John Muir described Yosemite Valley as “By far the grandest of all the special temples of Nature I was ever permitted to enter.” Yosemite Valley is the epicenter of Yosemite National Park, a 1,200 square mile wilderness. The Valley is by far the most popular area in the park, seeing upwards of 4 million visitors each year. It features towering granite cliffs with cascading waterfalls and iconic formations like El Capitan and Half Dome, all of which our Yosemite Valley guide covers.
The Yosemite Valley Guide
The Valley has many options for lodging, food, hikes, etc. Our Yosemite Valley guide will give a clear overview of different options and links to find more information. We also included pro tips and recommendations from our local experts so you can plan the best trip possible. This guide focuses on the Valley, but don’t think that’s all the park has to offer. Other areas of Yosemite National Park include Tuolumne Meadows, Hetch-Hetchy Dam, and Mariposa Grove.
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Know before you go
A few important things to know before you plan your trip to Yosemite:
- Yosemite Valley gets crowded. With over 4 million visitors each year, and most of them in the Valley, traffic and parking can be a nightmare. 75% of visitors come between May-October. Weekends and holidays during those six months see the worst of it. If possible, come during the week or the slower seasons.
- Arrive early, park and walk. If you’re visiting during the busy season we recommend arriving as early in the day as possible. Find a parking spot (or park at your campsite) and plan on not moving your car all day. Walk, bike, or take the free shuttles to the various sights you want to see.
- Lodging fills up quickly. Valley campgrounds are often completely reserved months in advance. Plan ahead, check online reservations regularly for openings, or check out campgrounds outside the valley floor (or outside the park). See more about camping below.
- Gas stations. There are only three places to get gas inside Yosemite National Park, and none of them are in the Valley. Wawona (Hwy 41), El Portal (Hwy 140), and Crane Flat (Hwy 120) all have 24-hour pay at the pump gas. As you would expect, prices are high, so it’s best to fill up before entering the park.
- Cell service. Cell service has recently improved in the Valley, but don’t expect to have constant service.
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Guidebook
Our favorite Yosemite Valley guide is Yosemite: The Complete Guide by James Kaiser. Over 300 pages covering lodging, hiking, backpacking, and popular sites, all in specific detail with color photographs. If you like a hard copy in your hands, this is the guidebook to buy.
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Yosemite Valley Guide to Lodging options
Yosemite Valley offers many camping options (both RV and tent camping), plus tent-cabin and hotel accommodations. For a video overview of camping in Yosemite National Park, including best practices, check out this video.
Camping in Yosemite Valley
Yosemite Valley has 4 campgrounds for a total of 414 individual sites. All four have water taps and access to bathrooms, but no showers.
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| Campground | Open Season (approx.) | Reservations | Daily Fee | RVs? |
| Upper Pines | All Year | Yes | $26 | Yes |
| Lower Pines | Mar. 29 – Nov. 1 | Yes | $26 | Yes |
| North Pines | Apr. 3 – Nov. 6 | Yes | $26 | Yes |
| Camp 4 | All year | No | $6/person | No |
All three Pines campgrounds have a 6-person and 2-car limit. Camp 4 is unique in that every site will have 6 people, so you might be placed in a site with other groups. Parking is ~50-100 yards from the Camp 4 sites, so you’ll have to carry your gear in. Historically known as the climber campground, Camp 4 has a much more communal vibe due to the shared campsites. Sometimes it’s loud late into the night. Getting a site usually requires arriving very early and waiting in line (people are often seen in sleeping bags in line, waiting for the ranger to arrive).
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Tent-cabins and hotel accommodations in Yosemite Valley
Yosemite Valley also has a number of non-camping accommodations that come in a variety of price points and amenities. All of them allow reservations and it’s strongly recommended to reserve beforehand, especially during the busy season. Follow the links to get more detailed information about each accommodation.
| Accommodation | Type | Price | Season |
| Housekeeping Camp | Concrete structure with canvas roof | $90+ | April - October |
| Half Dome Village | 403 canvas tent cabins 60 cabins 18 motel rooms | $90-$300 | March - Jan. 1 (7 days) Jan. - March (weekends) |
| Yosemite Valley Lodge | Motel rooms | $160-$300 | All year |
| Majestic Yosemite Hotel | 4-diamond motel | $325-$550+ | All year |
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Camping Outside of Yosemite Valley
North of Yosemite Valley:
South of Yosemite Valley:
Lodging Outside Yosemite National Park:
Places to buy supplies
There are lots of options for supplies in Yosemite Valley. From souvenirs to groceries to camping supplies, you can get pretty much everything you need (other than gas).
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Grocery stores
Half Dome Village Gift & Grocery: Open year-round from 9am-7pm. Camping supplies, groceries, ice, firewood, gifts, and an ATM.
