Content

• Steps
• Tips
• Warnings

Yosemite Valley is the pearl of the Sierra Nevada mountains. It is located in Yosemite National Park, 240 kilometers east of San Francisco. If you're planning a trip to this amazing place but don't know where to start, read the article!

Steps

1. 1 Select the time of year for your trip to the valley. The season you choose depends on what you want to see or do in Yosemite Valley. Roads to the valley (but not to the rest of the park) are open all year round.
   • Spring: April to June is the best time to visit. There are not so many visitors, the influx is usually on weekends in May.
   • Summer: Most people visit the valley at this time of year, so this is not the best time to travel due to the crowds and the summer heat. In addition, waterfalls are formed by the waters of melting glaciers and practically dry up in late summer. The most spectacular waterfalls look from May to June. The positive side of the summer trip is the various attractions close to the valley.
   • Autumn: In early autumn, the weather is very pleasant, the days are warm and the nights are cool. However, there is sometimes early snow and snowstorms, so it is worth bringing snow chains with you. In addition, Yosemite Valley is not the best place to watch the fall of leaves, since almost all the trees here are evergreen, and the waterfalls are already drying up during this period of the year.
   • Winter: It often snows from December to March. You will have to put chains on the wheels of the car.
2. 2 Decide what you will take to get to the valley. It will take four hours to reach Yosemist Valley by car from San Francisco and about 6 hours from Los Angeles. The cost of entering the park by car is $ 20, the ticket allows you to stay in the park for 7 days. A ticket for hikers arriving by bus, bike, or horse costs $ 10. The annual pass can be purchased for $ 40. There is no car rental in the park, but there is a free shuttle bus that runs inside the park. You can hop on and off at any of the 21 stops. There are four entrances to the park:
   • The Big Oak Flat entrance to the northwest part of the park from Highway 120.
   • Entrance "Tioga Pass" to the east end off Highway 120.
   • The Arch Rock entrance to the west end of Highway 140.
   • South entrance from Highway 41.
3. 3 Book your hotel room or campsite in advance . Here are the names of some of the hotels: "Ahwahnee", "Yosemite Lodge at the Falls" and "Wawona Hotel". Book your place or hotel as early as possible. If you are going on a hike, you should book your tent in advance, so you will be sure that you will have somewhere to stay. "North Pines", "Upper Pines" and "Lower Pines" are campsites that are located in the valley itself and must be booked in advance. Camp 4 is the very first campsite in the valley, smaller but open all year round.
4. 4 Inquire about educational places, as well as places for recreation.
   • Visitor Center - This is located at bus stops # 5 and # 9. Here you can get information about the valley and in a special cinema you can watch the film "The Spirit of Yosemite".
   • Museum - Dedicated to the culture of the Miwok and Payuta Indian tribes.
   • Curry Village has an ice rink.
   • The Nature Center is located in Happy Isles, just off stop # 16. Here you will find natural exhibits and a bookstore. The trail to Vernal Falls starts here.
   • Ansel Adams Photo Gallery - View and purchase iconic photographs of one of the world's greatest nature lovers, Ansel Adams, as well as works by other artists at reasonable prices.
5. 5 Visit famous viewpoints
   • Glacier Point offers stunning views of the valley, including Half Dome and several waterfalls. From June to November, you can drive up here by car, the road does not run through Yosemite Valley.
   • Tunle View also has excellent views - this site is arguably the most popular in the valley. From here you will see El Capitan Cliffs and Half Dome, Bridlevale Falls. It is located at the eastern end of the Wowona Road, which in turn is the westernmost point of the valley.
   • Valley View is another observation deck along the Knotside Road, and can be visited on the way back. It is located between Bridlevale Falls and Pohono Bridge. Anyway, at any turn you will find an excellent platform in order to explore the beauty of the valley.
6. 6 Excursion. You can go hiking or cycling. Please be aware that cycling and walking with pets are only allowed on the bike paths and regular roads. Bicycles can be rented outside the Yosemite Lodge at the Falls or Curry Village. Pets should be kept on a leash at all times. Take plenty of water with you and stay on the trail. The best time for walking and taking pictures is in the early morning or evening, as during this time you will meet fewer people and are more likely to be alone with wildlife (below is a list of routes in case you get lost).
