Congratulations on planning your trip to Yosemite National Park! I am a firm believer that Yosemite is one of those places everyone should experience at least once in their lifetime. The park has a variety of incredible sights to be seen and countless adventures to be had! You could spend a whole summer in Yosemite and barely scratch the surface. One of the best ways to experience Yosemite is to hit the trail! The Park has numerous hikes for all different skill level. Here, you can find the BEST hikes in Yosemite beginning with easy, moderate, and difficult.
Check out what to pack for a day hike for gear recs!
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What to Pack for Yosemite Hiking
- Shoes: We LOVE these Salomon’s in women’s and men’s!
- Pack: A good day pack makes ALL the difference! We both use this 30L Ortovox pack. It’s the perfect size for day hiking and we love that it unzips all of the way down the front!
- Sun protection: a brimmer hat and sun hoodie (women’s and men’s) are essentials for hiking!
- Cooler: Keep a few snacks and drinks cool in the car with this affordable soft sided cooler! It’s a game changer on a hot day!
- Water: Be sure to bring a water bladder for your daypack. Plus this packable water cube and a reusable water bottle are great to keep in the car!
- Snacks: Make sure to pack some trail snacks too! We love these meal replacement bars (although we use them as a snack not a meal!)
- First aid kit: Just this standard first aid kit should suffice if anything were to happen on the trail!
- Light: A headlamp and extra batteries are important to carry in case you are out hiking later than you suspect.
Easy Hikes in Yosemite
Tunnel View
- 0 miles
- 0 ft elevation gain
Tunnel View is not exactly a hike, it is more of a lookout/viewpoint. Regardless, it is one of those spots that is easily accessible and provides a beautifully framed view of Yosemite Valley. If this is your first trip to Yosemite, I highly recommend carving out a little time to make it to tunnel view.
When traveling from the west entrance to the park (el portal) you will drive about half an hour until you reach Wawona tunnel on Hwy 41. Once you pass through the tunnel, the pullout is directly on the left. I would suggest getting there early to beat the crowds, plus Tunnel View is a great spot to catch the sunrise over the Valley!
Bridalveil Falls
- 5 miles round trip
- 80 ft elevation gain
Looking for a quick and easy waterfall fix? Bridalveil Falls is definitely the cure! An easy, paved path will lead you right to the base of a 620 ft waterfall! With water cascading down in the wind, it tends to resemble a brides veil- to which the falls gets it’s name.
The best time to visit Bridalveil Falls is in the spring when all of the winter snow melts and the water levels are high. Fair warning, the trail tends to be pretty crowded due to the easy accessibility.
Glacier Point
- 6 mile loop
- 167 ft elevation gain
Glacier point is one of those hikes where you get the most bang for your buck! It is a quick loop that takes you to a jaw dropping view of halfdome, and it NEVER gets old! This trail is seasonal, as the road to Glacier Point is usually only open from May to November, depending on the snow fall that season.
Check recreation.gov for the latest updates.
Lower Yosemite Falls
- 1 mile loop
- 50 ft elevation gain
At 2,425 ft, Yosemite Falls is North America’s tallest waterfall and one of the parks most famous attractions! The waterfall flows down in two portions, making a small pool in the middle. The trail has a great view of both the upper and lower portion of the falls. In spring, the water is raging and there’s a good chance you will get a refreshing mist when you reach the end of the trail! The lower Yosemite Falls loop is paved and easy, making this an absolutely must-do hike for everyone!
Moderate Hikes in Yosemite
Taft Point
- 2 miles round trip
- 375 ft elevation gain
Taft point is a pretty special hike for us because this is the spot where we decided to elope! We may be slightly biased, but let the view speak for itself.. this hike is epic! The hike to Taft point starts out on a trail winding through the woods. About a mile into the hike, it spits you out onto a massive cliff overlooking Yosemite Valley! You will have the perfect bird’s eye view of Yosemite Falls and El Capitan, the famous 3000 ft vertical granite rock face. It is a wonderful hike to get away from some of the crowds at the easier overlooks such as glacier point.
NOTE: The trailhead is off of Glacier road, which is only open from May-November. Check recreation.gov for the latest updates.
Sentinel Dome
- 2 miles round trip
- 400 ft elevation gain
Sentinel Dome shares the same parking lot and trailhead with Taft Point. Close to the beginning of the trail, you will split off to the right to head towards the dome. It is a relatively easy hike, with the last portion being a climb up the large rock dome itself! At the top, you will be rewarded with incredible 360 degree views of Yosemite! Sentinel Dome is often overshadowed by its neighbor Taft Point, but do not be fooled, It is one of the best sunset spots in the park!
NOTE: The trailhead is off of Glacier road, which is only open from May-November. Check recreation.gov for the latest updates.
Mist Trail, Vernal Falls
- 3 miles round trip
- 1,000 ft elevation gain
Somewhere between moderate and strenuous, lies the first part of the Mist Trail, the hike to Vernal Falls. It is one of my absolute favorite trails in the park, and a must-do even if you have limited time.
Vernal falls is a thunderous waterfall on the Merced river! The hike to the falls is steep and steady right from the start. Once you get to the bottom of the waterfall, the trail becomes a rocky staircase, where you can climb to the top. Here, you will see where the mist trail gets it’s name! As you ascend the steps, you will feel a refreshing mist coming from Vernal! Just what you need on a warmer day. As for all of the waterfalls in the park, the best time to experience it is in the springtime.
Hard Hikes in Yosemite
Mist Trail, Nevada Falls
- 4 miles round trip
- 2,000 ft elevation gain
The second part of the Mist trail takes you to Nevada Falls. Once at the top of Vernal Falls, you have the option to continue another 1.5 miles of rocky switchbacks to Nevada Falls. If you’re a fan of waterfalls, I would highly suggest continuing to Nevada! Another beautiful waterfall, cascading into a raging river. How can you say no?
Yosemite Point via Upper Yosemite Falls
- 2 miles round trip
- 3,000 ft elevation gain
Hiking the Upper Yosemite Falls trail is not a simple feet. It is a steep, sun exposed trail that utilizes a bunch of switchbacks. Some say this hike is not worth the effort, but I believe that the hard work just makes the view even sweeter! At the top you are rewarded with a panoramic view of the Valley, and an excellent view of halfdome. This is also the closest you can get to the upper portion of Yosemite Falls. I would recommend that you start early, and bring a lot of water to avoid mid-day heat and dehydration.
Half Dome via the Mist trail
- 16 mile round trip
- 4,800 ft elevation gain
Half Dome is a beast that requires a little more preparation that a blurb. Check out our post on Hiking Half Dome to see if you’re up for the challenge!
Happy Hiking!
