View of Yosemite National Park from Glacier Park with Half-Dome on the right as taken by my iPhone.
[UPDATED FOR MY 2016 TRIP]
For the third year in a row in 2014, I took a vacation to the West Coast. On the agenda were Yosemite National Park, San Francisco, Portland, and Seattle. I flew into San Francisco International Airport. I promptly drove to the nearest In-N-Out Burger to grab lunch. Next, I stopped by the closest Trader Joe’s to pick up snacks and water for my upcoming hikes. From San Francisco, Yosemite is approximately a 3 hour drive east of the city. I went directly to the bed and breakfast I was staying at and rested up for a long hike the next day. As soon as you drive into the National Park, you are greeted with great views of Yosemite Valley. As you hike up and down the trails on the mountains, the views become exponentially spectacular than the ones at the floor of the valley. The hike I did was the most physically challenging thing I have ever done. On the other hand, the payoff is one of the most satisfying feelings. In addition to the pride of pushing my body to accomplish a grueling task, I was rewarded with some of the most amazing views I have ever seen in my life. The term I use to describe the experience is excruciatingly pleasant. I was in complete pain from the soreness that hit me after the hike. In contrast, I was totally overwhelmed and humbled by the majestic beauty of nature I saw along the way. It is $20 [now $30] for a vehicle to enter the park and it is good for 7 days. It is well worth the price. I had an amazing trip out west. I visited a lot of great places with stunning views. Nevertheless, Yosemite was definitely my favorite.
In 2016, I returned to Yosemite and brought a couple of my friends with me to take them on the incredible hike I did in 2014. Last time, I went at the end of August. In 2016, we went at the end of June. There is not a bad time to enjoy the beauty of the park. However, June is a better time because the waterfalls are flowing after the snow melts in the spring. Unless there is rain throughout the summer [California is still facing a significant drought], the waterfalls could dry out dramatically by the end of the summer. In addition to updating my recommendations, I have added photos to contrast the difference between my June 2016 experience and my August 2014 experience.
THE Hike
There are a lot of trails in the park. You could probably spend a month trying to complete them all. I went on a route suggested by my friend, Andrew, who hiked Yosemite in 2013. Like I noted above, the hike is very strenuous but you get to see the entire valley at amazing vantage points. If you are up to the challenge, it is definitely the way to go. This hike was 14+ miles and took me approximately 8-9 hours when you include time to rest and enjoy the view. You will need to bring plenty of water. I consumed 4.5 liters by the end of my hike. In addition, bring food so you can keep your energy up. However, do not bring too much. I made a rookie mistake of bringing too much my first trip: Cliff bars, granola bars, apricots, and banana chips. Considering the extreme elevation change throughout the hike, you will pay dearly for carrying too much. On my second time, I was a lot wiser. I had a camelback with my main water pouch. Then, I had a small drawstring sack to hold my extra water, a couple of bars, and a couple of bananas. The bananas are very important if you are afraid of cramping. I cramped both times I did this hike and the bananas were a lifesaver. I also saw other hikers bring cold cut sandwiches for lunch. There are great areas to stop along the way and enjoy beautiful views while you eat. In preparation for this hike my first time, I ran 40 miles per week in the month leading up to it. However, the challenge is significant elevation change and continually going up and down a mountain. My approach was to build up stamina via cardio then will the rest. While I think it helped, I would recommend mixing in steps if you are concerned about completing the hike. On my second time, I prepared with doing four moderate to difficult hikes. While I thought it would help, it still did not prepare me fully for this hike even though I knew what to expect. Moreover, you will need shoes with good grips as there are some slippery rocks along the trails. During my first trip, I used a good pair of running shoes that I had been using for a while but still had good grip. It is also a very dirty hike. The dust from the dirt kicks up. My shoes, socks, and legs were completely covered by it by the end of my hike. If you do not use hiking shoes, do not use a relatively new pair of shoes either. I knew my shoes could be ruined but I was ready to buy a new pair of running shoes when I got home anyway. While it is not necessary, I went with hiking shoes the second time. It definitely helps. As I noted above, I also went with a camelback. I highly recommend using one. It significantly reduces the weight on your back. One of my friends used a laptop book bag which was heavy because of the padding inside. Eventually, the weight caused his back to get very stiff and he had to literally lie on the ground many times as we were on the second half of the hike. I carried his bag up for him the rest of the way. Even though he drank most other water, the bag was heavy and I knew why he was having back problems.
