A four-day beginner’s guide to exploring Yosemite
Twice I’ve explored Yosemite—once in the winter and once in the summer. It’s the most beautiful and inspiring place I’ve ever been no matter what time of year. This 4-day guide is perfect for experiencing Yosemite for the first time or for those who don’t have a lot of hiking gear.
Itinerary
DAY THREE
Mist Trail & John Muir Trail Loop (hike)
DAY FOUR
Tenaya Lake (walk)
Olmstead Point (vista)
Tunnel View (vista)
Dinner at Ahwahneed
DAY ONE
Travel to Yosemite
Tuolumne Grove (walk)
Check into lodging
DAY TWO
Glacier Point (vista)
Sentinel Point (hike)
Taft (hike, if you get an early start)
Mariposa Grove (walk)
Packing list
BASIC FIRST AID
Day Lite Pack from REI First Aid Kit
Scissors
Triple Antibiotic Ointment
Gauze pads
Bandaids
Pain reliever
Antihistamine
First aid manual
Wire splint
Stretch bandage
Medical tape
CLOTHING
Hiking shoes*
Sandals/water shoes
Hat and sunglasses
T-shirts
Long sleeved sun shirt
Shorts
Pants
Socks and undies
GEAR
Water bottle
Head lamp and batteries
Sunscreen
Bug spray
Bathing wipes
Compass
Whistle
*The age old question: hiking boots or sneakers? The answer is it depends. I choose sneakers if the weather is warm and I’m not doing rigorous hiking (I wore sneakers for this entire itinerary except for Mist Trail & John Muir Loop). I opt for boots if the weather is cold and there will be steep downhill stepping, which is when I’m most prone to ankle rolling. Keep in mind that one pound on your feet equals five pounds on your back.
Lodging
CURRY VILLAGE
Perfect for being close to the action during the summer months. There’s a variety of lodging choices, but we opted for the canvas tents that came equipped with comfortable mattresses, linens, and plenty of warm blankets. Shared bathroom facilities nearby. Learn more here.
RUSH CREEK LODGE
Perfect for an indulgent stay, especially during the winter. It offers a rustic vibe with modern comfort, large rooms, outdoor pool, hot tub, and a great onsite restaurant. Learn more here.
Dining
THE AHWAHNEE HOTEL DINING ROOM
Traditional American restaurant ($$$) serving breakfast, lunch and dinner known for its cathedral windows and high cross-beam ceiling. Note there is a dress code for dinner. Reservations recommended. Learn more here.
THE MOUNTAIN ROOM
This upscale spot with views of Yosemite Falls has steak, seafood & pasta dishes, plus a full bar ($$). Learn more here.
WAWONA DINING ROOM
Victorian ambiance reminiscent of the white hotel and sweeping lawns seen in the movie Dirty Dancing! Traditional American fare with a fireplace, veranda, and pianist ($$). Learn more here.
Winter
During winter, it’s chilly but serene with far fewer people. Layers, wool socks, and hats were enough to keep us warm during our hikes. The days are shorter so you' can’t cover as much ground, but I found it to be incredibly restful and introspective—leading me to prefer our winter trip. We splurged to stay at Rush Creek Lodge (booked through Hotel Tonight) and took full advantage of the outdoor heated pool, hot tub, and fireplace in the evenings.
Summer
In the summer with warm muscles and longer daylight you can cover a lot more ground. That said, there are bigger crowds to navigate and you won’t ever feel truly alone unless you get up before dawn. The sun is intense, so be prepared with sunscreen, hats, long shirts, and plenty of water. The heat can be tempting to strip down to bare shoulders, but a sunburn is a sure fire way to ruin a trip. For our summer trip, we camped in the canvas tents at Curry Village.
“Yosemite Valley, to me, is always a sunrise, a glitter of green and golden wonder in a vast edifice of stone and space.”
