Oh, Yosemite. This incredibly popular national park sees 3 to 5 million visitors every year and is located just a short drive away from the massive hub of San Francisco and the Bay Area. It’s touted as one of the most beautiful U.S. national parks, and for good reason! If you’re looking for world-class granite cliffs, enormous valleys, glassy rivers, and cascading waterfalls, Yosemite is the park for you.
I visited Yosemite in the summer, but it’s popular to visit year-round. Spring brings the gushing waterfalls and the beginning of warmer days, summer is always peak season for California, fall brings lovely vibrant autumn colors, and winter brings snow and the magnificent phenomenon known as Firefall in February. No matter what time of year you visit, you’ll be sure to find awe-inspiring beauty.
This is my exact itinerary, but it can easily be swapped around, shortened to 3 days, or extended to 5 days or even longer depending on what you want to do!
Love California’s national parks? Me too! Have you ever been to Joshua Tree National Park? It’s still one of my favorite parks of all time.
Important Notes
⚠️ Yosemite has enacted a permit system for entry! This means you must have a permit to enter between the hours of 6 AM – 4 PM. You can apply for a permit reservation on the NPS website, but they often sell out far in advance. This itinerary is NO PERMIT REQUIRED—which means you can just pack up and go without worrying about applications!
⚠️ Glacier Point Road is a popular winding road in Yosemite that boasts incredible views. It’s usually only open in the summer due to road conditions. However, Glacier Point Road is closed for all of 2022, so you’ll find that I don’t include any stops from there on this itinerary.
Day 0
This itinerary starts by departing from San Francisco, California. The drive to Yosemite is about 4 hours. To save on food costs, and because we couldn’t leave the park in the middle of the day for food, we stopped at Costco to buy food, snacks, water, and other necessary supplies. Then, you can drive to your hotel or straight to Yosemite if you’re running short on time.
The goal is to watch sunset at Tunnel View or Artist Point Trail. If you don’t know where Tunnel View is, you’ve certainly seen plenty of photos of it. It’s a simple stop off the main road and has a wonderful view of Yosemite Valley, including El Capitan and Half Dome! It looks gorgeous during golden hour.
However, because it’s so easy to access, you’ll certainly be sharing the spot with dozens of other people. If you’re interested in a more secluded spot, head to Artist Point Trail! Artist Point Trail (2.3 miles round trip, allocate 1.5 hours) is practically unmarked and you’re almost guaranteed to have it all to yourself. The trailhead is at the Tunnel View parking lot and points towards Inspiration Point Trail. It’s also a very unassuming set of stone steps. Take Inspiration Point Trail and at the main fork, turn left towards Bridal Veil Falls Parking. You’ll find this spot where the trees open up and you have basically Tunnel View, but from a higher vantage point and all to yourself!
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After the sun goes down, there’s not much to do in Yosemite unless you’re going stargazing, so head back to the hotel and get dinner.
Day 1 (Optional)
I know what you’re thinking: how can day 1 be optional?
Because of the permit requirements for Yosemite, if you don’t have a permit you’ll have to enter the park either before 6 AM or after 4 PM. I opted for the 6 AM option so that I could watch the sunrise, but this means staying up for sunset and then getting up early for sunrise is REALLY tough, not gonna lie. So, if you have an extra day, consider not going to Yosemite at all, sleep in a little, and swap the park out for this beautiful spot in Groveland!
Rainbow Pools is a set of freshwater pools located just outside of the west entrance of Yosemite in east Groveland. The water is clear and cold, and there’s even a small waterfall to swim under! It’s also a popular cliff-diving spot, especially in the summer, but I can’t recommend it. I love cliff diving and have done it several times, but the rocks at this spot are just a little too close for comfort. Dive at your own risk!
There are three or so pools to explore along the Tuolumne River, so you can easily spend the whole afternoon here. The water is super cold, so I recommend swimming if you’re here July through September. Otherwise, be prepared for the icy water.
After a day of swimming, it’s time for dinner. I don’t often make food recommendations in my guides unless the spot is really, really good. And guess what? Smokehouse 41 BBQ in Oakhurst is one of those spots! For a shockingly reasonable price, you can get an incredible barbecue meat sandwich stuffed to the brim, or opt for a half or full rack of ribs with two sides. We went with the latter option and ordered two full racks with sides for 3 very hungry people, and we couldn’t even finish everything! The ribs were super tender and flavorful, and the smokiness is just lovely.
