Another great area! I thought about that but it's not as much of a hike and it's far enough away from the more unique and iconic Yosemite sights you'd end up missing those. :)
I've just watched this video and it was beyond helpful. As a first timer trying to plan our trip I currently have a map and guidebook for yosemite and felt extremely overwhelmed, I didn't even know where to start and was honestly looking around the whole map area and not focusing on the valley. I cannot thank you enough, your 3 day suggestion sounds perfect to us. Thank you 😊
Found the Cloud's Rest from this video. Wanted to hike the Half Dome but didn't win the lottery. So my wife and I hiked to the Cloud's Rest and it was one of the best scenery in my life. Thank you Backcournty Pilgrim!!
I’m going to Yosemite next week and have been reading/watching through numerous articles, guidebooks, videos, etc. still don’t know what my 2 full day itinerary is gonna be till I watched this one. Hands down THE most helpful video that one can directly copy. THANK YOU!!!!
We recently returned from a family road trip to the US, and without any doubt, our trip to Yosemite was the absolute highlight of a superb holiday. We found this video when trying to work out how best to use our time, and it was incredibly helpful. We opted to follow the two day itinerary, and the highlight was the Taft Point and Sentinel Dome loop. The views were stunning and the length and degree of difficulty were perfect for our family of two adults and two teenagers. We also did the valley floor mini hikes and scrambled to the base of Yosemite Falls. Thanks for putting this video together - truly appreciated.
My brother and I were there in June, we had Half Dome permits, we hit the trail at 5am and were on the summit by 10, and that was with quite a few photo stops, We were the only ones going up the cables, and once on top there was maybe 6 people up there. Going down was a different story, everyone we had passed going up was now trying to get up the cables, went back the JM trail to get a different view of Nevada and Vernal Falls. Our other big hike was Clouds Rest, We started that hike at 2am starting at the sunrise lakes trail head, our goal was to summit and catch sunrise, we got to the summit at 5am and basically froze for 1/2 an hour waiting for the sun to come up. It was so worth the wait to see Clouds rest cast a shadow over Half Dome, then watch the sun hit the Dawn Wall on El-Cap. We were there a total of 4 days and pretty much did all the major thing you describe.
I'm just returning from my trip to Yosemite. I just want to say THANK YOU SO MUCH for making my trip so INCREDIBLE lol. I followed your 3 day guide and it was fantastic.
Watched a dozen videos trying to grasp what’s the best hikes to do in a limited time. If I had watched this from the beginning, I would’ve saved hours 😭
The best video I've seen for first time visitors that have 2-4 days in the park that want to hit the major sites and few lesser known ones. Exactly what i was looking for! Thank you, great video!
Just got back from a one dayer in Yosemite. I wish I saw this video first! Knew going in and going out of the park there's no way this was going to be a one and done park visit. Already planning for next time using this video as a "go to" guide. BTW, did drive the loop of Yosemite Valley, climbed to Vernal Falls and stopped by El Cap base. Not bad for being ill-informed and completely overwhelmed with what I was witnessing with my own eyes! I will return, again and again!!! Peace....
This is excellent video. My favorite hike of all time is the Mist Trail/John Muir Trail to Vernal Fall and Nevada Fall. I have been to the top of Vernal 16 times (it's a great half-day hike) and to the top of Nevada 7 times (a full-day hike when you take time out for photography). My most recent hike to the top of Nevada was in 2019. I used to hike up the talus slope on the north side of Nevada, but my old knees now prefer the Clark Point Cutoff Trail. Halfway up the Clark Point Cutoff Trail is an excellent viewpoint overlooking Vernal Fall. This viewpoint is one of my favorites in the entire park. My second favorite hike is Tuolumne Meadows to Glen Aulin, which I have done 5 times…each time as a very long day trip from Fresno. My least crowded hike ever was Tioga Road to North Dome, which I did once in the 1990s. I encountered only three other people on the trail and the payoffs are an excellent face-on view of Half Dome and the granite arch on Indian Ridge. BTW, Hwy 395 and Mono Lake are in California, not Nevada.
Hey Doug, this is one of the best videos for Yosemite Hikes. It's clear you've done your research and understand what to prioritize and avoid. My family is going to Yosemite and we've happened to plan a lot like you. However, we'll change our plan to be a more like yours, specifically Day 1. Thank you for this amazing video!
Doug this has been by far the most helpful video I have ever seen. Your knowledge, experience, and sharing what is actually helpful info is a very refreshing approach. Appreciate you sir
Thank you for amazingly thorough and well thought out planning! We are going to the park next week and as a worry-prone person, I really appreciate the guidance you put into this!
Just wanted to thank you for posting this. Drove up from San Diego this weekend and had definitely not had ample time to plan out our trip beforehand. Did two and half days in the park and this video made it completely manageable for my family and I. I tweaked your itinerary slightly as my kids are very young and any sort of strenuous hike would be far too much for them. But we did get two full days of hiking in and the whole family loved it. Thanks again!
From one Doug to another….. THANK YOU! I live in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, but will be in Yosemite the first week of October (barring a government shut down), and your video was super informative.
These are solid recommendations! I’ve been several times and have done Sentinel Dome Vernal and Nevada Falls, Half dome up to the sub Dome, and hiked the Panorama trail and Clouds Rest last week. They’re all great hikes. And now Mt Dana sounds like a great bucket list hike for the future! A stop at Mariposa Grove is also a great addition to your trip- depending on the entrance you use, it coud be something on your way in or out (coming in from the South at Fish Camp). You don’t need much time here to appreciate the sequoias.
