Top 10 Things To Do In Yosemite: A Complete Guide to the Best Hikes, Viewpoints, and More

When choosing things to do in Yosemite National Park, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by options. The natural beauty of Yosemite is unmatched, and whether you’re seeking active pursuits like hiking, or simply desire to sit and marvel at the abundance of jaw-dropping scenery, you’ll find it in spades in Yosemite.

We visit Yosemite every year, and truly believe it is one of Mother Nature’s best playgrounds. Here, we detail the top 10 attractions and activities, to ensure you make the most of your time in California’s most famous national park.

Jump to:

1. Explore Yosemite Valley (including Yosemite Falls)

2. Hike to Vernal and Nevada Falls

3. Marvel at the Massive El Capitan

4. Get a Front-Row Seat to Half Dome, at Glacier Point

5. Snap the Iconic Photo at Tunnel View

6. Lounge and Swim at Sentinel Beach

7. Venture Up to Tuolumne Meadow and Experience the High Sierra

8. Feel Small Next to the Giant Sequoias of Mariposa Grove

9. Capture the Other Famous Photo, at Valley View

10. Swim, Paddle, or Idle Along the Shores of Tenaya Lake

Bonus: Take a Step Back in Time at the Ahwahnee Hotel

1. Explore Yosemite Valley (including Yosemite Falls)

Get your bearings by driving the 40-minute loop through Yosemite Valley.

Most of the park’s “civilization” is here, with food options, lodgings, campgrounds — even a church and post office. But you’ll also get up close to many of the park’s natural wonders, including cascading waterfalls, the winding Merced River, and the famous El Capitan.

Hiking

If you’re looking to stretch your legs in Yosemite Valley, these two options make for a great stroll. They’re both flat, and easily accessible for all ages and abilities.

• Yosemite Falls: Walk the 1 mile (round trip) paved trail to Lower Yosemite Falls, North America’s tallest waterfall. You can either walk to the trailhead (directions) or park in the Yosemite Falls parking lot, just beyond Camp 4.
• Sentinel/Cook’s Meadow Loop: Stroll the raised boardwalk that meanders through the valley and crosses over the Merced River. Just remember to always stay on the boardwalk, to avoid trampling the native vegetation. You can pick up the trail from any of the valley’s designated parking lots. However, two good entry points are either the Sentinel/Cook’s Meadow trailhead or the Yosemite Falls Vantage Point parking lot.

2. Hike to Vernal and Nevada Falls

Yosemite’s other famous waterfalls, these two pack a double punch along the famed Mist Trail, which is the park’s most popular trail. The spring snowmelt creates a thundering cascade that is a staggering display of Mother Nature’s power, and the trail gets you right up against the falls. Be prepared to get a little wet!

Hiking

Vernal and Nevada Falls are only accessible by foot via the Mist Trail. The Mist Trail maintains a constant elevation gain up to the falls, although the vast majority of people (of varying athletic abilities) can all make it up.

Directions: Park by Happy Isles/Curry Village, either along the road or at the parking lot. Follow the Mist Trail signs for 0.5 – 1 mile along the road, depending on where you parked.

Once you reach the official trailhead, it’s 1.5 miles further to Vernal Falls, for a 3-mile roundtrip hike. Another 2 miles beyond Vernal Falls, you’ll come to to Nevada Falls (for 7 miles roundtrip).  

3. Marvel at the Massive El Capitan

Affectionately known as “El Cap,” this granite behemoth rises 3,000 feet above the valley floor. It’s a height that you can’t truly fathom until you’re standing at the base of it. El Capitan is also one of the world’s most famous destinations for serious rock climbers. If you’ve watched the documentaries Free Solo or The Dawn Wall, you know the reverence the climbing community has for the spot. 

Picnicking

Our favorite way to appreciate El Capitan is to bring a blanket and set up in the meadow across the way, an hour or two before sunset.

Park along Northside Drive at the base of El Cap (directions), bring your favorite snacks and drinks, and watch as the rosy alpenglow slowly makes its way across the granite face.

Additionally, if you squint really hard (or cheat with a zoom lens), you can see tiny specks dotted across the face. These are the adventurous rock climbers, settling in for the night before finishing their ascent. It’s enough to make your palms sweat!

4. Get a Front-Row Seat to Half Dome, at Glacier Point

Approximately a 45-minute drive from Yosemite Valley is Glacier Point, one of our favorite panoramas in the park. This promontory gives you a prime view of Half Dome, another of Yosemite’s star attractions. Beyond Half Dome, you’ll see jagged peaks stretching all the way to the horizon. It’s an awe-inspiring display of the magnitude of the Sierra Nevada range.

Hiking

There are a few hiking trails that lead off from Glacier Point.

• Glacier Point Trail: For a short 0.6 mile stretch, you can explore the flat, paved pathways along the vantage point. Directions.
• Glacier Point to Yosemite Valley: More adventurous hikers can depart from Glacier Point on the one-way, 8.6 mile Glacier Point to Yosemite Valley trail. This is one of our favorite hikes in the park, as it serves as a highlight reel of Yosemite’ highlights’s top sights. From Glacier Point, you’ll wind through crisp Sierra forests and expansive vistas in the shadow of Half Dome, before connecting to the Mist Trail and passing Nevada Falls and Vernal Falls. You can either stage two cars (leave one at Happy Isles/Curry Village in the valley, then drive the other up to Glacier Point to start your hike) or catch a one-way ride from the valley on the Glacier Point tour bus to take you up, before hiking back down. You should be in moderate physical fitness to do the Glacier Point hike.

