Yosemite
National Park
Yosemite National Park is technically the third oldest national park in the U.S., however, the land was set aside by an act of Congress in 1864, six years before Yellowstone was named America’s first National Park. By 1890, Yosemite joined the original group of National Parks and remains a jewel of the system today. We have so much to see and do in Yosemite.
Even with eight days and seven nights set aside, we won’t see everything. We’ll begin in Wawona with the Mariposa Grove, and then into Yosemite Valley, where we’ll hit all the requisite sites: Tunnel View, Inspiration Point, Bridal Veil Falls, El Capitán picnic area, etc. We plan some longer hikes from the valley, including Glacier Point, Mist Trail to Venal Falls and Nevada Falls — with an option to attempt Half Dome, if we can acquire a permit. We’ll also visit Tuolumne Meadows, including hikes at Tenya Lake and Lembert Dome. We’ll stay at a combination of National Parks Lodges and campgrounds in Wawona and inside Yosemite Valley.
Itinerary
We are presenting our itinerary as we lived it. Not the plan, but rather what we were actually able to accomplish. Naturally there are some missed goals and some serendipitous surprises. We always rolled with the punches and made the best out of our time in the national parks. Below we have included some notes that explain how the itinerary changed from what we had in mind.
It’s important to know that these plans were made to suit the abilities and interests of two young girls aged 10 and 12. We feel confident that any family on their “Every Kid Outdoors Summer” (4th grade) could handle this itinerary. For hikes, we have listed the distance, elevation gain, and time that we tracked, which may differ from published (or actual) measurements.
Day 1
Morning
Bif Oak Flats Visitor Center (Junior Ranger books)
Hike: Tuolumne Grove (2.7 miles RT, 600 feet, 2.5 hour)
Afternoon
Tuolumne Meadows Visitor Center
Hike: Lembert Dome (1.25 miles, 400 feet, 1 hour)
Tioga Road
Olmstead Point
Evening
Overnight at Upper Pines
Day 2
Morning
Valley Floor Tour (2-hour guided bus tour)
Afternoon
Lunch in van
Bike rental from Yosemite Valley Lodge
Bike around Yosemite Valley (loop included Lower Yosemite Fall, Cook’s Meadow, Sentinel Bridge)
Evening
Stroll in meadows (looking for bears)
Overnight at Upper Pines
Day 3
All Day
Hike: Half Dome (18 miles, 5,550 feet, 8 hours)
Overnight at Upper Pines
Day 4
Morning
Yosemite Falls
Afternoon
Bike rental from Yosemite Valley Lodge
Swimming at Royal Arches Bend
El Capitan
Evening
Overnight at Upper Pines
Day 5
Morning
Private family art class with Yosemite Conservancy
Afternoon
Check into the Ahwahnee
Swimming at Royal Arches Bend
Evening
Dinner at Ahwahnee Dining Room
Overnight at the Ahwahnee
Day 6
Morning
Games at the Ahwahnee
Afternoon
Valley Store
Ansel Adams Gallery
Junior Ranger badges
Valley View
Depart Yosemite
Notes
Six days gave us the time and flexibility to soak in Yosemite’s many layers. We wanted to start in Wawona, but couldn’t because of a fire. Instead we begin in Tuolumne and along Tioga Road. The shift to Yosemite Valley included scenic classics like Tunnel View and El Capitan but also offered unexpected moments of solitude and joy, especially during our bike ride and the relaxing swims in the Merced River.
We followed through on our ambitious plan to climb Half Dome (Dad) and hike the Mist Trail to Nevada Fall (girls). It was one of the most rewarding—and wettest—adventures of the summer.
The private Yosemite art class added a creative break from our hiking rhythm, and swimming at the lodge was the perfect reward for our long treks. On our final night, we checked into the Ahwahnee and relaxed, while still exploring the meadows and swimming holes.
We missed out on Glacier Point and the Mariposa Grove, and we didn’t climb Yosemite Falls. Yet, the time we spent on the Valley trails, at viewpoints, and beside the river gave us exactly what we needed—and left us wanting to come back.
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