I am planning the trip right now and watching the video for the 4th time making notes, thinking about your arguments, thinking what will fit me best. In this video you really nailed answers to my questions. Thank you!
Great video Doug! Very informative with great advice. The only thing possibly missing that I might add based on what I've read about Yosemite is a visit to Mariposa Grove to see the Sequoias near the South entrance. It looks like there are some nice loop hikes there. We are going to Yosemite for the first time this spring and wondering what you think about adding a stop to Mariposa Grove?
Thank you! I did not include the Grove for a few reasons. First it's far from the valley so it takes a whole day round trip. Second, I was going for iconic Yosemite sights (how many pictures do you see from Mariposa Grove?). Third, the big trees are not unique to Yosemite - you can get the same thing in several other places like Sequoia, Calaveras, or near the coast. So it was a pretty easy cut. :)
Thanks for the response. We will be entering from the south gate so may make a quick stop to see it before continuing on to the valley where we will be staying. Thanks again for the great video!
Thank you so much for this video. I will be using it as a Blueprint to plan out my trip with a group of 9 people to Yosemite this Friday. We have 3 Days - so will plan and adjust accordingly! Much appreciated!
Great video, by far the most helpful guide on YT. Everything is very clearly explained and accurate. However, I recommend one correction: when discussing the Day 1 itinerary, after Lower Yosemite Falls Hike you take Wanona Rd to Tunnel View (not Glacier Point). Otherwise an excellent video and I am now a subscriber.
@@BackcountryPilgrimBy the way, I just got word that my wife and I got permits to Half Dome May 29. I keep hearing about doing Mist Trail to Half Dome, however, I don’t find that is an option on AllTrails. In looking at the map, it seems as though the most logical way is to start at the JMT trailhead-> Mist Trail-> JMT-> Half Dome. Is this what you recommend? We are relatively experienced hikers (although my wife will definitely be pushing her limits; we agreed she does not need to make the trek up Half Dome if she is not up to it, however, she understands I HAVE to do it).
@@BackcountryPilgrim it was amazing! My wife and I both made it to the top. It was scarier than I thought climbing up the cable, there was a bit of a line and arms started getting tired just holding on. Going down was easier for me but my wife nearly had a panic attack mid-cable but recovered with some coaching. Views were amazing. Definitely the most challenging hike we have done. Unfortunately, my wife continued having knee pain afterwards so we were limited to easy hikes for the remainder of our trip. We took your video’s advice and did Taft Point and fissure = excellent recommendation and very accurate to say its the best pay off to hiking distance ratio. Then finished with photos at Glacier point which was beautiful. My wife was dead set on getting ice cream there since you suggested it in your video. Thank you so much for your wonderful video. Your channel is more informative than Yosemite’s own content. I am subscribed and will look for guidance among your content for future trips!
Great Yosemite overview video!! We used it to plan our 5 day visit and hope to check out the fish tacos on the east side. We will be skipping Cloud's Rest - too scary., you did it for us - LOL. Thank you for this great information!!
I just got back from a pretty meh trip to Yosemite. Tioga Pass was closed, Glacier Point and many other roads had delays due to road work, it was peak tourist season so completely overcrowded unless I got there before dawn, we were low on gas money due to that aforementioned Tioga road closure forcing us to take a massive detour, and worst of all, a nearby wildfire had filled up Yosemite Valley with smoke so you literally couldn't even see the iconic features or hike at all due to the air quality. We had 4 days in fish camp and spent half that time in the lodge, and only ended up going on one hike, a short 2 mile hike to the Mariposa Sequioa Grove. I really wish we had watched your video! The whole trip was pretty poorly planned, we were having a hard time finding things to do in the park that weren't in the valley or along Tioga Road and didn't have much gas to burn so we ended up just not going there much. We still had an awesome time seeing more of the Sierra, though
Sorry! It's usually pretty hard to have a bad trip to Yosemite but you had every issue at the same time! I need to make an "if you're stuck in the valley" video. :)
Pretty good list. RE the Panorama Trail loop, I've done it in both directions. Going up the Mist Trail is way better than going down. Hikers should confirm that water is available at Glacier Point. Hikers should allow 8-10 hours. I've also taken FM up to Sentinel Dome and back down and just FM to GP and back down. Also check the weather. I went from sunny at the bottom of Four Mile Trail to Snow at the top one May. Enjoying your channel. The payoff at Cloud's Rest is great if there's no smoke and clear skies. I've done it three times and twice views were poor. Also nothing to see until you hit the spine, which is not for those with a fear of heights. In Tuolumne Meadow, Sunrise Lakes and Dog Lake also make good day hikes, with the later trail taking you to the base of Lembert Dome, which is worth the climb. You could also hike out Lyell Canyon for a few miles, have a picnic and hike back.
Wonderful video, and I agree with just about everything you recommend, but I'm surprised you didn't mention visiting Mariposa Grove. For me, the giant Sequoia tress are a sight that you never forget, and equal to anything in Yosemite Valley.
With Yosemite it always feels like things are missed haha. :) I left the grove out because it is relatively isolated and there are big trees in several places besides Yosemite. :)
So so so helpful! I am coming to mostly to do rock climbing and bouldering but i know ill have some time to sprinkle in some hikes. Im so excited, thanks so much this really helped a lot
I would absolutely avoid the plan on day one and 2 of driving a car during the day. You will spend most each day in the car. Now yes older people or families you might want to just visit the short hikes with big payoffs. But for beginner or advanced hiker you want to hit the trail at 5 or 6 am or as early as tolerable and hike all day and avoid ever getting back in a car until nighttime. Hiking upper Yosemite is a priority as is Vernal and Nevada / John Muir. Half dome is overrated but is a bucket list item for some. Day 3 glacial point area is nice but plan of traveling the night before and again waking up early for taft etc hikes. Day 4 do hetch hetchy. Depending on the moon phase and weather then the valley is beautiful as the granite walls are lit up with moonlight.
