The Ultimate Weekend In Yosemite National Park

Yosemite National Park is one of the most well-revered national parks in the United States. It’s known for its grand waterfalls, soaring evergreens, and awe-inspiring granite cliffs that will leave you speechless. The park is part of California’s Sierra Nevada mountain region and is easily accessible for those flying into one of the major northern California airports. Once you get a taste of the beauty of Yosemite, you’ll understand why it’s one of the top ten most visited national parks in the entire country. This park should be high on your list of destinations to explore if you crave an outdoor adventure. If you only have one weekend in Yosemite National Park, you’ve come to the right place.

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When To Go

The park is open year-round, and each season offers a unique experience for its guests. I’ve outlined the options below, including the itinerary for our weekend in Yosemite.

Spring

Spring is by far the best time to visit, and rightfully so. It’s the season to explore for those looking to see the majestic waterfalls throughout this national park, enjoy mild temperatures, and see the wildflowers begin to bloom. For those brave enough to hike Half Dome, the cables are often put up by the end of May, which means the trail is open for the season. The only downfall is that Tioga Road and Glacier Point Road may be closed due to extremely unpredictable weather during this time of year. I recommend visiting in late April or May if you plan a trip to this incredible national park.

Summer

If you don’t want to worry about weather issues or road closures, summer might be your top choice for exploring the park. Summer features pleasant temperatures and very little rainfall. Keep in mind that if you want to see waterfalls, it’s best to go earlier in the season as they often dry up by the end of summer. The combination of glorious weather and families taking summer vacations make summer the busiest time of the year with the largest crowds and highest prices.

Fall

As mentioned above, the waterfalls are usually gone by the fall, but the sites are still breathtaking. The crowds begin to thin after Labor Day weekend, making fall a perfect time for those who want to enjoy peace and quiet in the park. It’s an excellent time for hiking during the earlier part of the season, with mild mild temperatures and minimal precipitation.

We decided to visit during mid-October to celebrate our wedding anniversary. Overall, we were very pleased with the weather and crowds. We were told we wouldn’t see the leaves changing colors due to the trees primarily consisting of evergreens; however, we were pleasantly surprised to see pops of yellow and orange peeking out of the foliage in the valley. We did experience some road closures (more details below), but we reworked our itinerary to see everything on our list.

Winter

Winter is easily the best time to spend a weekend in Yosemite if you want to avoid the crowds. It’s also a wonderful season for those who enjoy a peaceful snowy hike with unbelievable views. However, Yosemite Valley and Wawona are the only areas open all year, limiting your options. Tioga Road and Glacier Point Road are typically closed due to weather from November through April.

If you need a comprehensive packing list for all your travel needs, I’ve got you covered! I created the ultimate packing list for your upcoming adventures, including carry-on essentials, toiletries, clothing, and location-specific items.

How To Get Around

Yosemite National Park is easily accessible by vehicle, and most roads are open between May and October. For those without a car, you can utilize the bus system to get to and from the park, and Yosemite Valley Shuttle System, which stops at every major destination in the valley. I personally recommend driving if you spend a weekend in Yosemite. You can choose your own adventure and take advantage of everything the park has to offer at your own pace.

Getting an earlier start to the day will also come in handy if you’re traveling on a weekend in Yosemite. National Park Services (NPS) states on their website to expect traffic and to arrive before 9:00 am to snag a parking spot. 

Where To Stay

We had a fantastic experience staying at Rush Creek Lodge and Spa at Yosemite. The lodge is located just outside the park entrance, about a 40-minute drive from Yosemite Valley. Even though we didn’t stay in the park, it didn’t impact our experience one bit. We stayed in one of the lodge rooms and found it to be a perfect oasis after long days of hiking. Aside from the comfortable rooms, the lodge offers a ton of amenities, including a delicious restaurant, a general store, a main lodge with TVs and games, a pool, a relaxing spa, and a variety of on-site activities. On our last night there was a s’mores roasting event, which was the perfect cap to a great weekend in Yosemite.

Alternate Accommodation Options

There are many accommodation options inside and outside of Yosemite National Park for a weekend stay. No matter when you decide to visit, it is best to book your accommodations as early as possible, given the popularity of the park. I’ve listed a variety of options below:

Hotels

• The Ahwahnee: A gorgeous and historic hotel in the heart of Yosemite Valley. Amenities include a restaurant, pool, gift shop, and bar. Be sure to book your reservations well in advance to secure your stay.
• Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite: A spacious, dog-friendly, full-service lodge in the Fish Valley region.
• Evergreen Lodge at the Yosemite: The sister lodge to Rush Creek is located in the town of Mather.
• Yosemite Valley Lodge: Family-friendly motel-style lodge in the Yosemite Valley next door to the Yosemite Falls.