ANSEL ADAMS
DAY ONE
Tuolumne Grove
Tuolumne Grove is a giant sequoia grove, including the famous dead sequoia that you can walk through. This is a great way to kick off your Yosemite trip to get your hiking legs warmed up.
Distance: 2.5 miles round trip
Elevation gain: 400 feet
Hiking time: About 2 hours
Difficulty: Easy—the hike is a short, smooth trail that is completely downhill to the grove. That means all the work is at the end.
Learn more about Tuolumne Grove here.
DAY TWO
Glacier Point
Glacier Point is an overlook with exhilarating views of Yosemite Valley, Half Dome, and the High Sierra.
Distance: a short walk from the parking lot to the overlook
Time: Most people spend about 30 minutes here.
Difficulty: Easy—the walk to the viewpoint is paved and handicap accessible.
Glacier Point Road will be closed to all traffic in 2021 to rehabilitate and improve the road. The only access to Glacier Point will be via the Four Mile, Panorama, and Pohono Trails, all of which are strenuous hikes. Learn more about Glacier Point here.
DAY TWO
Sentinel Dome
Hiking to the top of Sentinel Dome is by far Yosemite's easiest way to experience miles and miles of views in every direction.
To the west, you'll see down Yosemite Valley and beyond to the Merced River canyon. Looking north you'll see Yosemite Valley, including El Capitan and Yosemite Falls. East is Nevada Fall, Half Dome and Clouds Rest, along with an assortment of High Sierra peaks.
Distance: 2.2 miles (3.5 km) round trip
Elevation at trailhead: 7,700 feet (2,345 meters)
Final Elevation: 8,100 feet (2,470 meters)
Elevation gain: 400 feet
Hiking time: 1 - 2 hours
Difficulty: Moderate—quite easy until the final stretch up the dome, which is short but very steep. You might feel the effects of the elevation since the trailhead is 3,500 feet (1,000 meters) higher than Yosemite Valley.
Learn more about Sentinel Dome here.
DAY TWO
Taft Point
If you get an early start and have the energy, Taft Point shares the Sentinel trail head. You can test you fear of heights by walking right up to the cliff's edge and peer straight down, with just a metal rail holding you back. You'll get impressive views of the north valley wall, including El Capitan and Yosemite Falls.
Distance: 2.2 miles (3.5 km) round trip
Elevation at trailhead: 7,700 feet (2,345 meters)
Taft Point Elevation: 7,500 feet (2,285 meters)
Elevation Change: 200 feet (60 meters) descent
Hiking time: 1 - 2 hours
Difficulty: Easy, though not a complete pushover. It's a fairly short hike without a lot of elevation change. It rates a 3 out of 10.
Learn more about Taft Point here.
DAY TWO
Mariposa Grove
Mariposa Grove is the largest sequoia grove in Yosemite and is home to over 500 mature giant sequoias. Once you park, take the free shuttle to the grove April through November. There are several trail options, but I recommend Grizzly Giant Loop Trail.
GRIZZLY GIANT LOOP TRAIL
Distance: 2 miles (3.2 km) loop from trailhead
Elevation gain: very little
Hiking time: 1.5 - 2 hours
Difficulty: Moderate—quite easy with a smooth trail, even steps, and railings.
Learn more about Mariposa Grove here.
“Maybe you weren't born with a silver spoon in your mouth, but like every American, you carry a deed to 635 million acres of public lands. That's right. Even if you don't own a house or the latest computer on the market, you own Yosemite, Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, and many other natural treasures.”
JOHN GARAMENDI
DAY 4
Mist Trail & John Muir Trail Loop
This is a full day of hiking for beginners but totally doable and worth the sweat equity! Stone steps, waterfalls, and eerie mist make this a captivating trip.
MIST TRAIL TO VERNAL FALL
Start at Happy Isles Bridge which is also the Mist Trail and John Muir Trailhead. Climb the stone steps of Mist Trail to Vernal Fall. The Mist Trail is aptly named, so dress accordingly with a raincoat or poncho.