I assume you've also done North Dome? Heading to Yosemite for the second time (first visit was in June of 2016) this coming June (18th-25th). We will have six full days in the park. We did the Mist Trail to Vernal and Nevada in 2016 (an all-time favorite), Taft Point, Sentinel Dome, Glacier Point and all the Valley hot spots (we also hiked half way up Upper Yosemite Falls before turning back in '16). ^^I'm planning to do all those again next summer (except Upper Falls) as well as Clouds Rest, Mariposa Grove (closed for restoration in 2016), plus Wapama Falls at Hetch Hetchy. The one thing I'm torn on --assuming Tioga Road is open by late June-- is whether to hike Four Mile Trail down only (get picked up in the Valley; we will have two vehicles) from Glacier Point OR go back to Tioga Rd, hike to North Dome, and see several road side attractions along Tioga Rd such as Tenaya Lake, Olmstead Point, possibly Lembert Dome, and maybe Touleomie (sp?) Meadows. I know the Clouds Rest trailhead is at Teneya Lake, so we should be able to spend a little time there after the summit (have heard the mosquitoes are awful). But I've never experienced Tioga Road, and am guessing a strenuous 14 mile hike to Clouds Rest plus a drive to and from Yosemite West (lodging) will leave very little time to explore the remainder of Tioga. I've heard many good things about North Dome (best views of Half Dome), and it's a moderate day hike with a big payoff at the end. Four Mile Trail definitely intrigues me BUT we'd have to arrange a pickup time (will have walkie talkies with no cell service) and I'm concerned that while the views along the trail are surely spectacular, are they not very similar to those from Taft Point and Sentinel Dome? *This is also why I'm hesitant to hike down Panorama Trail to the Mist... Amazing views I'm certain, but I feel like I can get similar views at Glacier Point minus the steep and strenuous hike. Long post, sorry! All these things considered, if you could choose only one, Four Mile Trail or North Dome? Thanks for any advice you can give!
I'd say your assessment is accurate except thay there are some unique views down valley you don't get from GP so whatever choice you make will be good. Personally I'd do 4 Mile over ND but I'd want to do both at some point!
@BackcountryPilgrim Appreciate the reply! The other big one I'd like to check off would be LeConte and Waterwheel Falls in the Grand Canyon of the Toulomie (I need to learn how to spell that). I think most people do that one as an overnight backpacking trip, but I'd do it as a long day hike. Just not in 2025. Maybe someday... Happy hiking!
Travelling from Ireland in a couple of weeks. As part of our California road trip we've planned a couple of days in Yosemite. Dissapointed to hear Glacier point road is closed but still really looking forward to the trip. Thanks for this video!
@@BackcountryPilgrim I started the trail at 3:30am with 60 lbs on my back and made it to the top by 5:45. The views from up top were other-wordly with the myst hovering over everything. Panorama Trail might be my absolute favorite.
Very informative. Heading to Yosemite from the south entrance from Hwy 41. I have children so considering a more friendly family hike, I will do Day 1 as you describe covering the valley, sleep that night in the valley and then continue Day 2 over at Glacier Road into Sentinel Dome and to Glacier Point, skipping Taft point as I think the cliff there might not be safe for children. Then heading back south to Hwy 41. Coming in a couple of weeks. Thanks a million.
I tried to stick with more unique Yosenite features for shorter trips. There are big tress in several places in CA, but they're worth seeing in Yosemite if you'll never see them anywhere else.
@BackcountryPilgrim yeah I'd like to check out sequoia national park but not sure if I'm going to.have enough time so mariposa will have to do unless you feel it's worth the trip to there or somewhere Similar. thanks
Sequoia is pretty far so id consider that a whole different trip. If you're in the central CA area I'd just go to Calaveras Big Trees, but I wouldn't skip Yosemite for it. :)
Agreed on Half Dome, that's something to get a permit for, then train and train and train, do it in a day, have pizza at Curry Village, get your T shirt and get a lot of sleep that night to recover. :)
For one day take the bus up to glaciier point and hike the long way past Illouette falls watercourse, nevada falls, vernal falls and finish with ice cream at Happy Isles snack shack
Thank you for this information. Your videos are excellent. Lots of great detail! We will definitely be trying to find those fish tacos, too! Would love to get an opinion on some of the hikes in Tuolumne Meadows area, as well. Any recommendations there? What about in Wawona?
I've done mostly the"basic" stuff in those areas. The Cathedral Lake hike from TM is a good one and the views under the Peaks there are inspiring. Hiking around the Meadows is nice and I hear good things about Lembert Dome but have never taken the time. The GCT ends in TM and the hike the other direction takes you to some nice river side spots but no major destinations unless you go all the way to Glen Aulin. My next plan is to hike from TM to Mt. Lyell along the JMT, but I haven't yet. :) The main hike near Wawona is Chilnualna Falls - definitely worth doing if you've done the major valley hikes you want. :)
Great video, thanks. Really helpful. One thing I’d like to say as a Californian who lives off of Hwy 395, please realize that Mono Lake and 395 are still in California….you have to drive another hour or so north on 395 before you are in Nevada. (You said Tioga Pass ends in Nevada/Mono Lake. We’re California, baby!) As a person who lives an hour away from Tioga Pass, this video is great for knowing how to spend our days. The only thing we’ve done so far is Mist trail> Vernal>Nevada Falls>JMT, which was amazing, but we’d like to see more of the park. Thanks again.