Bed and Breakfasts

• Blackberry Inn Yosemite: A luxurious and beautifully decorated B&B in the Buck Meadows region.
• Yosemite West High Sierra Bed and Breakfast: Guests should expect to enjoy lovely views from their porches while sipping on a cup of coffee at this Yosemite West B&B.

Camping

• Yosemite National Park currently has 13 campgrounds that offer guests a unique way to experience the park in all its glory. Campers can make reservations through the NPS website.

Know Before You Go

I’ve compiled some helpful information to ensure you have a smooth journey while planning your weekend trip and exploring Yosemite National Park.

• The entrance fee is $35 per vehicle, and the ticket is valid for seven days. They only accept credit card payments at this time.
• The park requires a reservation between May 20th and September 30th. You can obtain your reservation through the NPS website.
• The Yosemite NPS website is full of helpful information and alerts. Hence, it’s beneficial to check it throughout the day to stay up to date on anything that could impact your experience.
• Weather-related road closures are widespread outside of the summer months. It’s best to check the weather forecast and the NPS website to find out if there are any upcoming road closures so you can plan around them.
• Cell service is spotty at best, so expect to be off the grid when exploring the trails.
• Yosemite is home to the curious and hungry American black bears. They have a strong sense of smell and will seek out human food. This is why it’s essential to properly store your food in a bear-safe food locker or container. 
• Please drive carefully and obey speed limits, especially at night. You will share the road with other visitors just as eager to get to their destination as you are. You may also encounter bears on your journey. Sadly, each year there are a handful of black bears that get hit by cars due to speeding.

Main Sights

• Half Dome: The granite landmark of Yosemite National Park. It sits over 5,000 ft from the valley floor, so it’s easily spotted from several angles throughout the park. It’s a gorgeous sight to see at sunrise or sunset.
• El Capitan: This iconic vertical granite formation has captured the hearts of rock climbers from all over the globe. It was recently featured in the film, Free Solo, gaining even more popularity due to its challenging routes to the top. Thankfully, you don’t need to climb it to admire its glorious stature.
• Tunnel View: By far one of the most impressive vistas on California ​​State Route 41, providing an expansive view of Yosemite National Park.
• Tenaya Lake: This picturesque lake is referred to as the “Jewel of the High Country,” located between Yosemite Valley and Tuolumne Meadows.

Hiking in Yosemite National Park

Yosemite has over 750 miles worth of hiking trails that vary in length, elevation gain, and extraordinary views. You can locate all the trail information on the Yosemite Hikes website and the AllTrails app. I’ve also curated a list of recommended hikes based on my research and experience.

If you decide to hike, you should come prepared with a reusable water bottle and follow the Leave No Trace Principles.

Yosemite Valley Hikes

• Lower Yosemite Falls: 0.5 miles round trip from the trailhead.
• Bridalveil Fall Trail: 1.2 miles round trip from the parking lot.
• Inspiration Point: 2.6 miles round trip from the Wawona Tunnel overlook parking lot.
• The Mist Trail: 3 miles round trip to Vernal Fall, 7 miles round trip to Nevada Fall.
• The Four-Mile Trail: 4.7 miles one way, 9.4 miles round trip from the trailhead.
• Half Dome: 14.2 miles round trip from the Mist Trail. This famous trail requires a permit to access the cable section of the route. The cables are only up for a portion of the year, depending on weather conditions. Half Dome is one of the most strenuous and dangerous hikes in the entire park, so it’s not for the faint of heart.

Glacier Point Hikes

• Glacier Point: 1 mile round trip from the parking lot.
• Sentinel Dome: 2.2 miles round trip from the trailhead.
• Taft Point: 2.2 miles round trip from the trailhead.

Tioga Road Hikes

• Cathedral Lakes: 8 miles round trip to see both Upper and Lower Cathedral Lakes.
• Clouds Rest: 14.5 miles roundtrip from the trailhead.

Southern Yosemite Hike

• Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias: Trails range from 0.3 miles to 7 miles depending on which one you choose.

Ready to hit the trails? Check out my Complete Hiking Packing List post that outlines the hiking ten essentials you need in your pack for a safe journey outdoors.