After you enter the park, it is still a long drive before you arrive at the Visitor’s Center. However, it is a very easy drive with solid views. Hopefully, you will not get stuck behind a very slow tour bus like me on one of my drives into the park. There is also no gas inside the park and the prices at the gas station right outside the park are marked up. As a result, remember to fill up your car with enough fuel to enter, drive around, and exit the park. As you near the Visitor Center, there is visitor parking. If you park at the lot by the Visitor Center, take the express shuttle from the parking lot to the Visitor Center. It is one stop and connects you with the other buses that will take you to different locations in the park. If you get to the park a little later and that lot is full, signs will direct you left to the lot near the Lower Yosemite Falls. Nevertheless, there is a shuttle stop just outside of the parking lot right of the portable toilets. I also advise using the bathrooms on the Valley Floor. As expected, there is no plumbing as you go up. The bathrooms are basically holes in the ground with walls around them. For this reason, I avoided using the bathroom as much as possible. For this hike, I took the shuttle to get to stop 16, Happy Isles. This stop puts you at the beginning of the Mist Trail. I took the Mist Trail to hike to Vernal Falls then Nevada Falls. Afterwards, most hikers will take the John Muir trail all the way back down. As was recommended to me, I took the John Muir trail to the Panorama Trail that brought me to Glacier Point. I finished my hike by taking the Four Mile Trail back to the bottom of the valley. Throughout my entire hike, the music from the Lord of the Rings constantly rang through my head. The following are my notes about the different legs of the hike.
Vernal Falls
From the start of the Mist trail, it takes 1.5 miles to get to the top of Vernal Falls. On the trail, follow the signs to the “Foot Trail”. The best view of the falls is near the bottom where you see the stream hit the rocks below. As you can see from the comparison pictures, the falls flowed a lot more in June than at the end of August. When I was there in June 2016, I finally realized why the path is called the “Mist” trail. The climb to Vernal Falls was one of the most difficult parts of the hike. There are steps carved in because it is steep. In 2014, I stopped at least five times to catch my breath. Of course, my backpack was fully loaded at that point with food and water. As my day progressed, it got lighter and easier to carry after I ate some of the food and drank all the water. In 2016, I was much more prepared. I carried a lot less and had a dramatically easier time making it up. There is a clearing at the top of the falls to enjoy the view and take a break. However, there are guard rails because it is dangerous. There is a sign that asks you whether a picture is worth your life. If you want an area to enjoy the stream, continue up to the top of Nevada Falls. Do not be foolish getting too close to edge of either falls. Although rare, there are stories of visitors going into the water and falling to their death after getting caught in the stream. Obviously, enjoy yourself but do not be foolish.
Nevada Falls
From Vernal Falls, it is another 1.5 miles to the top of Nevada Falls. There are a lot of rocks on this part of the trail so I slipped the most in this segment of my hike in 2014. In 2016, the hiking boots helped me maintain my grip. The payoff of Nevada Falls is well worth the climb. At the top, there is a large clearing for you to enjoy a spectacular view and have lunch. As you enter, there is a beautiful wooden bridge that gives you the thought of entering something special. Both times I reached the top, I found a large rock to sit on, ate my food, and took a moment to collect my thoughts and take it all in. You can also sit by the falls and put your feet in the water. A lot of tourists turn back at Vernal Falls so you definitely have more peace at the top of Nevada Falls.
Panorama Trail/ Glacier Point
After Nevada Falls, you start going down the John Muir Trail. Most hikers that go to Nevada Falls take the trail back down to the valley. However, I wanted to complete the same grueling route that my friend took before me. I finished it in 2014 and did it again in 2016. There is no sign for the Panorama Trail on the John Muir Trail. Shortly after walking from the falls, there is a sign that points you towards Glacier Point. That path is the Panorama Trail and will take over 5 miles. You will ascend for a little bit. Then, you will go downhill for a while. You will pay for it later as you will ascend for a long time afterwards in order to get to Glacier Point. Before you start the climb up, you will walk over a bridge above a beautiful stream. It is a good resting spot. As I got very close to the top of Glacier Point the first time, I cramped up bad and had to take a 15 minute break to proceed. Surprisingly, I cramped up much earlier the second time even though I was much more tired the first time because of the unnecessary weight I carried. Fortunately, some food [specifically, bananas] and water did the trick and I was able to continues. While the Mist and John Muir Trails have a lot of shade, there are a lot of parts of the trail up to Glacier Point on the Panorama Trail that are not shaded. As such, I highly recommend wearing sun block. I got sunburned both times because I did not put any on. The view at the top of Glacier Point is incredible. It is my favorite view during my trip to Yosemite. Retrospectively, it is still my favorite single spot anywhere, which includes the beautiful Hawaii. There is also a store at the top with food and beverages. I expected a significant markup in prices but they were consistent with a regular convenient store.
