Today I want to bring you my Yosemite itinerary for 4 days in the Sierra Nevada mountains. This national park in California has everything from famous waterfalls to picturesque valleys and hiking trails through spectacular scenery. A trip to Yosemite is a great California vacation for anyone who loves the outdoors, and I’m excited to tell you about my favorite way to spend several days here. Read on for my travel itinerary and a map with all the highlights.
Yosemite Itinerary for 4 Days
There’s a lot you can do with 4 days in Yosemite National Park. From hiking the best trails to seeing giant sequoias and exploring areas in and around the valley, it’s enough time to discover a range of sites and see the highlights.
You can also get slightly off the beaten path in 4 days. From Gold Rush towns like Columbia to hikes in the Hetch Hetchy Valley, there’s no shortage of ways to explore beyond the usual.
In this blog post I’m going to show you the itinerary I’m on in Yosemite. I hope it inspires you to take a similar trip of your own someday.
Day 1: Gold Rush Towns
My 4-day Yosemite itinerary starts with a 3-hour drive from San Francisco to the Sierra Nevada. I’m not heading into the national park just yet, though. I’m going to ease my way into it with a few tasters (literally and metaphorically) beforehand.
Sonora
I start my trip in Sonora, a Gold Rush town in the Sierra Nevada Foothills. Nicknamed “Queen of the Southern Mines”, it has a picturesque main street with 19th-century facades and a historic Old West feel.
On arrival, I head to Indigeny Reserve in the hills of Sonora. This place is known for its hard cider, and I pull in excited for a tasting.
I sample a few different ciders, noting their sweet flavors and hearing about how they’re made from the apples in the orchards surrounding the tasting room. It’s fun to sample something so hyperlocal.
Outside, I take a walk through the 160-acre preserve and admire the covered bridge on the property. I’ve never seen one in California before, and it’s nice to know that after all these years my home state still has little surprises for me.
After the tasting, my itinerary continues as I drive into downtown Sonora for lunch at The Independent Wine Co. This community wine bar does house-made small plates and carefully curated wines, both of which go down a treat.
After lunch, I walk around and pop into shops selling all kinds of antique treasures, clothing, home goods, gifts, and more. It’s fun to browse for souvenirs.
I also explore some of the historical sites from California’s Gold Rush days. Buildings like Sugg House, which was built in 1857 by a freed slave named William Sugg, put the town’s heritage on display.
Columbia
Speaking of Gold Rush history, the next stop on my Yosemite itinerary really shows it off. Columbia looks just like it did back in the 1850s, complete with covered wagons and people walking around in period costumes.
As soon as I drive into town, memories of a class trip I went on when I was 9 come flooding back. My schoolmates and I panned for gold, drank sarsaparilla (it’s like root beer), and bought all the candy we could eat at the sweet shop.
On this trip I’m a bit more focused on the history (although I can’t resist stopping at an old saloon for a sarsaparilla). I love all the wooden facades, period details, and exhibits in the shops. Being here is like stepping back in time.
Groveland
After getting my fix of Columbia, I drive to Groveland, another of California’s Gold Rush towns. This place is going to be my home for half of my 4 days in Yosemite.
I’m staying at Red Tail Ranch Bed and Breakfast Inn. It’s on a private 50-acre ranch with a peaceful meadow, and it’s just 20 minutes from Yosemite National Park. My room is spacious, my hosts welcoming, and the hot tub pure bliss. It’s a genuinely special place.
After checking in and getting settled, I drive over to the Grill at Pine Mountain Lake for dinner. It’s a bit tricky to find, but when I finally arrive I fall in love with its spacious dining room.
The food is good, too. My salad starter and salmon main are brought to the table at the same time, but they go down a treat.
Day 2: Hetch Hetchy Valley in Yosemite National Park
The next day I’m up early as my Yosemite itinerary for 4 days takes me into the national park itself. But I’m not off to the valley floor just yet. I’m going to the Hetch Hetchy Valley. It’s a less-visited part of the park, and it’s worth a special trip.
A private tour guide picks me up from Red Tail Ranch and drives me into Yosemite for a hike to Wapama Falls. We spend half a day walking across the 430-foot-tall O’Shaughnessy Dam, around the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, and out to the waterfalls.
