Visit Yosemite National Park
Still to do
Granite walls nearly a kilometre high, waterfalls pouring off the rim and sequoias that were already ancient when Rome fell.
The adventure
Drive out of the Wawona Tunnel and the whole valley opens up at once: El Capitan's sheer face on the left, Bridalveil Fall streaming down on the right, and Half Dome rising at the far end. Tunnel View is the scene Ansel Adams made famous, and it still stops people in their tracks.
Down in the valley, everything is on a giant scale. Yosemite Falls tumbles down the cliff in great leaps, roaring with snowmelt in spring. Climbers are tiny specks on El Capitan, some spending days on the wall. Hike the Mist Trail beside Vernal Fall and you'll be drenched in spray, then walk among the giant sequoias of Mariposa Grove, some of them thousands of years old. At sunset, Half Dome glows orange from Glacier Point.
Why it’s epic
- El Capitan rises about 900 metres from the valley floor, and Alex Honnold climbed it without ropes in 2017.
- Yosemite Falls drops around 740 metres, among the tallest waterfalls in North America.
- Abraham Lincoln signed the Yosemite Grant in 1864, protecting the valley for public use.
- In February, Horsetail Fall can glow like lava at sunset, an effect known as the firefall.
What it is
Yosemite is known for El Capitan, Half Dome, giant sequoias and waterfalls.
How to do it
Drive from San Francisco, about four hours. Check whether a reservation is needed to enter in peak season.
Top tip
The waterfalls are best in spring when the snow melts.
Need to know
- Check the park website for peak-season entry reservations, which have applied on busy days in recent summers.
- Hiking the Half Dome cables needs a permit, allocated by lottery.
- Book valley lodging or campsites many months ahead, and remember UK visitors need an ESTA.
Plan this trip
- Rough cost
- £2,000 to £5,000 per person, including flights from the UK
- Time needed
- 2 to 4 days
- Best time to go
- May to October
- Fly into
- SFO airport
Flights to California and park lodging, which books up early, drive the cost; camping is far cheaper.
Sample itinerary
- Day 1Drive from San Francisco; first look at Tunnel View
- Day 2The Mist Trail to Vernal and Nevada Falls
- Day 3Glacier Point, Mariposa Grove's giant sequoias and El Capitan at sunset
Make it happen
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Why it’s on my list
Not done yet. If you’ve done it and have tips, tell me about it.
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