Four Mile Trail
From Glacier Point, I take the Four Mile Trail back to the valley floor. It is actually 4.7 miles. It is all switchbacks and almost all downhill. It was still difficult the first time because my legs felt like jelly already. During my second time, my feet got really sore. From certain aspects, it is more difficult going down on a hike because you have to brace yourself from going down the mountain too fast. There are steep drops where you can look over the edge and see the valley floor straight down. For this reason, you absolutely do not want to slip. I stayed as far away from the edge as possible and walked slow at certain points of the path. The trail is closed during times of the year (e.g. winter) when it is too slippery. I would definitely not go down it if it is raining or just rained. Nevertheless, it is not very dangerous in good weather. Like the rest of the hike, there are incredible views as you walk down. At the beginning of the walk down, you will be able to look across the valley and see the Lower and Upper Yosemite Falls. If you are descending the trail a couple hours before sunset, the rays of the sun slowly retreating from the valley is a majestic and peaceful sight.
Especially after you have done a lot of hiking already, the journey to the bottom can seem endless. After 90 minutes of descending during my first time down the trail, I ran into a family with young kids that was also on the way down. The father asked me how I was doing. I pointed down. He acknowledged my gesture and said “I know. Unbelievable [view].” While I totally agreed with his statement, I told him I actually meant to suggest how crazy it is that we are still not even close to the bottom. Of course, you eventually make it and get the ultimate feeling of satisfaction from completing a monster hike.
Alternative Routes
It may be easier to do my route in reverse starting with the Four Mile Trail. You make the initial investment in going uphill then earn the opportunity to go predominantly downhill on the Panorama Trail, the John Muir trail, and the Mist trails. All hikers I walked past on the Panorama Trail both times were going downhill. My friends and I were the only ones going up… and up. The downside of going in reverse is that you will be at your most fatigued when you are hiking down the most slippery parts of the hike on the Mist Trail. Another alternative is to pay to take a shuttle to Glacier Point to bypass the Four Mile Trail. It is a very popular option for most hikers.
Half Dome
For experienced hikers and climbers, the Half Dome is very popular (at the right side of the cover photo). I heard the view is the best in the park and the top of the dome is the size of a football field. You need to enter a lottery just to get the opportunity to climb it. You climb the dome via cables. When I saw the pictures, I said to myself “Not a chance”.
Valley Floor Trail
If you want to avoid the uphill hike, the Valley Floor Trail is an option since it is mostly level. The day after my long hike on my first trip, I was extremely tired and did not want to do much ascending. As such, I tried the Valley Floor Trail. I started at Stop 6. This starting point is great because you get to see the beautiful Lower Yosemite Falls. Even if you do not want to take the loop, I definitely recommend stopping by to see these falls. Mirror Lake is another good stop on the Valley Floor Trail. Of course, you can also just take the shuttle there to avoid the hike. When I saw the lake at the end of August, there was no water. When I returned two years later in June, I saw many visitors swimming and jumping from the top of a small rock into the water.
While there were excellent views of Yosemite from the valley floor, they felt very ordinary after I took the superior scenic route the previous day. The full trail is 11.5 miles. I only did the 7.2 mile half loop in 2014 since I was completely fatigued before I started. I did not enjoy the Valley Floor Trail for a couple of reasons. First, many visitors ride horses on the trail. As such, there is a ton of manure. I spent more time looking down avoiding the manure rather than enjoying the views and hike. Moreover, I spent most of the hike swatting at flies which are more prevalent on the floor. In 2016, I took the shuttles to the Lower Yosemite Falls and Mirror Lake.
Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias
After the Valley Trail Loop, I drove to the South Gate Entrance. The view is great driving in this direction. However, you are high up with steep drops. Consequently, I highly recommend you or another driver is alert and fully awake before you make the drive. Right before the exit, I stopped by the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias. It is definitely worth the stop. Sequoias are massive trees and very thick. There are some trees that fell over 100 years ago but look like they fell recently. Their thickness prevents rotting and other external factors (e.g. termites) from destroying the tree. Since I was already very tired, I only hiked 0.8 miles to the Giant Grizzly. If I had more energy, I would have definitely taken the 3 mile round trip to visit the museum in the grove. The hike in the grove is easy especially compared to the trails in Yosemite.
Unfortunately, the grove is closed for a project until 2017. As a result, we could not stop by in 2016.