Housekeeping Camp General Store: Open seasonally April to October from 8am-6pm. Carries essential camping supplies, firewood, ice, basic groceries, snacks, and cold beverages.
Yosemite Village Store: Open year round from 8am-10pm. The largest supply store it has groceries including meat and produce, camping supplies, firewood, ice, souvenirs, and an ATM.
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Gift shops
Majestic Hotel Gift Shop: Open year round from 8am-10pm. Offers American Indian pottery, gifts, souvenirs, apparel, jewelry, books, and snacks.
Yosemite Valley Lodge Gift Shop: Open year round from 8am-8pm. A variety of souvenirs, children’s gifts, T-shirts and apparel, snacks, and cold beverages.
Places to eat
Yosemite Valley has lots of places to eat, from sandwiches to pizza to fine dining. The four main areas for places to eat are Half Dome Village, Yosemite Village, Yosemite Lodge, and the Majestic Yosemite Hotel (if these names seem unfamiliar, it’s because they were recently changed). See our chart below for an overview:
| Place | Options | Price |
| Half Dome Village | ||
| Pizza Deck and Bar | Pizza, salad, beer, wine | $ |
| Coffee Corner | Coffee, pastries, oatmeal | $ |
| Village Pavilion | Breakfast and dinner | $$ |
| Meadow Grill | Burgers, sandwiches, vegetarian options | $ |
| Yosemite Village | ||
| Degnan’s Kitchen | Sandwiches, salads, baked goods, drinks | $ |
| Degnan’s Loft | Pizza, appetizers, dessert, beer, wine, TV’s | $$ |
| Village Grill Deck | Breakfast and dinner, burgers, sandwiches | $ |
| Yosemite Lodge | ||
| The Mountain Room | Steaks, seafood, pasta | $$$ |
| The Mountain Lounge | Appetizers, cocktails | $$ |
| Valley Food Court | Under construction until early 2018 | - |
| Majestic Yosemite Hotel | ||
| Dining Room | Fine dining for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Reservations recommended | $$$ |
| Bar | Small bites, beer, wine, cocktails. | $$ |
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Day Hikes and Destinations
Yosemite Valley has, per square foot, more outdoor beauty to behold than possibly anywhere else in the world. The number of iconic and breathtaking cliffs, waterfalls, and meadows is overwhelming. Whether you want an easy stroll on paved roads or a strenuous elevation battle, Yosemite Valley has it. In this Yosemite Valley Guide we list our favorite day hikes that start in the Valley, ordered by difficulty. For a complete list of Valley hikes, go here.
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| Trail | Difficulty | Distance | Trailhead |
| Bridalveil Falls | Easy | 0.5 miles | Bridalveil Falls Parking Area |
| Lower Yosemite Falls | Easy | 1 mile | Shuttle Stop #6 |
| Valley Loop | Moderate | 13 miles | Shuttle Stop #6 |
| Vernal Falls Footbridge | Moderate | 1.6 miles | Happy Isles |
| Top of Vernal Falls | Strenuous | 2.4 miles | Happy Isles |
| Top of Nevada Falls | Strenuous | 5.4 miles | Happy Isles |
| Top of Yosemite Falls | Strenuous | 7.2 miles | Camp 4 |
| Four Mile Trail | Strenuous | 9.6 miles | Four Mile Trail Parking Area |
| Half Dome Day Hike | Strenuous | 16.4 miles | Happy Isles |
*Half Dome Day Hike requires a permit (given via lottery; apply here) seven days a week while the cables are up (usually end of May until early October). The lottery takes place in March. Also note this is an extremely difficult hike. Many people end up turning around because they are unprepared. You need to leave early (before sunrise), bring lots of water (4 liters per person), bring plenty of food, and prepare to hike in the dark, possibly in the morning and evening. Average hike time for people is 10-12 hours.
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Yosemite Valley Guide to Fun
Yosemite Valley offers a multitude of fun activities that aren’t hiking. These include bird watching, fishing, and picnicking. Some of our other favorites include:
Art and Photography classes and exhibits
Yosemite Art Center offers classes ($10/per person) from Spring to Fall.
Yosemite Museum Gallery displays exhibits of Yosemite during the spring and summer while the Ansel Adams Gallery displays works of Ansel Adams and contemporary photographers. Both carry art and photography supplies and offer classes and workshops.
Yosemite Conservancy Outdoor Adventures offers art and photography seminars throughout the park.
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Fern Springs
Fern Springs is a small spring on the Valley Floor. The water that comes from it is safe to drink without treatment. It’s located on Southside Drive near Pohono Bridge as you enter the Valley Floor from El Portal Road. If you entered from Hwy 41, you’ll have to do the Yosemite loop and come by Northside Drive. It’s on your right with a small sign and parking area. It’s easily missed, but worth the stop! The water is refreshingly cold with a delicious crisp taste.
