Your Guide to Yosemite: Highlights & Things to Do

April 02, 2026

From Half Dome to El Capitan, Yosemite National Park’s iconic granite monoliths are not only a sight to see, but also a rock playground for climbers.

Yosemite National Park

The park is home to some of the tallest waterfalls in North America, the largest trees on earth, miles of hiking trails, and an abundance of wildlife. Yosemite spans 1,000 square miles over a range of elevations from 3,000 feet to 13,000 feet. It is home to diverse ecosystems and more than 400 animal species, including the endangered Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep.

Yosemite National Park’s eastern entrance at Tioga Pass is just a 45-minute drive from Mammoth Lakes, making it a great day-trip destination or a stopping point on a longer California road trip. Plan your visit with our guide to visiting Yosemite National Park from Mammoth Lakes. With around four million visitors annually, Yosemite is one of the most popular national parks in America.

History

President Abraham Lincoln signed the Yosemite Grant Act in 1864, protecting Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa Grove of the Giant Sequoias, designating the area for the enjoyment of the people. Later in 1890, it became a federally-designated national park. The national park encompassed additional land including Tuolumne Meadows and the Hetch Hetchy valley. It wasn’t until 1916 that the National Park Service was established to manage the national parks, monuments, and other historical and conservation areas.

Sightseeing

Yosemite offers such a vast amount of exploration that it's hard to even scratch the surface of its limitless adventure. The numerous jaw-dropping vistas provide ample opportunity to admire the beauty the park has to offer and will have you dreaming up all the possibilities. When visiting, you can take your own car, hop on the Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System (YARTS), or join a tour.

From Olmstead Point on Tioga Road, you will have a view from the east looking down into Yosemite Valley and at the iconic Half Dome.

Located at the end of Glacier Point Road, Glacier Point is once of the most incredible viewpoints not only in the Yosemite but surely worldwide. Half Dome, Vernal and Nevada Falls and the entire Valley will be accessed through a unique bird's-eye view here. Don't overlook Washburn Point, just south of Glacier Point on the same road, it has its own impressive views of the waterfalls.

From the east end of Wawona Tunnel on Highway 41 (Wawona road), Tunnel View offers the classic Yosemite viewpoint. From here you will see El Capitan and Bridalveil Falls with Half Dome in the distance.

Head to El Capitan Meadow in Yosemite Valley to view the famous climbing wall towering from above. Bring your binoculars—you might spy climbers, especially in the fall season! From here, you’ll also have a great view of Cathedral Rocks.

The Sentinel Bridge is a favorite viewing platform for Half Dome as it reflects on the Merced River's surface.

If you want to venture to a less frequented part of the park, northern Yosemite, find the O'Shaugnessy Dam in Hetch Hetchy for a fantastic viewpoint of waterfalls and this unique reservoir. Some say Hetch Hetchy's beauty paralleled, or even surpassed, Yosemite Valley's prior to the dam being built.

For an up-close look at more than 500 giant sequoias, head to the Mariposa Grove near the park’s southern entrance. Experiencing these magnificent trees for the first time is something you will never forget. Find the latest Mariposa Grove visiting information on the NPS website.

Hiking

Yosemite’s extensive trail system complements the many hiking opportunities found around Mammoth Lakes. With the John Muir Trail and Pacific Crest Trails passing through the park, there are plenty of options for longer days and overnight trips, as well as easy hikes to great viewpoints.

For a short and easy hike, take the Mirror Lake Trail to a large shallow pool in Tenaya Creek that offers a stunning reflection of Half Dome. This is best visited in early spring and summer when the lake is at its fullest. It’s an easy 2-mile round-trip hike, or you can continue on the trail and loop around, crossing the creek at a footbridge and returning to the trail in five miles.

The point-to-point Panorama Trail is a favorite for scenic views. The trail departs from Glacier Point and descends more than 8 miles to Happy Isles, offering unobstructed views of the valley’s iconic sights along the way.

The out-and-back hike to May Lake might be short in distance, but it’s fantastic for scenery. The May Lake Trail climbs gradually for one mile to the south shore of the lake. More adventurous hikers will climb two more miles on a use trail to the summit of Mount Hoffman.

The 14-mile Cloud’s Rest Trail is one of the best long routes in the park. The trail climbs steadily from the trailhead at Tenaya Lake past Sunrise Lakes toward the ridge. You’ll walk up pancake-like stacked granite rocks to the summit and one of the best overlooks of Half Dome, Tenaya Canyon, and Yosemite Valley. The Glen Aulin Trail is arguably the most popular in the Tuolumne high country, and for good reason. The 12-mile hike is moderate in distance and follows the Pacific Crest Trail north to Glen Aulin, a High Sierra Camp situated at the base of White Cascade and Tuolumne Falls.

Waterfalls

Yosemite National Park is famous for its abundance of tall and spectacular waterfalls. The spring and early summer are the best times to see the waterfalls, since snowmelt is at its peak.

At 2,425 feet tall, Yosemite Falls is the tallest waterfall in North America. A short footpath leads to a viewpoint at the base of Lower Yosemite Falls, but more adventurous hikers will want to climb the trail to the top of Upper Yosemite Falls. From the trailhead at Camp 4, the trail climbs straight up. If you can’t make the entire trek, there is a great viewpoint at 1.2 miles.

The Mist Trail is the quintessential waterfall hike in Yosemite. In less than one mile you will reach a footbridge that is a great viewing platform at the base of Vernal and Nevada Falls. Many casual walkers will turn around here. For more up-close views, continue up the granite staircase to the top of the falls. Be sure to get started early—this trail is popular!

Bridalveil Fall resembles a bride's veil when the wind picks up and sprays the mist. It’s not the tallest waterfall in the park, but it flows year-round because its source is a spring creek. The trail to the base of the fall is wide, flat, and paved, which makes it easy and accessible for everyone.

Located on the south side of Yosemite Valley, Sentinel Falls is a cascading waterfall that is 2,000 feet tall. You can see this waterfall from the Sentinel Beach Picnic Area and from across Yosemite Valley near Leidig Meadow, or from the Upper Yosemite Fall trail.

Art and Photography

Just about anywhere you look in Yosemite National Park is sure to spark your natural creativity. Yosemite National Park has a storied history of the arts, from Native American art to Ansel Adams's well-known black and white photography and much more.

The Ansel Adams Gallery shows the work of Ansel Adams as well as contemporary photographers and artists. The gallery also offers classes throughout the year.

If you want to see some of the Native American artistry, visit the Yosemite Museum in Yosemite Valley.

To join a guided photography walk, check with the visitor center for a schedule. You can also channel your inner artist in a class at the Yosemite Art Center.

Author

Monica Prelle

Monica Prelle is an outdoors, wine, and travel writer who would rather be running, climbing, or mountain biking.