When we arrive at Wapama Falls, we stop for a packed lunch of sandwiches as we watch the water tumble down the rocks. It’s quiet and peaceful, and I feel like I’m in a dream.
The hike is beautiful, with views of Yosemite National Park’s famous granite peaks across the water. As we walk back to the parking lot, my guide tells me all about the park, the history of the reservoir and dam, and the local flora and fauna.
After relaxing at Red Tail Ranch in the late afternoon, I drive over to Rush Creek Lodge for dinner. This hotel is situated in a hillside woodland area at the Highway 120 West entrance (aka Big Oak Flat entrance) to Yosemite National Park.
The meal in the casual Tavern restaurant is a good one, although like the night before, my starter and main arrive at the same time.
Day 3: Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias in Yosemite National Park
The next morning my 4-day Yosemite itinerary continues as I leave Groveland and drive to Oakhurst for the second half of my trip. Oakhurst is a large community in the Sierra Nevada Foothills, and a popular place to stay near the southern entrance to the national park.
Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias
From Oakhurst it’s a short drive to the park gate and the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias. This is the largest sequoia grove in Yosemite, and it’s home to over 500 mature trees. After taking the shuttle from the parking lot, I spend the afternoon hiking the Mariposa Grove Trail and Guardians Loop Trail.
As I go, I spot a number of the famous sequoias, from the California Tunnel Tree to the Faithful Couple, Telescope Tree, and Clothespin Tree. It’s awe-inspiring to see the giants up close.
Oakhurst
After the hike, I drive back into Oakhurst and check into my room at the Chateau du Sureau. This luxurious hotel has elegant guest rooms and 9 acres of grounds with fountains and manicured gardens. It feels like a European country estate in the middle of Yosemite.
After getting settled in and enjoying a luxuriant bath in the big tub in my room, I sit down to dinner at The Elderberry House restaurant on the hotel grounds. It’s the premier fine-dining destination in the local area.
The meal is a multi-course tasting menu with a wine pairing. The dishes feature seasonal ingredients from local farms, and the dining room is as elegant as the rest of the Chateau du Sureau.
Day 4: Yosemite Valley
The next morning my itinerary for 4 days in Yosemite continues with a day tour of Yosemite National Park. I board a shuttle at my hotel at 7am, and a guide takes me and a dozen other visitors to see the highlights of the valley.
When we arrive, we visit everything from Bridalveil Fall to the places where celebrated photographer Ansel Adams took some of his iconic photos of Yosemite. It’s amazing to see natural wonders like Half Dome and El Capitan from his perspective.
Afterwards we stop to look around the famous Ahwahnee hotel before having lunch at Yosemite Falls. It’s nice to picnic among the trees and granite boulders as the water cascades down the rocks.
From there we head down to the Mariposa Grove, where we take a quick walk. As we go, our guide tells us all about the sequoias and the history of the area.
At the end of the tour, the shuttle bus drops me off at the Chateau du Sureau and I freshen up for dinner. It’s a short drive from the hotel to South Gate Brewing Company in Oakhurst. I sit at a table in the casual dining room, and fish tacos and Honey Badger Wheat ale hit the spot after my last day of sightseeing in Yosemite.
The next morning I’m up and off to drive back to the California coast. After 4 days in Yosemite it’s hard to say good-bye to the sequoias, Half Dome, and both the Yosemite Valley and the Hetch Hetchy Valley. But given how much I love a California road trip, I’m sure it won’t be long before I’m back again.
Yosemite Itinerary Map
I’ve created a map of all the places on my Yosemite itinerary, and you can find it here. If you click on the pins, you can find more information about each place. I hope it helps you plan your trip!
4 Days in Yosemite
I hope this blog post has inspired you to get out and visit Yosemite National Park. From the Gold Rush towns around it to the natural wonders within it, it’s worth a trip to see this special part of California.
If you have less time, you can take a look at my itineraries for a weekend in Yosemite, 48 hours in Yosemite, and 3 days in Yosemite for guidance. They’ll show you the best things to do in and around the park in a shorter timeframe. Happy travels!
Find this helpful? Buy me a coffee!
Some of the links in this blog post are affiliate links. At no cost to you, I earn a small commission when you click on them and make a purchase. It doesn’t affect the way you shop, and it’s a great way to support the California Wayfaring blog.
Pin it!