Yosemite National Park is one of my favorite places to travel in California. I’ve published a number of Yosemite itineraries on the California Wayfaring blog, and today I want to pull them all together in one convenient place. My blog post will show you the best of this part of the Sierra Nevada, from scenic viewpoints to hikes, hotels, and the greater area. I’ve included a map, too.
Yosemite Itineraries
First protected in 1864, Yosemite National Park is situated in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in the eastern part of California. The park spans close to 1,200 square miles and it’s full of spectacular waterfalls, deep valleys, grand granite, peaceful meadows, giant sequoias, and remote wilderness.
Yosemite National Park is not only my favorite place to get outdoors in the Golden State, but also my top pick for soaking up natural beauty. Whether you visit independently or on a guided tour, it’s hard to beat this place for scenic landscapes and dramatic rock formations.
Which is why I’ve been visiting Yosemite all my life. From family vacations as a child to school trips as a teen and fun getaways as an adult, I’ve covered a lot of ground. In recent years I’ve done everything from weekend escapes to 4-day trips to Yosemite, and I’ve shared about all of them here on the blog.
From Wawona to El Capitan, Glacier Point to Olmsted Point, Half Dome to Tuolumne Meadows, the park is both vast and impressive. While most visitors only see Yosemite Valley, there’s a lot more to discover beyond it.
And that’s to say nothing of the areas around the park. From historic gold rush towns to covered bridges and riverside resorts, there’s a lot to get excited about in the Sierra Nevada. My itineraries will show you a mix of the popular sites and the less visited areas in and around the park.
I hope to bring you many more Yosemite itineraries in the future, and I’ll add them to this blog post as I publish them. If you want to bookmark it or pin it on Pinterest, you can use this as an easy reference for finding all my past, present, and future Yosemite travel guides.
1. Itinerary for a Weekend in Yosemite
The first of my Yosemite itineraries is a classic weekend trip to Yosemite Valley. It’s a great one if you’re into hiking and you want to get a good overview of the most famous things the national park has to offer. It’s also ideal if you have a limited amount of travel time in the Sierra Nevada.
The itinerary covers where to stay in the park, a famous hike along the Mist Trail and the Panorama Trail, places to eat, sightseeing on the valley floor, famous waterfalls like Vernal Fall and Nevada Fall, and highlights of the high country like Tenaya Lake. It’s a great one if you’re visiting in the summer or fall and you like a mix of outdoor activities and sightseeing.
If experiencing some of the best hikes and sights in Yosemite National Park sounds good to you, you can see the full itinerary here. It has all the details you’ll need to follow in my footsteps, including an interactive map. If you want to check out guided tours, you can see options and book one here.
2. Itinerary for 48 Hours in Yosemite
The next of my Yosemite itineraries is one for spending 48 hours in Wawona and the valley. It’s ideal if you love hiking and you want to see a mix of famous waterfalls, off-the-beaten-path trails, and iconic trees in the national park. It’s also for you if you want to see more of Yosemite than just the valley.
The itinerary covers where to stay in Wawona, hikes on the Chilnualna Falls Trail, the Mist Trail, and the Yosemite Falls Trail, the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias, the panoramas from Tunnel View, and a walk around Wawona Meadow. It’s a great one if you’re looking for an active vacation.
If experiencing some of the top trails and views in Yosemite National Park sounds like your kind of trip, you can see the full itinerary here. It has everything you need to retrace my steps, including an interactive map. If you’re interested in guided tours, you can see options and book one here.
3. Itinerary for 3 Days in Yosemite
The next of my Yosemite itineraries is a 3-day trip that covers areas in and around the national park. It’s a fun one if you want a mix of historic towns, giant sequoias, famous waterfall hikes, classic views, and High Sierra scenery. It will show you a wide range of things to do in a few days.
The itinerary starts in Mariposa, a 19th-century gold rush town near Yosemite National Park. It includes sightseeing in town and an overnight stay at Mariposa Lodge. From there it continues with a trip into the park, a hike up the famous Mist Trail, photo stops at El Capitan Meadow and Valley View, and a night at Yosemite View Lodge.
The itinerary continues with a drive along the Tioga Road, a seasonally-opened high-elevation pass with stunning views and mountain lakes. It concludes with a hike in the Tuolumne Grove, one of the most impressive places to see giant sequoia trees in the park.
If you’re visiting in summer or fall and discovering a range of things to do in and around Yosemite National Park sounds like your kind of thing, you can see the full itinerary here. As with the previous itinerary, this one has all the details and an interactive map. If you want to check out guided tours, you can see options and book one here.
4. Itinerary for 4 Days in Yosemite
The next of my Yosemite itineraries is a 4-day trip that covers areas in the national park and beyond. It’s ideal if you want to see a mix of gold rush towns, giant sequoias, stunning waterfalls, a famous reservoir, and classic viewpoints. It’s perfect if you have several days to explore.
The itinerary starts in Sonora, Columbia, and Groveland. They’re famous gold rush towns in the Sierra Nevada Foothills. Each one has a range of activities for visitors, including sightseeing, cider tasting, historic saloons, and shopping.
From there the itinerary continues with a stay at Red Tail Ranch and a trip into Yosemite National Park to hike to Wapama Falls in the Hetch Hetchy Valley. One of the less visited parts of the park, it’s worth a trip to walk across the 430-foot-tall O’Shaughnessy Dam, around the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, and out to the waterfalls.
Next on the itinerary is a stay at the stunning Chateau du Sureau in Oakhurst. This place feels like it’s straight out of a fairy tale, and it has a great restaurant where you can enjoy a multi-course dinner.
From there you’ll continue with trips from Oakhurst into Yosemite National Park. These include a hike in the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias and a day tour. The latter has stops at Bridalveil Fall, famous viewpoints, the landmark Ahwahnee hotel, and Yosemite Falls.
If discovering a range of things to do in and around Yosemite National Park sounds like your kind of thing, you can see the full itinerary here. As with the previous itineraries, this one has all the details and an interactive map. If you want to check out guided tours, you can see options and book one here.
Yosemite Itineraries
I hope my Yosemite travel itineraries have inspired you to spend time visiting this part of Northern California. There’s so much to do here, whether you just want to see the national park or you’d like to experience the areas beyond its borders.
I’d love it if my itineraries inspire you to discover the Sierra Nevada Mountains beyond Yosemite, too. If you want to see more, you can take a look at my blog posts with guides to visiting places like Mammoth Lakes and Lake Tahoe.
Map of Yosemite Itineraries
As promised, I’ve created an interactive Google map of all my Yosemite itineraries. You can see it here. If you click on the pins, you’ll find my blog posts about each one. I hope they help you plan your trip to the national park.
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