views at the top. It's the easiest place for a hike there. The parking lot area is large but fills up fast. There are some bathrooms. It's a good place to start the different hikes

We did the Sentinel Dam hike for the first time and wow have been we missing out. This is a very…read moreeasy trail with a surprisingly grippy steady walk to the top of the dome. Love the woods and birds on the start of the trail and then the views on top of the dome are just insane. Take binoculars and take your time to enjoy the views.

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.

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!!

Bucket List: check…read more Not as scary as others say but expect the worst and it's better than what you hear. Started at two am, had some rookie hikers which slowed the pace but all but one made it to the top. Very difficult if you're not equipped properly. Advise LOTS of water, good shoes, poles, snacks, grippy gloves and a positive attitude. Gorgeous views. Plenty of parking in the early morning. There are few but minimal bathroom stops along the way.

Amazing, well maintained trails to get to Half Dome. We parked in the Curry Village lot and started…read moreour hike just after sunrise. This trail is a steep incline almost the entire way. I was pleasantly surprised that there were at least 3 bathrooms on the way up, the last one about 3 miles from the subdome at the backpackers campground. You hike up past 2 waterfalls on the way up. Lots of beautiful views. Bring lots of water and snacks/food that you may need for a full day. Permits are required and can be lotteried for on the recreation.gov app to climb the subdome and cables. I did not do the subdome and cables, but my hiking partner did. The park estimates that the subdome (30 mins up, 30 mins down) and cables (30 mins up, 30 mins down) will take 2 hours.

We came from Tenaya lake and it was my favorite hike in Yosemite. The trail and the rock…read moreformations were utterly stunning. Summit allows you to have an amazing view of Half Dome. Please come and create your own adventure.

My first hike in Yosemite, and it happened to be this one...I didn't know what I was getting myself…read moreinto. Cloud's Rest is a strenuous and challenging hike that will exhaust you for a couple days or more! This hike isn't for beginners, if you want to attempt this, you will have to actually enjoy hiking. Cloud's Rest takes around 6-8 hours to complete and is a 14 miles hike with an elevation gain of 2,700 ft. Parking - We arrived around 9:30 AM and found parking at the Sunrise Lakes Trailhead. The earlier you arrive, the better, to avoid crowds and get a good spot to park. There is one pit toilet at the trailhead and would be my first stop after arriving because you're going to be consuming plenty of water during this hike, including many more bathroom breaks in nature. Don't be afraid to take plenty of breaks during the hike, rest stops are great to enjoy some snacks and water. After crossing the wooden bridge, follow the signs pointed towards Cloud's Rest and you'll be right on your way! What I like about this hike is the changes in scenery throughout the hike. It was like a different hike every couple of miles! The first part takes you through a forest-like scenery and then the incline switchbacks, which were extremely tiring and difficult. After conquering that part, the trail takes you through a well-deserved flat area with a nice view of a lake. The final stretch includes a steep, straight incline and then finally the granite steps, which requires a bit of climbing to reach the summit. The views are spectacular at the summit, you will be able to see Half Dome and the Yosemite Valley. We arrived at the top around 1 PM and took a lunch break as well as many pictures. The descent was just as challenging as the ascent, if not more, because you're already pretty tired. Take your time and pace yourself, I think we took ever longer breaks on the way down. Overall, if you're looking for a challenging hike in Yosemite, Cloud's Rest is that hike! Great views at the summit and changing sceneries makes this hike a great one to reflect back on and tell stories.

Review is for the Merced River Trailhead near Briceburg, this is very south of Yosemite but I…read moredidn't want to make a new review page just for this small trailhead. If you are taking 140 south leaving Yosemite you'll drive right next to the river and you can stop here. You can get under the freeway underpass for some nice variety but the main attraction is the River. There are small tributaries throughout this area and the kids enjoyed building dams with the rocks here. There are also some nice flat stones closer to the water if you want to teach the kids how to skip stones. There is a bridge you can hike over to for a higher view of the scenery, cars and trucks did drive in this smaller bridge so we didn't cross it all the way. Overall, it was a nice stop with plenty of parking and no one else there when we went, it's much more secluded than some of the more popular Merced River stops closer to Yosemite.

Beautiful river that feeds into Yosemite Valley…read more If you are entering the valley from the west which we did, you will be driving along the river for a while before the entrance of the park. The water is beautiful and clear and lots of people fish in the river. Tubing is also a fun activity to do. Take photos, enjoy the view!