Make sure to sleep early, because from here on out it’s all sunrises!
Day 2
Today’s sunrise is at my personal favorite spot in Yosemite Valley: the Meadow Boardwalk. As far as I know, this isn’t even a real trail, nor does it have much signage to speak of. You’ll see a couple of parking spots off the main loop road in between Swinging Bridge and the Yosemite Chapel and the boardwalk path on the left-hand side.
Why is this unassuming little spot my favorite? In the spring and early summer, you can see the beautiful Upper Yosemite Falls tumbling down the mountains in the distance. As the sun rises and slowly hits the valley, it illuminates the gorgeous thick green grass in glowing, golden light. The valley is also incredibly quiet at this time except for a few birds. It’s truly a magical experience!
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Shortly after sunrise, head to the iconic Valley View to watch the light sparkle off the perfect reflections of Yosemite Valley in the Merced River. This spot is super popular among photographers, and you’ve doubtless seen it before in photos. El Capitan is completely in the valley spotlight, and the river is still enough that it looks like a mirror.
Swinging Bridge Beach is located quite close as well—all three of these locations aren’t very far apart—so make a stop here as well. This one is pretty understated, and you’re not likely to find it on many guides. However, it looks gorgeous with the huge mountains and the river reflections as well! I wasn’t expecting this spot to look so beautiful.
Get my tan dress here or shop on Yesstyle with my referral link. You can use my code “ANGISUSU” for a discount on all purchases.
Eat a packed lunch in the park (or breakfast, it will likely not even be 10 AM). Pro tip: there’s an outlet at the visitor’s center if you have anything that needs electricity to cook. We brought instant noodles!
Around noon, head to Lower Yosemite Falls. You might be lucky to catch some rainbows in the mist here! The lower falls loop is less than a mile round trip, but you can connect it with the upper falls loop if you’re craving a more strenuous hike. Alternatively, and this is what we did, you can climb through the massive rock piles up to the base of the waterfall! There’s also a swimming hole here, but it’s even colder than Rainbow Pools, so be prepared.
Climbing the rocks is fairly tough as there’s no real path. You can spend as little or as much time here as you like! We ended up spending more hours here than intended because one of our group members got separated and then we couldn’t find each other. However, you can easily fit in another activity today if you don’t climb through the rocks and don’t lose a team member (haha). I have some extra sights and activities at the bottom of the post if you’re looking for something to add here.
Don’t stay out late, don’t bother with sunset (you’ll be exhausted!), and sleep early! It’s another sunrise tomorrow, and it’s the hardest day yet.
Day 3
Show up bright and early today, because this is a hidden viewpoint that I guarantee no one else knows about! Catch the sunrise at Cathedral Beach Picnic Area. Now if you’ve seen pictures of Cathedral Beach, sure it’s pretty, but nothing special. (Though you can get a great view of El Capitan from here!)
The real trick is to follow the obscure “trail” along the river bank until you see these beautiful triple peaks emerge from the trees. This mountain formation is called the Three Brothers, though some people mistake them for the Three Sisters (which is a completely different mountain formation). John Muir once said the highest peak of the Three Brothers has the most incredible view of Yosemite! I’ll have to take his word for it, as it’s quite the hike.
Like the other spots along the Merced River, the reflections in the morning are just gorgeous. This is one of my favorite photos from Yosemite and probably one that you don’t often seen on Instagram!
Just like yesterday, you’ll want to scarf down a big breakfast/lunch and maybe even take a nap, because today’s afternoon activity is a doozy.
You’ll start your journey to the incredible Cloud’s Rest by driving up Tioga Pass Road. Did you know 80% of visitors to Yosemite never leave the valley? Well, you have just become part of the 20%. Just make sure to have everything you need before you head out! Tioga Pass Road is long and there are much fewer facilities out here.