Best video for someone totally new to Yosemite. Helps learn and plan Yosemite trip. One question: For El Capitan Base Hike, where would be the nearest parking spot from either side of the hike? I found little parking area (4-5 car) parking side of the road driving from Lower Yosemite falls, nothing besides that. Thank you
This is like my 100th time watching this lol im about 1 month away from being at Yosemite. Im doing Nevada falls and now I need to figure what Yosemite Valley Loop trail to do 😂
We visited Yosemite for our Honeymoon! Spent a week and been talking about going back ever since! And we will for sure be going back! Great video!! I’m going to check that book out also!
Yeah the video actually shows that at 6:25. I could have sworn I put a notice about that in the video description too. Looks like I didn't, but it's there now. I hope the other places were worth the visit!
This video is worth a million views! Hands down the best Yosemite Guide!
Feel free to share with 1,000,000 people! Haha. Thank you so much. :)
Terrific guide. The only thing I would add would be a trip to Mariposs Grove to walk amongst the Giant Sequoias.
Another great area! I thought about that but it's not as much of a hike and it's far enough away from the more unique and iconic Yosemite sights you'd end up missing those. :)
hands down still the best Yosemite guide video that I've found. Thank you for presenting such detailed information in a easily digestible manner
That means a lot, thanks man!
I've just watched this video and it was beyond helpful. As a first timer trying to plan our trip I currently have a map and guidebook for yosemite and felt extremely overwhelmed, I didn't even know where to start and was honestly looking around the whole map area and not focusing on the valley. I cannot thank you enough, your 3 day suggestion sounds perfect to us. Thank you 😊
So glad it helped! I was fortunate enough to get to make several trips here but the learning curve can be too high for one trip!
Found the Cloud's Rest from this video. Wanted to hike the Half Dome but didn't win the lottery. So my wife and I hiked to the Cloud's Rest and it was one of the best scenery in my life. Thank you Backcournty Pilgrim!!
That is awesome! Glad to hear!
I’m going to Yosemite next week and have been reading/watching through numerous articles, guidebooks, videos, etc. still don’t know what my 2 full day itinerary is gonna be till I watched this one. Hands down THE most helpful video that one can directly copy. THANK YOU!!!!
So glad it helped! Thank you!
We recently returned from a family road trip to the US, and without any doubt, our trip to Yosemite was the absolute highlight of a superb holiday. We found this video when trying to work out how best to use our time, and it was incredibly helpful. We opted to follow the two day itinerary, and the highlight was the Taft Point and Sentinel Dome loop. The views were stunning and the length and degree of difficulty were perfect for our family of two adults and two teenagers. We also did the valley floor mini hikes and scrambled to the base of Yosemite Falls. Thanks for putting this video together - truly appreciated.
I'm so glad to hear it!
The taco place he mentions at the end is the Whoa Nellie Deli inside the Mobile gas station in Lee Vining. 100% worth the trip!
Never had better!
My brother and I were there in June, we had Half Dome permits, we hit the trail at 5am and were on the summit by 10, and that was with quite a few photo stops, We were the only ones going up the cables, and once on top there was maybe 6 people up there. Going down was a different story, everyone we had passed going up was now trying to get up the cables, went back the JM trail to get a different view of Nevada and Vernal Falls. Our other big hike was Clouds Rest, We started that hike at 2am starting at the sunrise lakes trail head, our goal was to summit and catch sunrise, we got to the summit at 5am and basically froze for 1/2 an hour waiting for the sun to come up. It was so worth the wait to see Clouds rest cast a shadow over Half Dome, then watch the sun hit the Dawn Wall on El-Cap. We were there a total of 4 days and pretty much did all the major thing you describe.
Epic hikes made more epic by the timing. Well done!
Comment for the algorithm. Great video, deserves more views and clicks!
Response for the algorithm lol! Thank you so much!
I'm just returning from my trip to Yosemite. I just want to say THANK YOU SO MUCH for making my trip so INCREDIBLE lol. I followed your 3 day guide and it was fantastic.
You are so welcome!
Watched a dozen videos trying to grasp what’s the best hikes to do in a limited time. If I had watched this from the beginning, I would’ve saved hours 😭
Well those other videos helped you appreciate this one haha. Have a great trip!
This guy knows exactly what he’s talking about. Incredibly informative video. Dude is a seasoned hiker. I’d pay attention to what he has to say.
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed. :)
@@BackcountryPilgrim depending on what permit I get I will be sure to follow your tips.
All I can say is wow
This video was so well put together, extremely informative, and exactly what UA-cam was designed for. Thank u!!!
Glad you enjoyed it!
The best video I've seen for first time visitors that have 2-4 days in the park that want to hit the major sites and few lesser known ones. Exactly what i was looking for! Thank you, great video!
Thank you! I am so glad it was helpful!
Same. Appreciate this. I needed it, as I was completely lost on what to do, other than Half Dome.
Glad it was helpful! :)
Just got back from a one dayer in Yosemite. I wish I saw this video first! Knew going in and going out of the park there's no way this was going to be a one and done park visit. Already planning for next time using this video as a "go to" guide. BTW, did drive the loop of Yosemite Valley, climbed to Vernal Falls and stopped by El Cap base. Not bad for being ill-informed and completely overwhelmed with what I was witnessing with my own eyes! I will return, again and again!!! Peace....
Sounds like you did very well for a first one day trip! Glad to be of help for future visits. :)
Unbelievable quality video. Very informative and easy to understand, doesn't assume anything of the viewer. Thanks.
