Yosemite Valley

Yosemite Valley is a freak of nature. It's only seven miles long and less than a mile wide, but it ranks higher in scenery per square foot than perhaps anywhere else in the world. Because it was formed by glaciation, the valley walls are sheer and high, leading to world-famous cliffs: El Capitan, a mountain-climbing mecca, rises more than 3,000 feet (900 meters) virtually straight up from the Yosemite Valley floor, and Half Dome looms 4,800 feet (1,600) meters above.

It's also heaven for waterfalls. Why does central California fill up with storm clouds in the winter? Because adrenaline-junkie water droplets from all over the world are jostling to make it into the Sierra snowpack, just so they can spend twenty unforgettable seconds plunging over Yosemite or Bridalveil Falls.

Of course, these thrill-seeking waters are exhibitionists, too. They know that when they leap into the abyss, people will be watching them. Lots of people. This is Yosemite Valley's curse - it's a popular place. The crowds can be trying on summer weekends, and particularly on holiday weekends. If your schedule allows it, we suggest visiting the valley on weekdays and spending your weekends exploring other parts of Yosemite - there's no shortage of spectacular stuff in the rest of the park. Winter is also a great time to visit Yosemite Valley. The high country roads close in the winter, but the valley stays open and is much less crowded than during the summer.

Although Yosemite Valley is most famous for the walls that surround it, the valley floor itself is also very pretty. The Merced River wanders through it, and meadows appear frequently along its length. Deer and coyotes are common sights, and bear are known to be about after dark. Yosemite Valley also has the most extensive network of bike paths anywhere in the park, and although you can drive or take free shuttle buses to much of the valley, we still think bicycles are by far the most enjoyable way to get around here. If you didn't bring your own bike, you can rent one at Curry Village, which lies near the east end of Yosemite Valley.

Hiking Trails in Yosemite Valley

Trail	Distance miles (km)	Elevation Gain feet (meters)
Bridalveil Fall	1.2 (1.9)	200 (60)
Columbia Rock	3 (4.8)	1,000 (300)
Four-Mile Trail	4.7 (7.5)*	3,200 (975)
Half Dome	14.2 (22.7)*	4,800 (1,600)
Inspiration Point	2.6 (4.2)	1,000 (300)
Mirror Lake & Tenaya Canyon	2.4 (3.8)*	< 100*
The Mist Trail (Vernal and Nevada Falls)	3 (4.8)*	1,000 (300)*
Panorama Trail	8.5 (13.5)	3,200 (975)
Lower Yosemite Falls	.5 (.8)*	< 50*
Upper Yosemite Falls	7.6 (12)*	2,600 (790)*
Vernal Fall Footbridge	2 (3.2)	300 (90)

* For hikes that have more than one possible route, this table lists distance and elevation for the shortest route. Or the longest one. Whatever strikes our fancy at the moment.

Lodging

There are four options in Yosemite Valley: the $400-a-night Ahwahnee Hotel, the Yosemite Lodge, the tents and tent cabins at Curry Village, and the quirky tent/house hybrids at the Housekeeping Camp. Good luck getting into any of them in the summer without a reservation well in advance, though. They fill up fast. El Portal, outside the park but still just a few miles from Yosemite Valley, has two large motels. We recommend advance reservations for summertime visits there, too. If you didn't plan far enough ahead, you'll have to stay in one of the small towns outside the park; see our Yosemite Lodging guide for more details.

Camping

The Upper Pines, Lower Pines, and North Pines campgrounds are all in a bunch at the eastern end of Yosemite Valley, near Curry Village and the Mist Trail, Half Dome, and Mirror Lake trailheads. They contain 379 campsites between them. You'll need reservations for them in the summer, and you'll usually need to get them months ahead.

Campground #4, on the north side of the valley where the Upper Yosemite Falls trail starts its ascent, has 35 walk-in (no RV's) first-come, first-serve campsites. It's generally recommended to arrive sometime between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. to get a spot here.

Food

In Yosemite Village, you'll find the Village Store, your largest source of groceries in the valley; the Village Grill, a walk-up burger joint; and Degnan's, which includes a deli and pizza parlor.

Curry Village has the Mountain Shop, a smaller version of the Yosemite Village store; a tacqueria; and a pizza parlor. Like Yosemite Village, the restaurants in Curry Village are passable but not exceptional.

The Yosemite Lodge has a gifts/groceries shop, a bar, and a cafeteria.

The Ahwahnee Hotel has a restaurant/bar with patio seating, but it's most famous for the beautiful Ahwahnee Dining Room, which has 34-foot beamed ceilings, gourmet prices, and a dress code for dinner.

Gas

There's no gas available in Yosemite Valley. Your nearest available options are at El Portal (roughly 11 miles/18km), Crane Flat (14 miles/22 km), or Wawona (22 miles/35 km).