5. Snap the Iconic Photo at Tunnel View

This world-famous vantage point of Yosemite Valley, framed by El Capitan on the left and Half Dome in the distance on the right, is located along Wawona Road, just before it drops into the valley. Stopping for a photo here is essentially a rite of passage on your first visit to the park. Simply park in the paved lot (directions here) and admire the view.

6. Lounge and Swim at Sentinel Beach

While Sentinel Beach makes a gorgeous picnic spot year-round, it is especially sublime in the summer months. Bring a lunch or snacks, lounge on the banks, and take a cool dip in the Merced River — the waters are very calm by June and July. There’s a large parking lot a short walk from the shore (directions).

If you have paddle boards, you can also launch at Sentinel Beach and drift along the valley’s gorgeous waterways. You can read how to do so in our Paddle Boarding Yosemite guide.

Note: Always check the water levels before entering the river, and consult a ranger if you’re unsure. The Merced roars with icy snow melt in the spring, making it unsafe for swimming and paddling at that time of year. It usually settles down to a placid stream by mid June, but water levels can vary year to year.

7. Venture Up to Tuolumne Meadows and Experience the High Sierra

Sure, it’s a drive (approximately 90 minutes outside the valley) but seeing Tuolumne Meadows gives you a better sense of the full scale of Yosemite, along with how diverse the Sierra Nevada ecosystem is. In our humble opinion, only visiting Yosemite Valley leaves a limited view of the park, as opposed to the experiencing the vastness of all its varied corners.

Up at this elevation (8,600 feet), trees are scarcer, but the open meadows with the meandering Tuolumne River and sharp mountain peaks behind are no less beautiful than the valley below.

Hiking

• Cathedral Lakes (8.6 miles roundtrip) is one of the most popular hikes in the area. After a steep incline for the first 1.5 miles, the trail then levels out and winds you to the series of Cathedral lakes.
• Middle Gaylor Lake (2.4 miles roundtrip) is a sharp but quick uphill, getting you above the tree line to different views from what you’ve seen elsewhere in Yosemite.

Note: Tioga Road, the only access road to Tuolumne Meadow, is open late spring through fall each year. Check current road closures if you’re visiting on the edge of the season.

8. Feel Small Next to the Giant Sequoias of Mariposa Grove

Located down by the southern entrance to the park (just over a 1-hour drive from the valley), Mariposa is your opportunity to get up close to California’s famed giant sequoias.

To see these historic giants for yourself, park at the Mariposa Grove Welcome Plaza (directions) and hop on the free trailhead shuttle to meander through any of the maintained loops.

Fun trivia: Abraham Lincoln signed the legislation to protect Mariposa Grove for future generations, and the grove’s oldest tree, Grizzly Giant, is estimated to be nearly 2,400 years old!

Hiking

You can’t go wrong with any of the trails here. The most popular is the Grizzly Giant Loop (2 miles roundtrip) which takes you to the Grizzly Giant and California Tunnel Tree. You can also do the Big Trees Loop (an easy 0.3 mile stroll) or the Guardians Loop (6.5 miles, with 1,000 feet elevation gain) that passes the fallen Wawona Tunnel Tree and Mariposa Grove Cabin.

9. Capture the Other Famous Photo, at Valley View

Another of our favorite Yosemite vantage points, Valley View is a tiny pull-out on Northside Drive right before exiting the valley. Most people speed right past it, not knowing to look back and see yet another spectacular vista, in a valley that’s full of them.

Parking lot directions are here. 

10. Swim, Paddle, or Idle Along the Shores of Tenaya Lake

This pristine alpine lake has miles of shoreline, ripe for a lazy lake day. You can bring a picnic lunch, meander along the banks, or cool off with a swim during the summer months. Tenaya is also an excellent spot to paddle board, if you have your own board (there are no rentals).

Parking can be found at the Tenaya Lake Picnic Area (directions) or Murphy Creek Trailhead (directions).

Bonus: Take a Step Back in Time at the Ahwahnee Hotel

Being in Yosemite Valley, you’d never guess that an opulent, 4-star hotel is quietly tucked back into the trees at the far edge of the valley. This national historic landmark from the 1920s gives you a taste of old California.

It costs a pretty penny to stay at the Ahwahnee, and usually books up a year in advance — understandable, when it’s hosted everyone from Charlie Chaplin and John F. Kennedy, to Barack Obama and Queen Elizabeth II.

However, us commoners can still enjoy exploring its grand halls. The Ahwahnee is open to the public, and strolling through the common areas and soaking up the history of the place makes a fun diversion from standard park activities. You can also grab a bite to eat in either the grand Dining Room (which carries a dress code) or the casual Ahwahnee bar.

Have more time to explore? Check out our other guides to Yosemite National Park.

Feature image courtesy Leo SERRAT.