Famous for it’s thundering waterfalls, incredible granite cliffs, massive domes and hanging valleys, here are our Top 5 Attractions in Yosemite National Park. Best of all, you can see these all in a single day!
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1. El Capitan and Horsetail Fall
El Capitan is a 3,000 sheer vertical granite rock. There is easy access to view El Capitan from the turnout on the main access road into Yosemite Valley. El Capitan remains one of the greatest challengers for rock climbers.
For those keen enough to hike to the top of El Capitan, this difficult 10-12 hour return walk covers almost 16 miles and 5,226 feet elevation gain.
TIP: Horsetail Fall appears to be on fire in mid-late February at sunset, as the sun turns the waterfall a fiery orange.
2. Yosemite Falls, Upper/Middle/Lower
Yosemite Falls are the highest waterfalls in Yosemite National Park, dropping a total of 2,425 feet (739 metres). Upper Yosemite Fall drops 1,430 feet (440 metres), which puts it in the top 20 waterfalls in the world.
Peak flow at Yosemite Fall is normally in May after the snow melt. It typically flows from November to July, and may stop flowing from August to October.
TIP: Hiking to the top of Upper Yosemite Fall takes around 10 hours and is a 7.6 mile (12 kilometre) round trip. The hike to the bottom of Lower Yosemite Fall is just a 20 minute round trip.
3. Vernal Fall and the Mist Trail
Vernal Fall is a 4 hour round trip to the top following the mist trail. On the Mist Trail, you will be sprayed with water from Vernal Fall. Expect to get wet.
TIP: Bring a waterproof camera and a rain coat on this walk.
4. Tunnel View
Tunnel View is located just outside the Wawona Tunnel on State Highway 41. Here you will get a great view of Half Dome, El Capitan and Bridalveil Fall.
TIP: Almost no walking is required. Simply pull over as you exit the Wawona Tunnel (or just before you enter, depending on which way you are travelling).
5. Glacier Point and the Drive to Glacier Point
Glacier Point offers superb views over the Yosemite Valley, Half Dome, Vernal Fall, Nevada Fall and Cloud Rest. In fact Glacier Point has an elevation of 7,214 feet (2,199 metres) and is 3,200 feet (980 metres) above Half Dome Village.
Glacier Point Road is only open from late May to October, depending on snow conditions. It can also be accessed by cross country skiers from December to March, after skiing for 10.5 miles.
TIP: If you don’t want to drive you can take a 4 hour guided bus tour to glacier point. Head to www.travelyosemite.com/things-to-do/guided-bus-tours/
Day Trip Itinerary
Our recommendation is to enter Yosemite National Park through the Mariposa entrance. This is a much quicker, easier and less frightening drive than coming from the South through Oakhurst and Fish Camp.
After paying your entrance fee to the National Park, keep driving along Central Yosemite Highway 140 all the way into Yosemite Valley. Along the way you will pass by (1) El Portal and (2) Yosemite Fall. You will also pass many other roadside stops with awe-inspiring views of the valley, domes, meadows and waterfalls.
Drive all the way to Half Dome Village, which is at the end of the Yosemite Valley road. Park your car at Half Dome Village to take the Mist Trail up to (3) Vernal Fall.
TIP: Just before you reach Half Dome Village, you will pass the Yosemite Valley Visitor Centre. There is an excellent cafe to stop here for lunch, even a mini supermarket.
Then after Vernal Fall, drive up to Tunnel View. You will need to turn left from Southside Drive at Bridalveil Fall, onto Wawona Road. About 1 mile along Wawona Road stop for the excellent (4) Tunnel View carpark.
After Tunnel View, keep driving along Wawona Road until you reach the Glacier Point turnoff on the left, about 15-20 minutes. But keep in mind that Glacier Point Road is very windy and slow going, it will take you about 40 more minutes to reach (5) Glacier Point.
After Glacier Point, you can exit the park either back through the West entrance to Mariposa, or the South entrance to Oakhurst.
Housekeeping Camp
A great alternative is to see El Portal and Yosemite Fall on your first day, then stay at Housekeeping Camp. Be warned though, you will need to book 6-12 months in advance to secure your place. By all means check out our blog Reasons to Choose Housekeeping Camp Yosemite to learn more.
Best Season to See the Top 5 Attractions in Yosemite
Every one of our top 5 attractions in Yosemite National Park includes waterfalls. That’s because, in our opinion waterfalls are the most spectacular scenery in Yosemite. As it happens, our itinerary also lets you see the magnificent domes, the hanging valley and some lovely meadows. Thus the best time to go is when the snow melt is providing maximum water flow over the waterfalls in May and June. During this time you will hear the thunder of the falls across the valley, and feel the mist as you approach them.
Tip: Checkout the YOSEMITE WEBCAMS if you’d like to see how the park looks in different seasons.
Yosemite National Park is so huge and diverse that you can easily modify your itinerary to suit any season. The most important thing is to strop dreaming, and start going. Believe me, Yosemite looks infinitely more impressive in real life than it does online. I hope you see it for yourself.
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