Hiking Yosemite National Park: The Top 10 Trails

One of America's most popular and famed parks, Yosemite is full of natural beauty and endless wonder! Whether it's the towering granite rock formations, the vast meadows, the giant sequoias, or the world renowned waterfalls, there is something here for everyone! The best way to see what the park has to offer is by taking an adventure down the many trails which can be found throughout Yosemite. Whether it's a relaxing stroll down some of the mild hiking trails or a more strenuous challenge up the likes of Half Dome and El Capitan, you will leave Yosemite feeling both amazed and accomplished. Yosemite offers some of the most beautiful and awe-inspiring views one could wish for. Listed below are some of our favorite and highly recommended hikes to conquer before ending any trip to Yosemite National Park!

Lower Yosemite Falls: With only a 50 ft elevation gain, the Lower Yosemite Falls loop trail is an easy 1 mile trip. Comprising the final 320 ft drop of the greater Yosemite Falls, the Lower Falls typically are raging throughout Spring and early Summer when it peaks due to winter snow melt and seasonal rains. You can expect to get a little wet during peak months when standing on the footbridge near it's base. This short, easy walk has spectacular views of both the Upper and Lower Yosemite Falls. Most recommend completing the loop in a clockwise direction for the best views of the Falls. You can also learn about the natural and cultural history of the area by stopping at the many exhibits along the trail.

Bridalveil Falls: Another easy and mere 0.5 mile round trip walk along this all paved trail will treat you to just an 80 ft elevation gain while providing you stunning views of the 620 ft tall Bridalveil Falls. Like the aforementioned Lower Yosemite Falls, Bridalveil is at it's best during the spring and early summer months. By late summer and well into the following spring you can expect a much lighter flow from the Falls which combined with the mild to often moderate winds which whip through the valley help create it's infamous "swaying" flow.

Mirror Lake Loop: Here you will find both an easy option and a more moderate route. For a more laid back experience while still enjoying some great views, make the 1 mile trek to the lake and then turn back for a full 2 mile out and back with only about 100 ft elevation gain. If you are looking for something a little more adventurous, once you reach the lake continue on and complete the entire loop around the lake totaling 5 miles with an elevation gain of 200 ft. When water is calm, the lake offers beautiful reflections of it's surrounding cliffs. Exhibits along the trail tell the story of Mirror Lake and also highlight some of the cultural history of the area. Mirror Lake is often referred to as Mirror Meadow in late summer due to the lack of water.

Taft Point/Sentinel Dome Trailhead: 5 mile round trip which includes hiking out to Sentinel Dome, past Roosevelt Point, and around to Taft Point before finishing the loop back to the trailhead. Doing the full round trip hike will include Roosevelt Point; however, many people just hiked the 2 mile or so round trip hike out to Sentinel Dome then back to the trailhead and out the opposite direction to Taft Point (another approximately 2 mile round trip trek) then back again to the trailhead. This route will skip over Roosevelt Point. Overall, the hike is of moderate intensity, particularly the Sentinel Dome section; however, I would highly recommend this trek as it is personally my favorite hike outside of El Capitan and Half Dome. The views from atop Sentinel Dome are unique in that you have 360 degree views of every famous Yosemite landmark including El Capitan, Half Dome, Yosemite Falls, Vernal Falls, Nevada Falls, and Yosemite Valley.

Valley Loop: Beginning near the Lower Yosemite Falls, the Valley Loop Trail is a relatively moderate difficulty hike totaling 13 miles. This trail leads you through the valley giving you some of the rarest views from deep inside the valley itself. While some of the trail passes near roads, much of it takes you through vast meadows, near the bases of Yosemite's giant granite cliffs and along the Merced River.

Vernal Falls & Nevada Falls: This moderate to strenuous, 1.6 to 8 mile round trip hike can lead you anywhere from 400 ft to 2000 ft in elevation gains depending on the route you take and how far you go up the trails. Beginning from Happy Isles in eastern Yosemite Valley, Vernal Falls & Nevada Falls can be seen from both the John Muir and Mist Trails. The first paved mile of trail is the busiest and accesses the Vernal Falls Footbridge. The view of Vernal Falls from the footbridge at 0.8 miles is unbelievable. About 0.2 miles beyond the bridge, the Mist Trail and the John Muir Trail diverge. To proceed directly to the top of Vernal Falls follow the Mist Trail 0.3 miles up a steep granite stairway of over 600 steps. If you choose to continue on the Mist Trail, shortly beyond Vernal Falls, you will pass by Emerald Pool and Silver Apron. Continuing along the Mist Trail, you’ll experience another 1.5 miles of steep, rocky switchbacks in order to reach Nevada Falls. At the top of the climb, head right to reach the footbridge that crosses the Merced River above the falls for even better photo ops. From here, you can either return down the Mist Trail or continue over the bridge to the John Muir Trail for an alternate route back to Yosemite Valley. If you choose the John Muir Trail you will enjoy an entirely different view along your return back to Happy Isles.