Glad it was helpful!
This is excellent video. My favorite hike of all time is the Mist Trail/John Muir Trail to Vernal Fall and Nevada Fall. I have been to the top of Vernal 16 times (it's a great half-day hike) and to the top of Nevada 7 times (a full-day hike when you take time out for photography). My most recent hike to the top of Nevada was in 2019. I used to hike up the talus slope on the north side of Nevada, but my old knees now prefer the Clark Point Cutoff Trail. Halfway up the Clark Point Cutoff Trail is an excellent viewpoint overlooking Vernal Fall. This viewpoint is one of my favorites in the entire park.
My second favorite hike is Tuolumne Meadows to Glen Aulin, which I have done 5 times…each time as a very long day trip from Fresno. My least crowded hike ever was Tioga Road to North Dome, which I did once in the 1990s. I encountered only three other people on the trail and the payoffs are an excellent face-on view of Half Dome and the granite arch on Indian Ridge.
BTW, Hwy 395 and Mono Lake are in California, not Nevada.
Those are all great hikes!
Most comprehensive guide on Yosemite I have ever seen. Your guide is incredibly helpful
Glad it was helpful!
Hey Doug, this is one of the best videos for Yosemite Hikes. It's clear you've done your research and understand what to prioritize and avoid. My family is going to Yosemite and we've happened to plan a lot like you. However, we'll change our plan to be a more like yours, specifically Day 1. Thank you for this amazing video!
So glad it helped thank you!
That 4-mile trail - Illouette - JMT loop is my absolute FAVORITE hike in Yosemite.
Good choice! :)
Doug this has been by far the most helpful video I have ever seen. Your knowledge, experience, and sharing what is actually helpful info is a very refreshing approach. Appreciate you sir
Wow, thanks!
Thank you for this incredibly detailed guide!
You're very welcome!
Thank you for amazingly thorough and well thought out planning! We are going to the park next week and as a worry-prone person, I really appreciate the guidance you put into this!
Glad it was helpful! I'll be there too, maybe we'll run into each other! :)
Just wanted to thank you for posting this. Drove up from San Diego this weekend and had definitely not had ample time to plan out our trip beforehand. Did two and half days in the park and this video made it completely manageable for my family and I.
I tweaked your itinerary slightly as my kids are very young and any sort of strenuous hike would be far too much for them. But we did get two full days of hiking in and the whole family loved it.
Thanks again!
So glad it it helped!
This is the most informative channel for hikers in UA-cam
Thank you much!
From one Doug to another….. THANK YOU! I live in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, but will be in Yosemite the first week of October (barring a government shut down), and your video was super informative.
Great name and great comment! I hope the info serves you well!
These are solid recommendations! I’ve been several times and have done Sentinel Dome Vernal and Nevada Falls, Half dome up to the sub Dome, and hiked the Panorama trail and Clouds Rest last week. They’re all great hikes. And now Mt Dana sounds like a great bucket list hike for the future!
A stop at Mariposa Grove is also a great addition to your trip- depending on the entrance you use, it coud be something on your way in or out (coming in from the South at Fish Camp). You don’t need much time here to appreciate the sequoias.
Nice, it sounds like you have been on some of the best hikes!
Yeah!! Traveling to the States tomorrow and were going to be there with 2 kids in 2 weeks. Gonna take your 1 day itenary. Thanks!!
Hope you enjoy it!
Thank you! I’ll be visiting in 10/06-10/11
Perfect time to go!
So helpful, thank you! My first trip to Yosemite is next month, I feel more prepared now :)
Glad it was helpful!
This video was extremely informative and very well put together! Thank you so much for your hard work and input!
You bet! Glad you enjoyed!
Thank you so much for making this video, as a guy from the UK this so so much appreciated 🙌🙌🙌
Glad to help! Cheers!
Great and useful video.Thank you for sharing such a valuable information.
My pleasure!
I am planning the trip right now and watching the video for the 4th time making notes, thinking about your arguments, thinking what will fit me best. In this video you really nailed answers to my questions. Thank you!
I'm glad I could help!
This was an incredibly informative and entertaining video. This will be the first of multiple viewings. Thanks Doug!
So glad it helped, that's exactly why I made it!
This is the best resource I've found on UA-cam for Yosemite, by far!
Glad to hear it and glad it helped!
Great video Doug! Very informative with great advice. The only thing possibly missing that I might add based on what I've read about Yosemite is a visit to Mariposa Grove to see the Sequoias near the South entrance. It looks like there are some nice loop hikes there. We are going to Yosemite for the first time this spring and wondering what you think about adding a stop to Mariposa Grove?
Thank you! I did not include the Grove for a few reasons. First it's far from the valley so it takes a whole day round trip. Second, I was going for iconic Yosemite sights (how many pictures do you see from Mariposa Grove?). Third, the big trees are not unique to Yosemite - you can get the same thing in several other places like Sequoia, Calaveras, or near the coast. So it was a pretty easy cut. :)
Thanks for the response. We will be entering from the south gate so may make a quick stop to see it before continuing on to the valley where we will be staying. Thanks again for the great video!
There ya go!
I had the same question. We’re going in Oct for the first time, entering from the south as well. Plan to spend the first morning in Mariposa.
Excellent video! You gave just enough of a sneak peak to get me intrigued without feeling spoiled!
Great!
Thank you for the input!
I am going to try the pro tip on my next visit!! thank you for sharing excellent research, looking forward to more videos about other national parks.
I hope it works!
Awesome video … I think I watched them all :) … this is the most helpful one. Thanks
Glad it was helpful!
Wish I had seen this video before, great research!