Biking
With over 12 miles of paved road and bikes available for rent, biking is a great way to see much of the Valley Floor. Mountain biking and off-trail biking are not allowed.
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Glacier Point
While not technically in the Valley, the drive is worth the view. Glacier Point is at the top of the Four Mile trail (a strenuous hike from the Valley floor), but for those unable or unwilling to hike it, the drive leads to a parking lot and then an easy ¼ mile walk to the cliff edge. On the drive back into the valley, make sure to check out Tunnel View, the most commonly photographed view of all of Yosemite. You can’t miss it, it’s right after the long tunnel and will likely be super crowded with cars and people.
Geocaching
There are a number of Geocaches hidden throughout Yosemite Valley. For those unfamiliar, Geocaching involves using a GPS (or smartphone+app) to find physical objects that have been hidden. You are given the GPS coordinates and a description of the object. While the Geocaching App is free, to see details on most of the geocaches in Yosemite Valley you have to sign up for their Premium Membership ($5.99/month or $29.99/year). A fun way to explore the Valley and find areas off the beaten path.
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Cave exploration
Cave exploration is a fun way to experience Yosemite because of the secrecy surrounding their whereabouts. There are many caves throughout the boulder fields of the Valley floor including the two most well-known, Spider Caves (near Lower Yosemite Falls) and the Indian Caves (east of The Majestic Yosemite Hotel). With no Yosemite Valley guide to caves and online information being scarce, half the fun is attempting to find the caves. Other legendary caves include Tucker’s secret cave (near the base of Sentinel Dome), Chicken Skinner’s Cave (near Half Dome Village), and Juicer’s Cave (near Washington Column). Even if you don’t find any of these caves, exploring the boulder fields of Yosemite Valley is fun and rewarding.
Sentinel Dome Sunrise Hike
While it doesn’t start in the Valley, we guarantee this is one hike you will never forget. Wake up early and drive to the trailhead of Sentinel Dome (along Glacier Point Road, ~45 minutes). It’s a pretty easy 1-mile hike each way (only the end of the hike, scrambling up the dome, is steep). If you arrive before sunrise you can watch the sun come up behind Half Dome and light up the whole Valley. Absolutely worth the early morning and easy hike. Combine this with Glacier Point and a stop at Tunnel View for an incredible morning.
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Indoor relaxation
Sometimes you just want to sit in a comfy chair and relax. One of our favorite places to do this in Yosemite Valley is the Half Dome Village Meeting Room. Located just across from the Half Dome Village pizza deck, the meeting room has comfy chairs, a fireplace, and tables where people relax, eat, read, and play games. Our other favorite is the Majestic Yosemite Hotel lobby. Beautiful rustic architecture, a huge fireplace, and overstuffed chairs mean a luxurious, warm, and comfy place to relax. You don’t need to be a guest at either place to enjoy these places.
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Rock climbing
Yosemite is one of the best climbing areas in the world. People travel from all over to climb the giant granite cliffs found in the Valley. For those wanting to try it out, check out the classes offered by Yosemite Mountaineering School. For a more complete Yosemite Valley guide to climbing check out mountainproject.com, SuperTopo.com, or our favorite guidebook, Rock Climbing Yosemite Valley.
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For those with previous multi-pitch trad climbing experience, check out some of our favorite climbs below, organized by length and difficulty. We focus on classic moderate routes that are a great introduction to Valley climbing. Keep in mind that Yosemite ratings are often harder than other areas due to them being rated before YDS included anything above 5.9. The unique nature of crack climbing and the oftentimes slippery granite also increase the difficulty. Start easy and work your way up the grades.
| Route | Location | Rating | # of Pitches |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunnyside Bench | Lower Yosemite Falls | 5.5 | 3 |
| Swan Slab Gully | Swan Slab | 5.6 | 3 |
| The Grack | Glacier Point Apron | 5.6 | 3 |
| Munginella | Five Open Book | 5.6 | 3 |
| Jamcrack | Lower Yosemite Falls | 5.7 | 1 |
| Pine Line | El Capitan | 5.7 | 1 |
| After Six | Manure Pile Buttress | 5.7 | 6 |
| After Seven | Manure Pile Buttress | 5.8 | 6 |
| Bishop's Terrace | Church Bowl | 5.8 | 2 |
| Nutcracker | Manure Pile Buttress | 5.8 | 5 |
| Super Slide | Royal Arches | 5.9 | 5 |
| Central Pillar of Frenzy | Middle Cathedral Rock | 5.9 | 5 |
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Did we miss any of your favorite places, hikes, or things to do in our Yosemite Valley guide? Comment below!