Classic Yosemite backpacking route. 30 miles, +/- 4000 feet…read moreelevation. White Wolf to Glen Aulin/Tuolumne Meadow. Either way is good, it goes down and goes up, so either way is similar elevation wise. This is one way route, so carshuttle is required. Or you could catch YARTS but it could be full, so it is risky. 2 night/3 days is appropriate. This route is along Tuolumne River. This has massive amount of water. Since there is a lot of elevation gain/loss, you can see many beautiful waterfalls. The most specutacular falls is Waterwheel falls. As the name indicates, the falls look like waterwheel. It is gorgious. I was just staring at the falls for a while. Not only waterwheel falls, california falls, White Cascades are also very pretty. This is real wilderness Yosemite.

i hiked from badger pass ski area to glacier point on 3/28 and posted a vlog on yoütübe including…read moretips and info so you can be prepared! search "Nikko Gandia Travels." wilderness permit issued at badger pass ranger station (200 ft. to the right of main ski lodge) or a-frame. self registration on porch when open. make sure to keep up with the road closure/construction updates! fresh powder so the snowshoes were needed. camped near ostrander rocks.

This is the road to some of the most popular attractions in Yosemite Park, but only open half the…read moreyear, closed in the winter due to snow. We were driving from the Bay Area to Yosemite, 4 hours including a potty break in Mariposa, to Yosemite Valley, and then another hour going by dried up Bridalveil falls, and then the tunnel view, to Glacier Point. Glacier Point Road is some 22 miles long, and intersects Highway 41 between Yosemite Valley and Wawona, on the way to Fresno. It's not only a winding mountain road, but takes you from the 4500 foot elevation of the Yosemite Valley, to 7700 foot Glacier Point. As we go up the road, we pass a sign saying 'road closed 7pm', on Sunday November 1, 2015. No overnight parking allowed after October 15. The first part of the road is relatively straight roadway with 35 mph speed limits, through dense forests on both sides of the road, going up the mountain. Last April when the road opened, we saw a heavy duty construction grader, with chains on all four giant tires, each taller than a man, towing snow removal equipment. Badger Pass skiing resort is here, and once the road is covered with snow, cross country skiers will be able to ski on the road. There are very short turn outs on the sides of the road, for pulling over for faster cars to pass. Inevitably if I drive at the 35 mph speed limit, some guy in a hurry comes on my tail. This time its somebody in a pickup, probably local, as he is the only occupant. I speed up to 50 mph, but he clings right up to me, even when I slow down for a car in front of me. Long distances of solid double lines -no passing. The recently paved smooth asphalt road going uphill reaches a peak, and degrades into cracked surface with potholes and jagged edges. At the 16 mile mark, I pull over to the small parking lot at Sentinel Dome, the tallest location on the road, where we do both the Sentinel Dome and Taft Point hikes in 3 hours. At 4:30 pm we drive down the remaining 6 miles to Glacier Point, to enjoy the sunset. Speed limit drops to 15mph as we go down through some hairpin loops in a darkened forest, when all of a sudden, Half Dome rises on the horizon, prior to Glacier Point. We leave at 5:15 for the 1 hour trip back to Yosemite Valley. This part of the Glacier Point road has a 15mph speed limit, with hairpin 180 degree turns, and steep cross traverse roadways in a deep forest. One guy going way too fast approaches us, going way over the center line on the hairpin turn. We were going real slow, and just missed a head on collision. The road becomes dark, and there is nothing like driving on a dark winding mountain road. Amazingly enough cars are still driving up the road to Glacier Point in the darkness! Full moon at Glacier Point? I'm going the speed limit, when some joker comes up right behind me, lights in my rear view mirror, saying go faster. I'm not about to go 50 mph in a 35 mph zone in the dark. Last April I saw a coyote on the road, and the last thing I want to do is hit a bear or deer at dusk, and damage my car. I pull over at the Sentinel dome parking lot, to let the speedster past. Inevitably another car comes onto my tail, and actually passes me on the road in one of the few straight aways, only to pull over at the next turn out to enjoy the setting sun on the horizon, emitting a purple glow. About half way down the road, another car comes onto my tail,.I find a turnout, and let him pass, and then comes a whole series of cars, all going 10-15 mph over the 35 mph speed limit, like it is the Indianapolis 500! Dusk becomes complete darkness. Fortunately the road has a newly painted center line, and two bike lane solid white lines on the edges of the road. Another car comes onto my tail. but this time, I can't utilize the turn outs, as it is too dark, and I have no way to estimate the length of the turnouts. And there are snow poles on the side of the road, to delineate the roadway when covered with snow. The guy follows me at the speed limit for what seems like half an hour, down to the end of Glacier point road, past the tunnel view, onto the Valley loop, where the road becomes two lanes in one direction. At least he never blew his horn. It's 6:15 pm, on this first day of standard time, and is completely dark, when we arrive at Yosemite Lodge at the Falls, after the hour drive from Glacier Point. The following day, it rains hard the entire day. Glacier Point is closed with snow and ice, at least temporarily, and perhaps for the season, until next April, or June if El Nino materializes.