Hands down the best video to help plan for a Yosemite trip. Thanks a ton!
My pleasure!
This is a very helpful video! We only have two and a half days in the park. Your recommendation is extremely helpful! Thank you so much!
Glad it was helpful!
This video came in handy!!! i am planning a 2 day trip there and I cannot do hard thinking so this was perfect! Thank you for sharing this 😊
Glad it helped!
This is literally the video I needed. Thank you
Very welcome!
Thank you so much for this video. I will be using it as a Blueprint to plan out my trip with a group of 9 people to Yosemite this Friday. We have 3 Days - so will plan and adjust accordingly! Much appreciated!
Right on! So glad it was helpful. Have a great trip!
Great video, by far the most helpful guide on YT. Everything is very clearly explained and accurate. However, I recommend one correction: when discussing the Day 1 itinerary, after Lower Yosemite Falls Hike you take Wanona Rd to Tunnel View (not Glacier Point). Otherwise an excellent video and I am now a subscriber.
Oh yeah it's Wawona there, good catch! Thanks for your kind words and for watching!
@@BackcountryPilgrimBy the way, I just got word that my wife and I got permits to Half Dome May 29. I keep hearing about doing Mist Trail to Half Dome, however, I don’t find that is an option on AllTrails. In looking at the map, it seems as though the most logical way is to start at the JMT trailhead-> Mist Trail-> JMT-> Half Dome. Is this what you recommend? We are relatively experienced hikers (although my wife will definitely be pushing her limits; we agreed she does not need to make the trek up Half Dome if she is not up to it, however, she understands I HAVE to do it).
How'd it go???
@@BackcountryPilgrim it was amazing! My wife and I both made it to the top. It was scarier than I thought climbing up the cable, there was a bit of a line and arms started getting tired just holding on. Going down was easier for me but my wife nearly had a panic attack mid-cable but recovered with some coaching. Views were amazing. Definitely the most challenging hike we have done. Unfortunately, my wife continued having knee pain afterwards so we were limited to easy hikes for the remainder of our trip. We took your video’s advice and did Taft Point and fissure = excellent recommendation and very accurate to say its the best pay off to hiking distance ratio. Then finished with photos at Glacier point which was beautiful. My wife was dead set on getting ice cream there since you suggested it in your video. Thank you so much for your wonderful video. Your channel is more informative than Yosemite’s own content. I am subscribed and will look for guidance among your content for future trips!
@MrLAL385 That is so great! Congratulations!!! And I am so glad to have been able to help. :) God bless.
Great Yosemite overview video!! We used it to plan our 5 day visit and hope to check out the fish tacos on the east side. We will be skipping Cloud's Rest - too scary., you did it for us - LOL. Thank you for this great information!!
That makes me very happy! So glad it helped. :)
Great video, just what I needed to help plan my 3 day trip
Let me know how it goes!
I just got back from a pretty meh trip to Yosemite. Tioga Pass was closed, Glacier Point and many other roads had delays due to road work, it was peak tourist season so completely overcrowded unless I got there before dawn, we were low on gas money due to that aforementioned Tioga road closure forcing us to take a massive detour, and worst of all, a nearby wildfire had filled up Yosemite Valley with smoke so you literally couldn't even see the iconic features or hike at all due to the air quality. We had 4 days in fish camp and spent half that time in the lodge, and only ended up going on one hike, a short 2 mile hike to the Mariposa Sequioa Grove. I really wish we had watched your video! The whole trip was pretty poorly planned, we were having a hard time finding things to do in the park that weren't in the valley or along Tioga Road and didn't have much gas to burn so we ended up just not going there much. We still had an awesome time seeing more of the Sierra, though
Sorry! It's usually pretty hard to have a bad trip to Yosemite but you had every issue at the same time! I need to make an "if you're stuck in the valley" video. :)
Thank you so much for all you recommendations!
You bet! Thanks for watching!
Pretty good list. RE the Panorama Trail loop, I've done it in both directions. Going up the Mist Trail is way better than going down. Hikers should confirm that water is available at Glacier Point. Hikers should allow 8-10 hours.
I've also taken FM up to Sentinel Dome and back down and just FM to GP and back down. Also check the weather. I went from sunny at the bottom of Four Mile Trail to Snow at the top one May.
Enjoying your channel.
The payoff at Cloud's Rest is great if there's no smoke and clear skies. I've done it three times and twice views were poor. Also nothing to see until you hit the spine, which is not for those with a fear of heights.
In Tuolumne Meadow, Sunrise Lakes and Dog Lake also make good day hikes, with the later trail taking you to the base of Lembert Dome, which is worth the climb. You could also hike out Lyell Canyon for a few miles, have a picnic and hike back.
So much to do! What an amazing place!
Planning a trip to Yosemite & Northern California in May. This video has been incredibly helpful! Thank you!!
So glad it helped!
Wonderful video, and I agree with just about everything you recommend, but I'm surprised you didn't mention visiting Mariposa Grove. For me,
the giant Sequoia tress are a sight that you never forget, and equal to anything in Yosemite Valley.
With Yosemite it always feels like things are missed haha. :) I left the grove out because it is relatively isolated and there are big trees in several places besides Yosemite. :)
Thank you!!! I followed your 1 day hiking guide and it was amazing!!! Had a really great time at Yosemite. Thanks for all the recommendations!
I'm so glad it helped!
Great informative video that has really helped me focus on what hikes to consider - thank you.
Glad it was helpful!
North Dome is another great hike, be sure to wzlk a littleway down thedome, away from other persons
Yeah I've hiked that twice, I wouldn't put it above these But I would definitely add it on after them!