Weekend in Yosemite National Park Itinerary

Day 1 – Yosemite Valley

Bill and I started our journey by flying into San Francisco, picking up our rental car, and hitting the road. It took us roughly 3 hours to get to Rush Creek Lodge, not including a quick stop at a local grocery store closer to the park entrance. By the time we checked into our room, it was mid-afternoon, so we opted to explore the Yosemite Valley and hike the easy Lower Yosemite Falls Trail. This is an excellent trail for all fitness levels since it’s a short, 0.5-mile route that’s fully paved with minimal elevation gain. We even saw some local wildlife, spotting a few deer on our way to the falls. As I mentioned above, we traveled to Yosemite during the fall and the waterfalls were nearly dried up when we arrived. Even so, it was a beautiful first hike that started the trip off on a positive note.

Next we made our way to the Tunnel View parking lot to access the Inspiration Point trailhead. During my research, I found this would be a great spot to watch the sunset over the national park. Inspiration Point is 2.6 miles round trip, but it’s a steady elevation increase the entire way up, making this a moderate hike. It was overcast that evening, so we didn’t quite catch the sun hitting the granite slabs. Despite this, it was still a fantastic view of the entire valley and we had the added bonus of having the trail to ourselves, which is pretty rare for most hikes in Yosemite.

When we got back to our room that night, we checked the NPS website for any potential road closures and inclement weather. Both Tioga Road and Glacier Point Road were projected to be closed on our third and final day in the park. To ensure we didn’t miss any key sights, Bill and I boldly decided to tackle the pair on the same day.

Spoiler alert: Tioga Road did close on our third day in the park. We were grateful that we had a chance to explore the day before, since it was the final day the road was open for the entire year. If you can take two things away from reading this post, it is that you should come prepared to change your itinerary (especially if you travel outside of the summer months) and check the NPS website daily.

Day 2 – Tioga Road & Glacier Point Road

Bill and I had an early start to our day in the crazy attempt to conquer Tioga Road and Glacier Point Road in one fell swoop. On average, it takes over an hour to get from one to the other, not including any stops. I wouldn’t recommend tackling both if you can avoid it; even so, we made the best of our jam-packed day.

Our first stop was hiking the Cathedral Lakes Trail off Tioga Road. We saw an increasing amount of snow on the ground as we drove toward the trailhead, so we had a good feeling we were in for a colder hike. Once we layered up, we began our snow-covered trek toward the peaceful lakes. The trail was 8 miles round trip with steady elevation gain; the snow added an extra level of difficulty to the equation, making this route moderate to difficult depending on your fitness level. You quickly feel more relaxed as you approach the tranquil lakes. The trees were all dusted with snow, giving this hike a magical feel.

When we returned to our car, we took a quick minute to remove some layers and unpack some food, then immediately pushed onwards towards Glacier Point. It took us a little over two hours to drive from the Cathedral Lakes trailhead to the Sentinel Dome and Taft Point trailhead, but it provided a much-needed break for our legs. Sentinel Dome and Taft Point share a trailhead, and a path connects the two popular sites in Yosemite National Park. Naturally we decided to tackle both, which was a little over 5 miles round trip. Although we were pretty beat after a long day, these two viewpoints were well worth it. Boasting tremendous views of the valley, Sentinel Dome and Taft Point are a must if you’re planning a weekend in Yosemite National Park.

Our last stop of the day was Glacier Point. If you’re traveling to Yosemite National Park when the road is open, this is a perfect stop for any visitor. It’s a very quick and easy walk to the viewpoint, and you get to see the most spectacular view of Half Dome. We visited around sundown and witnessed Half Dome beautifully set under some moody cloud coverage. The perfect end to our (crazy) day.

Day 3 – Vernal and Nevada Falls Trails

We dedicated our third and final day in Yosemite National Park to hiking Vernal and Nevada Falls via the John Muir Trail. The John Muir trail is 211 miles long and primarily overlaps with the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail; however, a portion of the trail is accessible in the park. We decided to take this route instead of the Mist Trail route to get an excellent view of both falls. It doesn’t matter what path you take; both are very strenuous and will require a large portion of your day. It ended up being 8.91 miles round trip and a little over 4 hours, not including stops and rests.

Was it worth the excursion? Absolutely. The views throughout the entire trek were unbelievable. As we continued to gain elevation, we saw another side of Half Dome with evergreens lining its base. The clouds cleared up, and we enjoyed a final sunny hike in one of the most impressive national parks.

Final Thoughts

Our weekend in Yosemite National Park was one of our highlights from 2021. The park was stunning, peaceful, and clean while also offering its visitors a variety of great hiking trails for all fitness levels. I had to stop to take everything in periodically since the scenery was so majestic. If you decide to visit, you’re in for a few “pinch me. I must be dreaming” moments throughout your trip.

Have you traveled to Yosemite National Park? Is it still on your bucket list? I would love to hear about your experience in the comments!

Ready for another adventure? Check out my blog post outlining our trip to Arches and Canyonlands National Parks.