   • Bridlevale is a 0.8 km circular trail that runs through Bridlevale Falls. It is allowed to take animals with you on the route.
   • Lower Yosemite Falls - This 1.6 km trail is a trail that starts at stop # 6. Pets are allowed on this route.
   • "Cook's Meadow" is a 1.6 km long road and originates from the visitor center. The route leads to Half Dome, Glacier Point and Royal Archis.
   • "Mirror Lake" - this circular route is 3.2 km long, it is also allowed to take animals with you. However, there is another trail that runs around the lake, where animals are not allowed. Its length is 8 km. Many wild animals can be found in this section of the valley.
   • Vali-Flor-Loop is a 20.9 km long route of medium difficulty that goes around the entire valley and starts from stop # 7. Half of the way is 10.5 km.
   • The 4 Mile Route is the most challenging route, 15.5 km long, with an ascent to an altitude of 975 meters. In summer, it can be reached by the El Capitan bus 800 meters from stop # 7.
   • The Panorama Trail is a 13.7 km trail that starts at Glacier Point and ends in the lowlands of the valley with a descent of up to 975 meters. The trail passes through Illiloett Falls and then connects to the Myst trail.
   • Upper Yosemite Falls - This 11.6 km trail leads to Upper Yosemite Falls and passes through Columbia Rock for beautiful views of the valley and climbs to an altitude of 823 meters.
   • Vernal Falls is a 4.8 km route leading to Vergal Falls with an ascent to 366 m. It starts from Happy Isles, from stop # 16. You can also get to the top of the waterfall.
   • "Nevada Falls" - the 11.2 km route is a continuation of the Vernal Falls route, here you also need to climb to a height of 610 meters. This trail also leads to the top of the waterfall.
   • Half Dome - the length of this route can be up to 26.1 km, depending on where you start it. Ascent to a height of 1,463 meters. It leads to the east side of Half Dome. There are cables on the last 120 meters.
7. 7 Find out about entertainment programs. There is much more to Yosemite Valley than just hiking:
   • Mountaineering - there are many climbing trails. 95 percent of the park is wildlife. However, a permit must be obtained for mountaineering. When going to the valley for mountaineering, you will not need to reserve places or tents. No tents are allowed on the top of Half Dome. Do not forget to take food in a special container. Find out about all the rules before heading to the valley for mountain climbing.
   • Horseback riding is not permitted on the following routes: Mist from Happy Isles to Nevada Falls, Snow Creek from Mirror Lake and the road to it. Horseback riding is permitted on the Yosemite Falls trails from Yosemite Valley to Yosemite Upper Falls, but this is not advisable. All other routes are open for horse riding.
   • Fishing. River fishing season starts on the last Saturday of April and lasts until November 15th. In Frog Creek it starts a little later - June 15th. Fishing in lakes and reservoirs is allowed all year round. Fishing equipment and permits can be purchased at select shops in Yosemite.
   • Rock climbing. There are many climbing sites in Yosemite. The main thing is to follow safety precautions and follow all instructions.
8. 8 Discover new places in the park. Yosemite Valley is not the only place in the park, although it is the most popular. Visit Wowona or Mariposa Grove, Glacier Point, Badger Pass, Hatch Hatch, Crane Flat, Tioga Road and Tuolomne Meadows.

Tips

• Take the free shuttle bus to get around the valley.
• Enjoy the Wildlife - Yosemite Park has a variety of wildlife: coyotes, mule deer, western gray squirrel, bats, Steller's black-headed blue jay, golden eagle, great gray owl, cougars and black bears. Remember that these animals are wild, no matter how small or beautiful they are, you should not approach them. Keep food (and other odoriferous items) in special containers to keep out bears and others who want to feast on your food. If you see a puma or a bear, behave calmly, do not run away or shout. Report places where bears have been seen. Before heading to the valley, read about how to behave when meeting a bear.
• Take a raincoat with you so that the rain doesn't catch you off guard.

Warnings

• Remember, you cannot stand in the water directly under the waterfall. Despite the fact that the water looks harmless, it falls with great force and harmed several tourists.
• River and lake water in Yosemite may contain giardia. Therefore, filter or boil water before drinking.
• Follow the rules for the speed limit. Driving at speed can cripple animals.
• Do not plan a sunrise at Half Dome when rain is likely, mountain peaks are often prone to lightning strikes.