Yosemite is one of America’s – if not the world’s – great natural park! Home to majestic wildlife and truly epic natural landscapes, Yosemite is going to wow visitors whether they’re spending two days or two months!
We’re often asked how long a journey to Yosemite should last, but the truth is there is no correct answer – it all depends on the traveler and the type of adventure they are looking for.
Inspired by our Yosemite and Tahoe Sierras Tour, the following blog will use four days as an ideal, but we have also included sections for those more limited on time.
After all, Inc Adventures is based out of San Francisco and we offer Guided Day Tours to Yosemite National Park, so even travelers tight to time can experience some of the highlights of the park.
We hope the following blog will provide you with plenty of inspiration! If you have any questions, please get in touch.
What are the main areas to see in Yosemite National Park?
The 1,200 square miles of National Park can’t be easily divided into hotspots, but the most popular ‘must-see’ areas are Yosemite Valley with its waterfalls, the peaks surrounding the valley including Glacier Point and El Capitan, Mariposa Grove with the Giant Sequoias, and the subalpine Tuolumne Meadows.
There are many other important areas of the park, too, including Hetch Hetchy on the western side which really needs a separate trip. We recommend the National Parks Service Guide for an introduction to the many different areas.
There are truly enough activities to fill up a week in each place, but we have designed this guide to suit the first-time traveler, keen to see the range of sights without having to take several weeks off work!
If you only have one day to visit Yosemite National Park?
One day in the park still promises incredible, diverse scenery and a sense of immersion in nature. Assuming that you need to factor in the journey from San Francisco, there are two options here.
In summer, if you are keen to hike as much of the park as possible, we recommend combining Yosemite Valley with the Giant Sequoias of Tulomne Grove. Check out our Adventurous Yosemite and Giant Sequoias Tour for a suggested itinerary.
In winter, or for those looking for a gentler pace, the valley with its many trails and visitor center will be more than enough. Our alternative Yosemite Day Tour from San Francisco includes history and stories for the whole journey from SF and a drive to Tunnel View.
This is the longest highway tunnel in California. It provides truly breathtaking views of Yosemite Valley, El Capitan, Bridalveil Fall, and Half Dome. Not surprisingly, it is very popular, but it is easy to find space for isolation and peace once you are down exploring the valley.
If you have two days to visit Yosemite National Park?
For the fast-paced adventurer, and if you get to the park early enough, you will have time to explore the Yosemite Valley trails in the morning (or rent a bike!) and then take the afternoon for a strenuous up-hill hike to Tuolumne Meadows, with the beautiful Tenaya Lake on the way.
For day two, there are so many difficult choices! You could head to Lake Tahoe for kayaking, take a gondola ride up to Heavenly Mountain, or spend time among the stunning sequoias at Mariposa Grove.
The Yosemite Valley remains home to the surviving Ahwahneechee people, whose village is coming back to life with an agreement to build 15 bark teepees and a roundhouse. Learn more about their history in the Yosemite Valley Museums.
Check out our range of Two-Day Yosemite tours that capture the diversity of traveling styles, ambitions, and interests of our many visitors for example itineraries for your trip.
If you have three or four days to visit Yosemite
Visitors to Yosemite come with many different passions. For some it is the exhilaration of cycling or hiking up peaks, for others it is quiet and reflective walks through forests, still others come to understand the history and ecological importance of the area.
One important, and less well-known element of the park’s history is the involvement of the Buffalo Soldiers; African-American regiments who played a crucial role in protecting the parks from poachers, timber thieves, and forest fires in the early twentieth century.
The park would not exist as it does now without their work, and you can read more about the involvement of many different communities in Yosemite’s history here, including current efforts to make the park more accessible.
Some of you may want to spend more time exploring this context in the Yosemite Museum or Heritage Center, while still keeping lots of time for hiking. Mindful of this, we keep our tours pretty open-ended, particularly our longer trips of 3 or 4 days.
Our 3-Day Yosemite Camping Tour, for example, spends one day in the valley, one day up in the High Country, and one day with a variety of choices including a visit to the El Capitan meadow to appreciate this awe-inspiring peak.
Ahwahneechee locals ask permission from their ancestors before they scale such dramatic heights as El Capitan – if you get a chance to see it you will understand!
Our 4-Day Yosemite Tour includes such options as a visit to Mammoth Lakes, known as a ‘mecca’ and ‘playground’ for adventure sports enthusiasts, and a trip through California’s Gold Rush history including a visit to Bodie Ghost Town.
For those who really want to immerse themselves in the park itself, though, with minimal time spent in the car, we can help you design a tour and recommend the best trails for your interests and levels of fitness.
You will notice many messageboards devoted to the question, “how long should I visit Yosemite”, and it is clear that the answer is necessarily pretty unique to each individual!
At Inc Adventures we pride ourselves on tailoring our advice and our itineraries to each group, so do get in touch with the amount of time you have available and your hopes for your trip, and we’d love to help you choose the right length of stay for you.
