YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK
CALIFORNIA
AN OVERVIEW
If you ever have the chance to go to Yosemite, just go. Don’t think twice, it’s alright.
This has now happened to me twice and every moment in the park lasts a lifetime. I’ve often said that if I was limited to just one national park for eternity, I would be content coming to Yosemite only. It is simply that amazing.
It is no wonder that this park spurred the need to protect land in this country, thanks to John Muir, who fought tirelessly to protect it.
The wonder of this park is threefold, in my opinion. First, the scale is unimaginable until you’re actually standing in the valley, looking up at thousand foot solid granite walls all around you. Second, the quiet reflections on the Merced River provide perfect mirror images of these iconic structures. And third, every single day in Yosemite will be different from the previous day - even being in the same location a few hours later will gift you a different, and equally beautiful view.
Don’t believe me? Go and see for yourself.
A Guide
Yosemite is a national treasure. You can see similar pictures of the valley hundreds of times and never bore of its awesome beauty, I hope! There are a few main areas in the park that you need to know about, and it basically boils down to the valley and the areas outside the valley.
The Yosemite Valley
This is where most of your time will be spent, and if the snow has started falling, chances are this is the only place you will have access to. There is nothing as breathtaking as the Yosemite Valley - it is spectacular in so many ways. The Merced River traverses the valley, reflecting the gigantic granite walls over calm water, and the giant trees line the roads for miles. You can leave your car at the start and walk the entire valley, or you can park and explore at your leisure.
The main road through the park’s valley is a one-way, so the areas listed below are in order for reference…
Tunnel View (and Artist Point)
Just off the main valley road, a perfect way to start the day before dropping into the valley, I always recommend coming to Tunnel View first to get an idea of the park at large. Seeing the valley from here will be familiar, but nevertheless, mesmerizing. Some would say this is as good as it gets. And you truly can spend hours here watching the weather transform the valley. So if you decide to spend additional time at this location, turn away from the valley - yes, it’s not a trick - and head up the Pohono trail for a different perspective and fewer tripods.
Seeing the valley from here will be familiar, but nevertheless, mesmerizing. Some would say this is as good as it gets. And you truly can spend hours here watching the weather transform the valley. So if you decide to spend additional time at this location, turn away from the valley - yes, it’s not a trick - and head up the Pohono trail for a different perspective and fewer tripods.
Bridal Veil Fall and El Capitan Meadow
Most people head to the base of the fall and look up at the rushing water as it drenches you in its mist. At night you can see moonbows in the mist, but I’ve never tried it. The truth about this fall is that you don’t need to go to the base of it to see it, but it’s up to you. From El Capitan Meadow, from Tunnel or Valley views, or from above when hiking the Pohono trail, the fall offers more exciting views.
Cathedral Beach and Three Brothers
Continuing down the road, pull into Cathedral Beach and head to the Merced River. Straight away, you’ll be beneath the towering El Capitan reflecting on the river. Follow the banks northeast and you’ll come across sweet viewpoints for the Three Brothers.
Swinging Bridge
In addition to the great view of Yosemite Falls - unless they’re dried up for the season - the bridge and the surrounding area is awesome to shoot. This also is a good bathroom stop.
Yosemite Chapel
Best viewed in the fall or winter so it can pop, this is a quick and fun stop. Be respectful of the services as it still is a working chapel, but walk around it for a little while as you try and frame it in different ways.
Sentinel Bridge
This is where you get one of the best views of Half Dome. It reflects itself on the Merced below the bridge and offers stunning views. There is a large parking lot just over the bridge. Park here and walk around the meadows too.
Sentinel/Cook’s Meadow
The sweetest meadow in my opinion, because of the fabled Half Dome in the distance. And Yosemite Falls are in plain sight (unless they’re dry for the summer).
Yosemite Falls
The entire area is an adventure it itself. It has a different, closer feel than other areas of the valley. Depending on where you start your walk to the falls, you’ll get great angle of the lower falls through the trails. If you’re short on time and the water isn’t gushing, I would recommend placing your time in a different area as this tends to be very crowded.
Horse Tail View Spot
Nestled beneath El Capitan, this is a great place to stop over for views of the granite behemoth, as a picnic spot, or as jump off to a great hike in El Capitan Meadow. Chills all over when you see the size of El Cap towering over you from all angles. This also is a prime spot to see the Fire Fall in February, if you’re lucky (we didn’t get to see it both days we tried).
Tunnel View
This is my favorite view of Yosemite because the Merced River adds a magical element to the granite peaks. If the river is still, the reflection of El Cap and Bridal Veil is the move; if the river is wild, throw on the ND filter and froth the water.
Outside the Valley
Depending on when you’re visiting, these areas may be inaccessible. Always check the status of the roads between late October and mid-June on the NPS website for any alerts to ensure you’re able to visit more remote areas of the park.
Glacier Point
Save it for the second half of your day and bring your food and a blanket. Park at the main area and venture out. Take a stroll over to Taft Point, or Sentinel Dome, or both, just before golden hour, and then head back to Glacier Point for sunset and get the best seat in the house for the Half Dome show. If you’re not exhausted, stick around and wait for the starry skies to light up the night.
Tuolumne Meadows
Open from May/June to Oct/Nov only, this is a whole different chapter to the standard Yosemite Valley trip and a trip in itself. There are plenty of hikes in the area, or you can go rogue and find your own path.
