Yosemite

Yosemite National Park, California

Yosemite Valley is a 1.2 km-wide, 11 km-long glacial trench cut into the Sierra Nevada granite, with valley walls rising 900-1,400 metres on both sides. The valley floor holds the Merced River, three major waterfalls (Yosemite, Bridalveil, Nevada/Vernal), and about half of the park’s visitor infrastructure. The park itself covers 3,000 square kilometres of Sierra Nevada terrain, most of it high-country wilderness accessed from the valley or from Tuolumne Meadows on the Tioga Road.

John Muir’s advocacy contributed to federal protection of the area in 1890; Yosemite was the second national park after Yellowstone. The valley receives about 4 million visitors per year, most of them concentrating in summer in the valley itself.

Yosemite Valley

El Capitan on the north wall of the valley is a 914-metre vertical granite face – the largest exposed granite monolith in the world. It is the defining climbing objective on earth; free climbing the Nose route was a several-decade project that culminated in Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson’s 2015 ascent over 19 days. Freerider, another route, was free-soloed by Alex Honnold in 2017. Watching climbers on the wall through binoculars from the meadows below is a feature of many valley visits regardless of climbing interest.

Yosemite Falls drops 739 metres in two stages and is the tallest waterfall in North America. Peak flow is in April and May from snowmelt; by August the upper fall often dries to a trickle.

Half Dome is the iconic granite dome at the eastern end of the valley, recognisable from any direction. The summit hike (14.5 miles round trip, elevation gain 1,460 metres) requires a permit obtained by lottery, a day of serious walking, and the final section via cables fixed on the dome face. The cables are installed from late May through mid-October.

Valley Loop Trail runs 11 miles around the valley floor with views of El Capitan, Half Dome, Yosemite Falls, and Bridalveil Fall from different angles. The easiest comprehensive valley overview available.

Tuolumne Meadows

At 2,600 metres altitude, Tuolumne Meadows on the Tioga Road (Hwy 120) is a different landscape from the enclosed valley: open granite domes, subalpine meadows, and the Tuolumne River. The road is open from late May to early November depending on snowpack. The Lembert Dome scramble and the Dog Lake hike are accessible from the Tuolumne Meadows lodge area; both are relatively short and give the high-country experience without demanding significant backcountry preparation.

Glacier Point, accessible by road from the valley’s south rim, gives a 975-metre drop view straight down into the valley with Half Dome at eye level and Nevada Fall visible below. It is the most dramatic overlook accessible by car and the most photographed single viewpoint in the park.

Entry and Reservations

Yosemite requires a vehicle reservation to enter the park from late May through mid-October (the specific dates and reservation window change annually; check the park website). The reservation applies to day visitors driving into Yosemite Valley; lodge guests and those arriving by foot, bicycle, or park shuttle are exempt. Reservations are released in advance on recreation.gov and fill immediately; buying the timed entry as soon as they become available is the practical strategy.

The America the Beautiful annual pass (around $80, covers all US national parks for 12 months) is almost always better value than the per-vehicle park entry fee for anyone visiting more than two parks in a year.

Where to Stay

The Ahwahnee (formerly Yosemite Lodge at the Falls, then Ahwahnee Hotel) is the historic luxury lodge in the valley, a 1927 National Historic Landmark with views toward Half Dome from the meadow adjacent to the property. Rooms book 12+ months in advance and are expensive for what they are; the value is the location and the building.

Curry Village and the various camp-cabin options operated by Aramark in the valley are significantly cheaper but also book far ahead. Valley campgrounds (Upper Pines, Lower Pines, North Pines) require reservation through recreation.gov, often months in advance.

Groveland and El Portal, on the approach roads from San Francisco and the Bay Area, have motels and vacation rentals at prices well below valley accommodation and drive times of 30-45 minutes to the valley floor.