Thank you! In the planning stages for Yosemite now!
Great! Let me know if I can help!
FIVE BIG STARS!!!! Thank you for the great video!
Thanks!!!
we are putting our full trust into you and this video for our trip! thank you for the detailed tips
I hope it meets your expectations! :)
This video is fantastic
Thank you very much!
Legend - thanks mate! This has helped us immensely!
Glad to hear it! :)
So so so helpful! I am coming to mostly to do rock climbing and bouldering but i know ill have some time to sprinkle in some hikes. Im so excited, thanks so much this really helped a lot
I've heard there are a couple good places to climb in Yosemite. :)
ive been out there twice, its a magical place. did the mist and panorama trails, camped at little yosemite valley. this video is great advice.
It truly is!!!
Thank you! You've helped me plan our 3-day trip at Yosemite! :)
Great! You're welcome!
I just did the Vernal and Nevada falls hike and sentinel dome yesterday. I wish I could see more but we had to go back.
Lot of hiking right there! :)
I would absolutely avoid the plan on day one and 2 of driving a car during the day. You will spend most each day in the car. Now yes older people or families you might want to just visit the short hikes with big payoffs. But for beginner or advanced hiker you want to hit the trail at 5 or 6 am or as early as tolerable and hike all day and avoid ever getting back in a car until nighttime. Hiking upper Yosemite is a priority as is Vernal and Nevada / John Muir. Half dome is overrated but is a bucket list item for some. Day 3 glacial point area is nice but plan of traveling the night before and again waking up early for taft etc hikes. Day 4 do hetch hetchy. Depending on the moon phase and weather then the valley is beautiful as the granite walls are lit up with moonlight.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Fantastic video, very informative! Planning a trip for July
Enjoy!
I assume you've also done North Dome? Heading to Yosemite for the second time (first visit was in June of 2016) this coming June (18th-25th). We will have six full days in the park. We did the Mist Trail to Vernal and Nevada in 2016 (an all-time favorite), Taft Point, Sentinel Dome, Glacier Point and all the Valley hot spots (we also hiked half way up Upper Yosemite Falls before turning back in '16).
^^I'm planning to do all those again next summer (except Upper Falls) as well as Clouds Rest, Mariposa Grove (closed for restoration in 2016), plus Wapama Falls at Hetch Hetchy.
The one thing I'm torn on --assuming Tioga Road is open by late June-- is whether to hike Four Mile Trail down only (get picked up in the Valley; we will have two vehicles) from Glacier Point OR go back to Tioga Rd, hike to North Dome, and see several road side attractions along Tioga Rd such as Tenaya Lake, Olmstead Point, possibly Lembert Dome, and maybe Touleomie (sp?) Meadows.
I know the Clouds Rest trailhead is at Teneya Lake, so we should be able to spend a little time there after the summit (have heard the mosquitoes are awful). But I've never experienced Tioga Road, and am guessing a strenuous 14 mile hike to Clouds Rest plus a drive to and from Yosemite West (lodging) will leave very little time to explore the remainder of Tioga.
I've heard many good things about North Dome (best views of Half Dome), and it's a moderate day hike with a big payoff at the end.
Four Mile Trail definitely intrigues me BUT we'd have to arrange a pickup time (will have walkie talkies with no cell service) and I'm concerned that while the views along the trail are surely spectacular, are they not very similar to those from Taft Point and Sentinel Dome? *This is also why I'm hesitant to hike down Panorama Trail to the Mist... Amazing views I'm certain, but I feel like I can get similar views at Glacier Point minus the steep and strenuous hike.
Long post, sorry! All these things considered, if you could choose only one, Four Mile Trail or North Dome? Thanks for any advice you can give!
I'd say your assessment is accurate except thay there are some unique views down valley you don't get from GP so whatever choice you make will be good. Personally I'd do 4 Mile over ND but I'd want to do both at some point!
@BackcountryPilgrim Appreciate the reply!
The other big one I'd like to check off would be LeConte and Waterwheel Falls in the Grand Canyon of the Toulomie (I need to learn how to spell that). I think most people do that one as an overnight backpacking trip, but I'd do it as a long day hike. Just not in 2025. Maybe someday...
Happy hiking!
@greatestshow99 A day hike from Tuolumne to Waterwheel is doable. I did the GCT a couple years back and there are amazing sights all along the way!
Travelling from Ireland in a couple of weeks. As part of our California road trip we've planned a couple of days in Yosemite. Dissapointed to hear Glacier point road is closed but still really looking forward to the trip. Thanks for this video!
Have fun! (And you can always climb up Four Mile to GP ;))
Well done! 👏
Thank you! 😃
Four Mile Trail to Panorama Trail to John Muir/Mist is what I am doing in 3 weeks because Glacier Point Rd. is closed for renovations. Can't wait.
I think it's the best hike in the valley (ESPECIALLY with G.P. Rd. closed!)!
How was it? Im planning my trip now for tomorrow and would love your feedback
@@BackcountryPilgrim I started the trail at 3:30am with 60 lbs on my back and made it to the top by 5:45. The views from up top were other-wordly with the myst hovering over everything. Panorama Trail might be my absolute favorite.
@@Anfiyaah Sorry I JUST got back 2 hours ago. It was unreal. I hope you had a great time.
Definitely underrated!
Very informative. Heading to Yosemite from the south entrance from Hwy 41. I have children so considering a more friendly family hike, I will do Day 1 as you describe covering the valley, sleep that night in the valley and then continue Day 2 over at Glacier Road into Sentinel Dome and to Glacier Point, skipping Taft point as I think the cliff there might not be safe for children. Then heading back south to Hwy 41. Coming in a couple of weeks. Thanks a million.