Olmstead Point
If you head across the Sierras down Tioga Road to Tuolumne Meadows, you’ll drive past this viewpoint. Do yourself a favor and pull over, walk up to the single tree by the large rock, and take a good look at Half Dome from behind.
Tenaya Lake
This is a picnic stop, a bathing spot, and a trail starting point. Lunch by the waves is ideal after a long morning. Or consider a quick dip on a hot summer day, or the start of an adventure to where the Clouds Rest if you have the time and energy.
The Basics
SEASONS AND ROADS
The most important question and starting point for a visit to Yosemite is when you are coming -- more so the month and not the season, per se. For a majority of the year, the road closures are in effect and from November to April there is also an increasing likelihood that you will need to carry snow chains for your tires. To check the latest status of the road and the historical open and close dates, check out the NPS website. Once you’ve nailed down your dates, know that every season has something different in store.
In the winter, the park is the most rugged and wild. You can find yourself in a snowstorm with no signs of life around you for hours or days, seeing a true winter wonderland unfold beneath the falling snow.
I haven’t been in the spring, but I assume it’s similar to the summer, expect the roads are likely open on the Tioga Pass and to Glacier Point, there will be immense crowds, long and hot days, and bugs. The water is very inviting and the falls are gushing water into the violent Merced River.
In fall, there is foliage, and it lasts well into the month of November. Yosemite is not one of those prime foliage parks like the Northeast, but seeing the park covered in orange and yellow tones are gorgeous. And there always is a chance of snow squalls so you can see fall and winter collide.
lodging
Once you’ve figured out when you want to come, the next question is for how long, how you choose to move around, and where to stay. The lodges in the park book quick and are very expensive. Most people choose to either camp, or stay outside the park in the small towns, roughly 30 min to an hour away from the entrance.
I’ve stayed far outside the park at a BnB, nearby in a small lodge, and in a campervan in the park itself and each offer a different visit. I personally would return in a campervan again if possible, with a nearby lodge or BnB being the second best option.
A campervan is great for moving around comfortably if you plan on spending long days in the park and staying well into the night. Even though you’ll see many cars parked overnight within the park, this is not allowed and you are restricted to sleeping in designated campsites.
On the other hand, in the towns of El Portal, Foresta, or Yosemite West, you have several lodging options. El Portal is the closest and the View Lodge is a great choice for the price and distance.
light in the valley
Whether photography is your game or not, know that the light plays by its own rules in Yosemite. Even from Tunnel View, expect the light to be visible on the granite well after the time your apps tell you the sun rises. On my last trip, the light didn’t reach the valley until about 4 hours after sunrise. That means the same for sunset - the valley will get dark hours before the sun sets.
In order to get the best photos, plan to be at higher altitudes earlier and later into the day, and in the valley a few hours before and after the sun rises or sets so you can catch the glow of the sun diving into the trees and Merced River.
My Trips
I’ve had the fortune to visit this park in three separate seasons and can guarantee that every season brings a whole new experience and a different park. My first time was a summer trip in June and I was lucky the road to Glacier Point and Tioga Pass had just opened. My second time was a winter trip in February where I had snow up to my waist most of the time. And my third time was in November and the park was covered in orange and yellow trees.
summer, 2 nights, 2016
When we visited in the summer, we weren’t as adventurous as we are now and didn’t really know much about the park - only that we were intrigued by pictures we had seen. We stayed outside the park, about an hour from the entrance, and drove in leisurely after breakfast. On the first day, we landed in San Francisco and drove to the park. We went to Tunnel View, Bridal Veil Fall, and drove around the Valley until we were ready to head to our BnB. The following day, we hiked in Tuolumne Meadows, had a picnic lunch at Tenaya Lake, and then ended with sunset at Glacier Point.
winter, 3 nights, 2019
My second time in the park was purposefully to see the valley covered in snow. But we didn’t expect a blizzard. We landed in San Francisco mid-day and arrived at the park after dark. We needed to stop and get snow chains and supplies before heading into the wilderness. The snow was so thick we only saw the sky open up for about 2 hours total over the entire weekend.
We hiked in snowboarding gear and snow shoes with snow falling horizontally at times due to the wind. Since the valley was all that was accessible, we simply parked in different places and just went on long walks in the snow along the river.
fall, 1 night, 2019
My most recent visit was a spur of the moment impulse. Like I said at the beginning, “If you ever have the chance to go to Yosemite, just go.” We were supposed to spend a second night in Death Valley in our campervan, but given that the Tioga Pass was not closed yet, we decided to cut Death Valley short and head into Yosemite, searching for fall foliage.
The drive up the Eastern Sierras truly was one of the most beautiful drives I have done to date. If we weren’t running against the clock, I could’ve stretched that road for days on end considering the amazing landscapes around Mammoth Lakes.
We arrived at the Tioga Pass entrance just after 2pm and headed straight for Tunnel View on our way to sunset and stars at Glacier Pass. With more time, I would’ve liked to walk to Taft Point, but the roads take long to get through.
That night, we camped at Hodgdon Meadow for a few hours and at around 3am, started getting ready for sunrise in the valley. After a slow, dark drive to Tunnel View for stars and sunrise, we saw the light peek over the granite mountains before heading down into the valley for a full loop before heading back to LA.