Lodging
There are a lot of options for lodging. You can camp in the park, stay in the lodges inside the park, or explore options outside of the park. I decided to stay at a bed and breakfast outside of Yosemite.
Nature’s Inn Bed & Breakfast (44625 Silver Spur Trail, Ahwahnee, CA 93601)
I definitely recommend this bed and breakfast. It is the only place I have stayed that I returned a second time for pleasure. It has 5 stars on Tripadvisor and Expedia. It definitely earns its ratings. The two owners are very friendly and pleasant. They greeted me as soon as I arrived and showed me to my room. The inn has the look of log cabins. The rooms are comfortable and look great. You also have a kitchen and a refrigerator. The beds are the best I have ever slept on while travelling. They are very firm and I slept like a baby. The wireless internet is strong as I had no problem connecting. The only slight criticism I had was the showers were small in the Vernal Falls Room so it was difficult for me to turn since I am not a small person. When I stayed with my friends in the El Capitan suite, the shower was much bigger and comfortable. The inn is also close to the west and south entrances at about a 20 minute drive to either entrance. Of course, it still takes 90 minutes to get to the Visitor’s Center since it is a long drive once you are in the park.
The breakfast at the inn is amazing. It was definitely the best food I ate near Yosemite. In 2014, my favorite breakfast was the puffed pancake and bacon I had on my first day. It gave me the energy I needed to get through the ensuing monster hike. They served an egg soufflé with fruit on the second day of my stay. On the third day, they served a fruit French toast with sausages on my final day. Everything tasted incredible. They offered seconds but I was full with just one serving. On my return trip in 2016, the food was even better. They served the egg soufflé again on the first day. The accompanying muffins were ridiculously good. I found some room and took up their offers for seconds and thirds. On the second day, the macadamia nut French toast blew all of the other dishes away. I have never seen or eaten anything like it. The macadamia nut crust was perfect and immaculate. Naturally, I could not say yes fast enough when I was asked whether I wanted seconds.
Restaurants
There are limited food options inside Yosemite but plenty outside of it. After my long hike the first time, it was already late so I just stopped by a Jack in a Box. I had not tried it in my previous two trips to the West Coast because I heard it was nothing special. My advisers were correct since it is like the Wendy’s of the West Coast. Nevertheless, I tried other restaurants by the bed and breakfast in nearby Oakhurst by the South Gate on my two trips. If you do not want to stay in Oakhurst, I have been told Groveland is a popular destination outside of the park.
1. Taqueria Plazuelas (39993 California 41, Oakhurst, CA 93644)
This Mexican restaurant has a hole in the wall feel. It is a gem. Two brothers and their mother [or grandmother] work at the restaurant. As a result, it has a home cooking feel and the food is amazing. The fish tacos were amazing. The fish was very fresh and smooth. My chicken burrito was also very good. The prices are very reasonable too. If there is anywhere I recommend eating near Yosemite, it is Taqueria Plazuelas.
2. South Gate Brewing Company (40233 Enterprise Dr, Oakhurst, CA 93644)
It is a solid spot for a good burger, wings, and beer. It is nothing amazing but you could do worse in Oakhurst. As the name implies, there is a small brewery in the back.
3. Hitching Post Sports Bar (42592 CA-49, Ahwahnee, CA 93601)
It is called a sports bar but it is more of a local pub where all locals hang out. They are very friendly and will be more than willing to answer any questions you have about the area. The food is decent. The portions are very generous. You will not leave hungry. If you are arriving in the area or getting back late from a long day in the park, it is the only place still open. It is opened till 2 AM but closes at midnight if no customers are there.
4. Crab Cakes Restaurant (49271 Golden Oak Loop, Oakhurst, CA 93644)
I was very disappointed in this restaurant. I started out with the clam chowder. Unfortunately, there were no clams in it. I tried the broiled catfish. It was decent but did not blow me away. Since I was 3 hours east of the ocean, I understood it may not be the freshest seafood. I was hoping the chocolate mousse cake would redeem the restaurant. However, it was very ordinary. The décor is not great because it is a family restaurant tailored for children. On the plus side, my server was very friendly.
About Pat Wong
Patrick is a contributor for Rookerville. He is an avid sports fan. Before joining Rookerville, he was part of a defunct New York Yankees message board, NYYankeefans, where he was its top poster and was inducted in its Hall of Fame for his contributions. Patrick is also a passionate fan of movies. He has enjoyed reading movie reviews over the years and is excited about the opportunity to review movies. Patrick is also a passionate foodie. He is Yelp Elite for three years in a row and shares his great finds in New York and his travels.