Perhaps because worldwide Yosemite and Yellowstone are the most well known national parks of the United States, I often get asked how they compare, or which one should be visited over the other.
The first question is very easy to answer, they can’t really be compared, sure there are mountains and forests in both, but the main attractions of each are very different. The second question requires a much more complex approach, but the baseline is deciding what one is interested in seeing most.
Yosemite is located in the High Sierras in California, it was the catalyst for the national park system and the life long love of John Muir.
The most famous and visited areas of Yosemite are all clustered south of Tioga Pass, around Yosemite Valley.
Having recently returned from there I can both recommend going in the autumn and advise against it depending on what your goals are. It is a great time to go for extensive hiking, the scorching hot days of summer are cooled off to a pleasant warm during day time and further chilled by winds at higher elevations. Night time and early mornings were cold but still comfortable for camping with the right gear.
Another upside is the park is less crowded, less traffic on the road, fewer people on the trails, better prices at hotels and better chances to score a camping spot in the last moment. Although, even at this time of the year by the time the weekend came around all the campgrounds were full and had long wait lists, so I definitely recommend booking ahead for the weekend.
Most campgrounds don’t have showers, but it was so cold at night I most likely wouldn’t have showered anyway. Not a problem since I was on my own, but I can see how this might be an issue if you have company.
In the middle of my trip I was feeling filthy enough to book a hotel room so I could shower and I did so at Yosemite Southgate Hotel & Suites in Oakhurst, the closest little town to the south entrance of Yosemite. I can’t recommend this place highly enough. It was very clean, comfortable, reasonably priced (considering the market) and everyone was super professional, attentive, and at the same time friendly.
Oakhurst is packed with hotels and motels and they are fully booked in high season but I would not recommend on staying outside of Yosemite for your entire trip. Looking at a map it might appear you’ll be close enough to drive in and out of the park every day but it is a two lane road going into Yosemite, often packed with tourists and recently, undergoing construction, which means long stops. If you plan on hiking even just 7-10 miles daily, having to commute to and from your hotel each morning and night will be a huge waste of time.
The best strategy is to camp around the areas you plan on hiking each day.
There are hotels inside Yosemite, however they are very pricey. If money is not an issue for you, well… lucky you! Otherwise you’ll need to do a little planning.
What not to miss!
*Mariposa Grove– it is the largest grove of Sequoias in Yosemite and you do not want to miss out on it, especially if you haven’t been to Sequoia and Kings National Parks!
*Glacier Point-it offers an expensive view of the mountains and a close-up of Half Dome. It does not require hiking, there is a huge parking lot and the view point is easily accessible from there. Prepare for it to be packed especially close to sunset, but anytime of the day really.
*Washburn Point– is located just about a mile before Glacier Point, also has a parking lot right in front of the look-out spot. I think a lot of people are so excited about getting to Glacier, they don’t bother stopping here, although I found this spot to be even more impressive than Glacier Point. Half Dome appears closer and you can see the Mist Trail winding up the mountain, along with Vernal and Nevada Falls.
* Taft Point was probably my favorite hike! It is about 2 miles from the parking lot, a relatively easy hike through vast forest leading to an absolutely grand and stomach churning view! Pack some snacks or lunch and give yourself plenty of time to enjoy this spot!
*Sentinel Dome is approached from the same parking lot as the one for Taft Point but going in the opposite direction, also about 2 miles. It is a much steeper hike than the trail to Taft, much more rocky but also truly gorgeous.If you are up for a longer hike you can do a loop around the two points or even do a full day hike all the way to Glacier Point.
These ↓ were the views from the top of Sentinel Dome and it was super windy up there!
Hiking up the beautiful trail to Sentinel Dome↓
*Yosemite Valley-you can either drive or use one of the shuttles to go around the valley floor and take in a view from the bottom up of the granite walls surrounding you. Bridalveil and Yosemite Falls are also accessed from here.
*Tunnel View– is a pit stop, super packed at all times, and as its name suggests it offers a “tunnel view” of the most popular area of Yosemite. You will see El Capitan, Horsetail Fall, Bridalveil Falls, Cathedral Spires, Half Dome and the top of the pine and fir forest covering the valley floor.
This is the kind of crowding you can expect at this spot ↓
*The Mist Trail– hike at least to lower Vernal Falls, it is so worth it! If you do decide to go further up be prepared for the very steep, narrow and slippery stairs going up to the top of Vernal Falls. From there on the trail becomes easier once again.
At the top of Vernal Falls ↓
If you have time, try to include Tioga Pass, in your trip, it is at much higher elevation than the roads in the southern part of Yosemite, a really stunning drive. There was already snow on some parts of it when I was there and at least 20 degrees colder than Yosemite Valley that morning. This road is closed for winter, usually from November to May, for exact dates in a certain year check the park’s official page for road closures.
Olmsted Point on Tioga Pass ↓
Tenaya Lake ↓
Yes, it was snowing !
Why not to go in autumn?
If you are a fan of waterfalls and you absolutely want to see them, autumn is not the season for you! All the waterfalls, save for Vernal and Nevada were dried out, and so was Mirror Lake. The highest volume in the falls is in late May-early June.
