Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park is one of the most popular parks in the United States, with 3.7million victors for the 2022 calendar year . The views are breathtaking and it is great place for hikers, beginners to seasoned veterans. Yosemite is located approximately190miles (3.5hour drive) east drive from San Francisco and 90miles (2hour drive) north of Fresno.
San Francisco to Yosemite Valley
Fresno to Yosemite Valley
Hiking Trails
-
Yosemite National Park ranks their hiking trails from Easy, Easy to Moderate, Moderate to Strenuous and Strenuous. So there are plenty of options for all levels of athletic ability and age. Easy trails would be on mostly level ground and the difficulty would increase on the rate of elevation gain during the hike. Here's a few examples of the trails at Yosemite.
-
The shortest hikes can range from an easy 1mile / half hour hike, with even terrain to an arduous 16mile, 12hour hike (Half Dome), with an elevation gain of 4800feet / 1475meters.
Difficulty: Easy Trails
-
Lower Yosemite Falls: 1mile / 1.6km (entire loop)
-
Cook's Meodow Loop: 1mile / 1.6 km (entire loop)
Lower Yosemite Falls
Cook's Meadow
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
-
Mirror Lake, to lake and back: 2miles / 3.2km (lake and back)
-
Mirror Lake Loop: 5miles / 8km (entire loop)
Mirror Lake
Difficulty: Moderate to Strenuous
-
Vernal Fall & Nevada Fall Trails: 1.6 to 8miles / 2.5km to 13km (round trip)
-
Yosemite Falls: 2miles / 3.2 km (round trip), 7.2miles / 11.6km (round trip)
Yosemite Falls
Difficulty: Strenuous
-
Half Dome Trail: 14miles to 16.4miles / 22.4km to 26.2km (round trip)
Half Dome
Half Dome
Yosemite Hiking Trails, references & details
Shuttles
-
One of the benefits is the shuttle services within Yosemite National Park. Other National Parks, such as Yellowstone do not provide shuttle services, so this is a huge plus.
Yosemite Valley Shuttle
-
Located within Yosemite Valley, this is a must for avoiding long parking wait times.
-
Valley Wide Shuttle (one way): 7am to 10pm, shuttle arrival every 12-22minutes
-
East Valley Shuttle (one way): 7am to 10pm, shuttle arrival every 8-12minutes
-
Yosemite Valley Shuttle Map
Accommodations / Where to Stay
-
Staying within Yosemite is the best option, however due to this, rooms typically need to be booked ~6months to a 1year in advance, for the more popular Spring & Summer months.
Yosemite Valley Lodge
Yosemite Valley Lodge, Dining / Restaurant
The Ahwahnee
Lodging Outside Yosemite
-
There are hotels outside Yosemite, but it comes with the disadvantage of the 1hour drive from the entrance and how far the hotel is from Yosemite. Here's a couple hotels near the south entrance of Yosemite.
Weather, When to Visit
-
For the best weather, cool climate and low chances of rain fall, May to June & September and October months are the best times to visit Yosemite National Park. If the heat does not bother you, the summer months are also an option.
-
More details and information sourced from www.weather-us.com
Yosemite Weather, Temperature, source weather-us.com
Yosemite Weather, Rain Fall, source weather-us.com
Directions
-
Airport Flyers: The closest international airport to Yosemite National Park is Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FAT).
-
It will take approximately a 2.5hour drive from Fresno Airport to Yosemite Valley
-
Fresno to Yosemite South Gate Entrance: 64.2miles, ~1.4hours
-
Yosemite South Gate to Yosemite Valley, 31.2miles, ~1hour
-
Note the potential for wait times at the Yosemite Entrance (entrance processing lines/queues)
-
-
Fresno Airport to Yosemite South Entrance
Yosemite South Entrance to Yosemite Valley
Yosemite Valley, Visitor Center, Google Maps
Summary
-
For those that enjoy the outdoors, hiking, great views (water falls, granite cliffs, meadows & lakes) and exercise, Yosemite is near the top of the list for places to visit in California.
-
Things to consider:
-
Timing, due to the popularity, book rooms at the Yosemite Valley Lodge and The Ahwahnee a year in advance
-
It takes an hour drive from the South Yosemite Entrance to Yosemite Valley
-