Cloud’s Rest is a beautiful but difficult hike. It’s 13-14 miles round trip from the trailhead and has roughly 2000 feet of elevation gain. To put that into perspective, that’s 500 feet more than the iconic Angel’s Landing in Zion National Park! Expect to be climbing up and then down and then up again, because the trail is not a gentle slope.
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How long does it take to hike Cloud’s Rest? No one really seems to know. The average trail guide says 7 hours, but I have friends who did it in 4, and there are Google results that say it takes about 10 hours. Because it’s such a long trail and has so many elevated portions, it depends a lot on your fitness. We spent about 7 hours total and then another hour or so at the top. Make sure to start your hike early enough, or you will be climbing down in the dark.
The end portion of the trail is also slightly treacherous. It’s again somewhat reminiscent of Angel’s Landing, because it narrows into an elevated rock channel that’s not particularly wide across. While it’s not narrow enough that you need chains, as one trail guide put it, “it wouldn’t take special talent to wind up…dead by falling off that side.” Thankfully, the top opens up to a nice wide plateau that isn’t scary at all.
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The view from the top is simply amazing. High above all the other peaks, you can see North Dome, Tenaya Lake, and a stunning view of Half Dome. You’ll be close enough to see people scaling the dome if you look hard enough! You can also see Yosemite Valley, which looks so incredibly tiny from here that you start to realize just how huge Yosemite is.
It’s a long hike back down, so try to start descending 2-3 hours before sunset. Making this treacherous hike in the dark won’t be fun!
Now that you’ve seen and experienced Yosemite, how was it? You can get my thoughts on my cheeky ranking of all the U.S. National Parks here!
Day 4
Day 4 is really just the leaving day. You can opt for any sunrise spot that you missed, or go for another sunrise spot if you hit them all but still want more. After checking out of your hotel, you can also possibly stop at Rainbow Pools if you didn’t do Day 1 and want to check it out. Otherwise, it’s time to head back to San Francisco. Goodbye, Yosemite!
Heading back to San Francisco and want to check out where to do and what to see? Take a look at my Ultimate List of Photo Locations in San Francisco!
Extra Options in Yosemite
Have extra time in Yosemite and want to see more? Here are a couple of my personal recommendations for things to do.
- Half Dome: Everyone loves Half Dome—it’s iconic. If you want to hike Half Dome, you’ll need a permit, and they go quick! Also, don’t attempt this hike if you’re out of shape or afraid of heights. The hike is even longer than Cloud’s Rest at 14-16 miles, you have to climb with cables, and there’s an elevation gain of 4800 feet. Rangers have to help people every year who come to Half Dome underestimating this hike.
- Glacier Point Road: Unfortunately, Glacier Point Road was closed while we were here (and closed through all of 2022). However, if you can hit it during a summer when it’s open, you’ll have amazing views the whole way! My personal favorite spot along the road is Taft Point, which boasts views similar to Cloud’s Rest but is located just a stone’s throw from its parking lot.
- Cathedral Lakes: This is the hike we were supposed to do in the afternoon on Day 2, but weren’t able to do. It’s 8 miles round trip to see both the upper and lower lakes, and takes anywhere from 3-5 hours. The water looks amazing, and it’s less popular than most of the Yosemite Valley options. Definitely hit this one if you have a chance!
- Upper Yosemite Falls: If you enjoyed the Lower Yosemite Falls Loop but want more of a challenge, you can hike to the top of Yosemite Falls on this challenging 7.2 mile out-and-back trail. It’s considered challenging, so don’t arbitrarily head here from the lower falls unless you’re prepared. However, you’ll get to see top-notch views!
Extra Options Outside of Yosemite
Missed the timing for no-permit entry or just want a day away from the park? I got you covered!
- Mono Lake: Mono Lake is an ancient saltwater lake that’s known for its unusual rock formations, called tufas, that rise out of the water. It’s well-marked and has plenty of signage for directions and about the lake formation itself. If you come at sunrise or sunset, you can see the lake with the tufas reflected beautifully in the water.
- Hot Springs: East of Yosemite, there are plenty of beautiful hot springs. You can choose from the Mammoth Hot Springs or the Whitmore Hot Springs, and there are lots of options within those categories as well! Two of my suggestions include Hilltop Hot Springs and the Rock Tub Hot Springs—you can find them on Google Maps.