Yosemite Falls: Another moderate to strenuous hike at either 2 or 7.2 miles, depending upon how adventurous you are, will lead you up anywhere between 1,000 and 2,700 ft in elevation gain along this trail. As one of Yosemite's oldest and most historic trails, the Yosemite Falls Trail will lead you to the top of North America’s tallest waterfall, which rises 2,425 feet above the Valley floor. You can catch the trailhead along the Valley Loop Trail. You won't be disappointed by the views along this trail. It's a fairly steep climb throughout most of the hike; however, the beautiful backdrop of such amazing sites like the Upper Yosemite Falls, Half Dome, the Sierra Mountains, Yosemite Valley, and the Merced River create some of the most spectacular photo ops you can find throughout Yosemite National Park.

Snow Creek: This strenuous, 9.4 mile round-trip trail will take you along a journey which includes a 2,700 ft elevation gain. The trailhead begins at the Mirror Lake Trail, accessed from the eastern Yosemite Valley. This hike will take you along several dozen narrow, steep switchbacks. You will often find fewer people on this trail compared to other Yosemite Valley trails which is a nice perk. After about a dozen or so switchbacks you will finally reach some outstanding views of Half Dome, Quarter Domes, and Clouds Rest. Approximately 2.6 miles into the hike, you'll reach a trail junction near Snow Creek. Making a right at the fork will bring you to the footbridge and the final part of your trek before turning back.

Half Dome: One of the most challenging, yet adventurous hikes in all of the continental U.S., this 16.4 mile round trip trail will lead you up a staggering 4,800 ft in elevation gain. The trail begins near the Happy Isle Bridge where you start your journey with a fairly easy, flat stretch; however, you quickly reach some good size elevation change and begin your ascent up multiple, steep switchbacks. Throughout the hike you pass by both Vernal Falls and Nevada Falls which are each gorgeous in their own right. Vernal Falls can be seen from a few different stretches throughout the first 1/4 or so of the hike anywhere between the Vernal Falls Bridge up until you get to the overlook which is right up next to the falls themselves. Nevada Falls, on the other hand, you encounter from a bit more of a distance but do get two or three good views between the first 1/4 to 1/2 part of the hike out. The hike itself is beautiful and extremely scenic the entire way. There are many stretches where you are in the sun with no shade which provide for some great views of the valley and half dome; however, it does mean you are exposed to the sun for long periods of time over the course of the day so pack that sunscreen and stay hydrated. At Sub Dome you greet the Park Ranger who checks for permits (you must have a permit from the Half Dome lottery to be able to go any further beyond this point.) The climb up Sub Dome is a challenge in itself. It is a steep, narrow climb almost the entire way up until it flattens out at the base of Half Dome. From here, the rest of your hike is really more of a climb. You'll have to make your way up Half Dome's famed cables to reach the top and enjoy the views. The 15-20 minute climb up the cables is well worth the death defying adventure as the views of Yosemite from here are unmatched. This is a hike you will never forget. In order to climb the cables makes sure you enter the lottery system for your chance to win a permit. Even if you don't get the chance to climb Half Dome, the hike to the base of Half Dome is still well worth your time as the experience and views along the way are spectacular.

El Capitan: A 15 mile round-trip, strenuous hike to the top of El Capitan will treat you to some of the most exhausting, yet satisfying climbs you'll ever encounter. At 5,515 ft in elevation gain, this out and back trail will leave you breathless. The trek starts at the Yosemite Falls trailhead. Hiking boots are absolutely necessary and hiking poles are a huge benefit. While El Capitan will leave you with some of the greatest Yosemite views from the top, you can venture another 1 mile beyond the summit of El Capitan to Eagle Peak. If you have the time, it's definitely worth the extra mile. With the addition of Eagle Peak, the hike grows to 17 miles in total. This is obviously a day hike and you should plan for needing at least 10-12 hours minimum to complete the round trip adventure.

From the exciting and mild to the moderate and strenuous, no matter your skill level there is a hike out there for you! For tips and tricks on how to pack properly for your next day hike and for additional information regarding Yosemite National Park, check out some of our other links below...

You can also venture on over to the NPS Yosemite website here for more details regarding each of the above hikes.

**Photos above from NPS website: Plan Your Visit - Yosemite National Park (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)