NEVADA FALL
Optional. Continuing past Vernal Fall to Nevada Fall adds a lot of hiking time to an already rigorous hike. We planned to call an audible depending on our time and energy levels and decided to pass this time. Next time we will get started earlier and make sure we’re well rested to make it the entire loop.
JOHN MUIR TRAIL
Stop at Clark Point to look at Nevada Fall and the backside of Half Dome while you eat your picnic lunch. Then continue descending along the John Muir Trail, which looks like scenes from Lord of The Rings, and arrive back at Happy Isle Bridge.
Distance: 4.1 miles (6.6 km) or 5.8 miles (10.8 km) for the entire loop
Elevation at trailhead: 4,022 feet (1,225 meters)
Elevation gain: 1,667 feet (508 meters) or 2,254 feet (687 meters)
Hiking time: 4 hours for the short loop, or about 6 hours for the full loop depending on pace and snack / lunch breaks.
Difficulty: Moderate-Strenuous with slippery rock stairs up to Vernal Fall. If you continue to Nevada Fall, there are short/rock switchbacks.
DAY 4
Tenaya Lake
As you enter the trail to Tenaya Lake, keep your eye out for a small, but well-worn path veering off to the left. It will lead you through a magical meadow, over a creek, and through the woods to the lake. It’s chilly, but gorgeous.
DAY 4
Olmsted Point
Olmsted Point offers a wonderful straight-shot view down Tenaya Canyon with Clouds Rest high in the foreground and Half Dome far in the distance.
No hiking required! Just pull off and park.
DAY 4
Tunnel View
Made famous by Ansel Adams, Tunnel View encapsulates El Capitan, Half Dome, and Bridalveil Fall.
No hiking is required, just park at one of the lots and make your way to the vista but if you’re hoping to capture the sunset, get there early.
DAY 4
Dinner at The Ahwahnee Hotel
The food is decent with attentive service but the atmosphere is bar none. Dinner by candlelight, a pianist, and a wall of stone seen through the cathedral windows make it worth the effort. We enjoyed french onion soup, pan seared chicken, and a seven layer chocolate cake.
There is a dress code which we didn’t know about when we were packing. We cleaned up as best as we could for dinner and put on brave faces hoping they’d let us in. They did, but we suspect just barely 😘
“For dinner, we require gentlemen to wear long pants and a shirt with a collar, and ask that women wear a dress, skirt, or long pants with a blouse. Please refrain from wearing shorts, T-shirts, tank tops, flip-flops, and baseball caps. Children over the age of four are asked to dress for the occasion as well. Breakfast, brunch, and lunch are always casual.”
“Yosemite Valley, to me, is always a sunrise, a glitter of green and golden wonder in a vast edifice of stone and space.”
JOHN MUIR
Wildflowers of Yosemite
In Yosemite, you spend nearly every moment looking up at the breathtaking views. But when you look down and look closely, you’ll see vivid wildflowers blooming among the sand and stone.
Still on my wishlist
SUNRISE HIKING
I’d love to get up before dawn (with proper planning and gear) to see the sunrise from Sentinel or Taft!
CLOUDS REST TRAIL
This strenuous seven-mile hike has an unnervingly narrow trail along the ridge (similar to Knife Edge at Katahdin). It boasts one of Yosemite's most stunning and wide-ranging 360-degree panoramic views.
HALF DOME
Hiking Half Dome is extremely strenuous and requires a permit. At some point in my life, I absolutely plan to build up the experience and stamina to hike it.
RAFTING THE MERCED
Rafting in the Merced is definitely on my bucket list but isn’t something we’ve been able to make time for yet. I like intense rapids so I plan to go in the springtime when the water levels are high from the melting snow.
ICE SKATING
Ice skating is a childhood passion that I’ve recently picked back up. The ice rink at Curry Village is directly under Half Dome and I heard there is free hot chocolate. Definitely going to pack my skates next time we visit in the winter!
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