Solid plan!
Beyond grateful for this video!! Thank you!!
Glad it was helpful!
I was going to add mariposa grove/sequoia section in addition to the 2 day sights that you recommended when I go to yosemite next June for 3.5 days
I tried to stick with more unique Yosenite features for shorter trips. There are big tress in several places in CA, but they're worth seeing in Yosemite if you'll never see them anywhere else.
@BackcountryPilgrim yeah I'd like to check out sequoia national park but not sure if I'm going to.have enough time so mariposa will have to do unless you feel it's worth the trip to there or somewhere Similar.
thanks
Sequoia is pretty far so id consider that a whole different trip. If you're in the central CA area I'd just go to Calaveras Big Trees, but I wouldn't skip Yosemite for it. :)
@BackcountryPilgrim good to know. I'm travelling from San Francisco so if it's on the way or not that much out of the way I'll consider it.
thanks
Thank you so so much. Your video was incredibly helpful.
I'm so glad!
Fantastic info! Thank you!!
You are so welcome!
Agreed on Half Dome, that's something to get a permit for, then train and train and train, do it in a day, have pizza at Curry Village, get your T shirt and get a lot of sleep that night to recover. :)
No doubt haha. I have a new video on that coming out soon in fact!
Incredible information for planning a trip, thank you so much!
Glad it was helpful!
For one day take the bus up to glaciier point and hike the long way past Illouette falls watercourse, nevada falls, vernal falls and finish with ice cream at Happy Isles snack shack
That's a great one!
Thank you for this information. Your videos are excellent. Lots of great detail! We will definitely be trying to find those fish tacos, too!
Would love to get an opinion on some of the hikes in Tuolumne Meadows area, as well. Any recommendations there? What about in Wawona?
I've done mostly the"basic" stuff in those areas. The Cathedral Lake hike from TM is a good one and the views under the Peaks there are inspiring. Hiking around the Meadows is nice and I hear good things about Lembert Dome but have never taken the time. The GCT ends in TM and the hike the other direction takes you to some nice river side spots but no major destinations unless you go all the way to Glen Aulin. My next plan is to hike from TM to Mt. Lyell along the JMT, but I haven't yet. :)
The main hike near Wawona is Chilnualna Falls - definitely worth doing if you've done the major valley hikes you want. :)
Great video, thanks. Really helpful. One thing I’d like to say as a Californian who lives off of Hwy 395, please realize that Mono Lake and 395 are still in California….you have to drive another hour or so north on 395 before you are in Nevada. (You said Tioga Pass ends in Nevada/Mono Lake. We’re California, baby!) As a person who lives an hour away from Tioga Pass, this video is great for knowing how to spend our days. The only thing we’ve done so far is Mist trail> Vernal>Nevada Falls>JMT, which was amazing, but we’d like to see more of the park. Thanks again.
Oh man I must have misspoke. I meant 395 led to all those places! Thanks!
Best video for someone totally new to Yosemite. Helps learn and plan Yosemite trip. One question: For El Capitan Base Hike, where would be the nearest parking spot from either side of the hike? I found little parking area (4-5 car) parking side of the road driving from Lower Yosemite falls, nothing besides that. Thank you
There are 2 or 3 along Northside drive - basically anywhere you can get on the Valley Loop. Unfortunately these spots don't have names!
Extraordinary video.
Suscribed!
So glad you found it helpful!
Thank you. This was incredibly helpful. I hope to stay in the Valley in 2023 or 2024. I want to spend the week hiking while using the shuttle.
It's an amazing place.
Great job again !!!!
Thanks again! I appreciate the feedback! :)
This is like my 100th time watching this lol im about 1 month away from being at Yosemite. Im doing Nevada falls and now I need to figure what Yosemite Valley Loop trail to do 😂
There are not many loops in the valley, the most popular is Mirror Lake. The Valley Loop itself is 20 miles long and not worth it in my view. :)
Great video!
Thank you!
Oh buy the way, your video is awesome
Thank you
Glad you like it!
Just Awesome. Very comprehensive.
Glad it was helpful!
Okay I grew up hiking and backpacking in Yosemite, but there were some new ideas in this one even for me. Thanks for sharing!
Glad it was helpful! (Love your channel name!)
We visited Yosemite for our Honeymoon! Spent a week and been talking about going back ever since! And we will for sure be going back! Great video!! I’m going to check that book out also!
I saw that in one of your vids, very cool!
Very helpful video. Dude also looks and sounds like James Spader. :D
I always got Anthony Edwards when I had the gotee but I'll take Spader haha!
Wow this is a fantastic video, did a better itenary and details than Chat GPT !
"Pilgrim knows the trails,
Whispers of granite and pines-
GPT just dreams maps."
(ChatGPT)
LOL!
@@BackcountryPilgrim literally just changed two whole days of my 4 day plan because of this
@Sidelinefighter-expert I hope you have a great trip!
Most helpful video. Thank you!
Great to hear!
Glacier Point Rd is closed through 2023.
I missed it because I was just there with 2 young kid's, the Glacier Point hike was not doable for us
Yeah the video actually shows that at 6:25. I could have sworn I put a notice about that in the video description too. Looks like I didn't, but it's there now. I hope the other places were worth the visit!
@@BackcountryPilgrim definitely still worth it.
@@lightlydark416 Right on. it's ahrder with little kids because climbing out of the valley can be exhausting by itself!
Need to make it to Yosemite now! Thanks for sharing!
Let me know when you come out, I'll take ya! :)
@@BackcountryPilgrim so cool thanks!