Yosemite Hiking Trips: Best Trails & Complete Guide

Yosemite Valley gets 4 million visitors a year, but fewer than 1% of them ever leave the valley floor. The park's 800 miles of trails climb from 4,000 feet to above 13,000 — offering everything from paved valley strolls to multi-day alpine traverses. The hiking here is among the best in North America, and most of the crowds thin out the moment you gain any elevation.

Overview

• Location: Sierra Nevada, California — 3.5 hrs from San Francisco, 6 hrs from Los Angeles
• Elevation: 4,000 ft (valley floor) to 13,114 ft (Mount Lyell)
• Entrance fee: $35/vehicle (7-day pass)
• Reservations: Required May–September for vehicles entering before 5pm — book on recreation.gov
• Best season: May–June and September–October
• Half Dome permit: Required for cables section — lottery in March, daily lottery day-before in season

Best Hikes in Yosemite

Half Dome — 14–16 miles round trip

The iconic 4,800-foot climb to Yosemite's signature granite dome is one of the great day hikes in North America — and one of the most demanding. The trail follows the Mist Trail past Vernal and Nevada Falls before climbing the famous steel cable route to the summit. The cables are installed late May and removed in mid-October. A permit is required for the cables section: enter the March lottery at recreation.gov or try the daily lottery the day before your planned hike. Start no later than 6am. Allow 10–14 hours.

Cloud's Rest — 14.5 miles round trip from Tenaya Lake

Higher than Half Dome (9,926 ft) and offering better 360-degree views, Cloud's Rest sees a fraction of the crowds. The trail starts at Tenaya Lake in Tuolumne Meadows, climbs a moderate ridge with stunning views of the valley and the High Sierra, and finishes on a narrow granite crest above a 6,000-foot drop. No permit required. One of the best full-day hikes in the park.

Vernal and Nevada Falls via Mist Trail — 6.5 miles

The best moderate hike in Yosemite Valley. The Mist Trail climbs alongside two powerful waterfalls, passing so close to Vernal Fall that you get soaked in mist — waterproof layers recommended from April through June. Nevada Fall at the top drops 594 feet into a granite bowl. Return via the John Muir Trail for varied scenery. Allow 4–5 hours. Strenuous.

Tuolumne Meadows Day Hikes

At 8,600 feet, Tuolumne Meadows offers the best alpine hiking in the park with easier access than most visitors realize. Top day hikes include Cathedral Lakes (7 miles round trip, stunning granite tarns), Lembert Dome (2.8 miles, easy scramble to panoramic views), and the Tuolumne River Trail (flat, 6 miles to Glen Aulin). The Tioga Road closes from October to late May — plan accordingly.

Valley Loop Trail — 13 miles

A mostly flat loop along both sides of the Merced River connecting all the major valley viewpoints. Walk sections of it or the full loop. The best single viewpoint is Sentinel Bridge at sunset, where Half Dome reflects in the Merced River — one of the most photographed scenes in the world.

Permit Logistics

Half Dome cables permits sell out in the March lottery in minutes. Apply at recreation.gov the first week of March. If you miss it, the daily lottery at 12pm the day before your hike sometimes has openings. Wilderness permits for overnight backpacking are also highly competitive — enter the March lottery for popular corridors like the John Muir Trail and High Sierra Camp routes.

Best Time to Visit

• May–June: Waterfalls at peak flow. Wildflowers in Tuolumne. Half Dome cables open late May. Valley still manageable before summer crowds peak.
• July–August: Hottest and busiest. Excellent for Tuolumne Meadows — avoid the valley midday. Tioga Road is open all summer.
• September–October: Best overall. Crowds drop significantly after Labor Day, temperatures cool, and fall color appears in late October.
• November–April: Valley is quiet and beautiful in snow. Most High Sierra trails and Tioga Road closed until May.

Getting There

From San Francisco: 3.5 hours via Hwy 120. From Los Angeles: 5.5 hours via Hwy 140 through Merced. Amtrak + YARTS bus service connects Merced to the valley — a good option when vehicle reservations are sold out. Parking fills by 9am in summer; the valley shuttle is free and runs throughout the valley.

What to Know Before You Go

• Book ahead: Valley lodging and campgrounds book out months in advance for summer weekends
• Bear canisters: Required for all overnight trips; bear boxes at frontcountry campsites
• Water: Plentiful above the valley floor — filter all backcountry sources
• Altitude: Tuolumne and High Sierra are 8,000–11,000 ft — acclimatize before hard efforts
• Cell service: Very limited in the valley; download offline maps before you arrive