Photo: Diliff · CC BY-SA 3.02 Days in Yosemite: The Valley, Waterfalls and Glacier Point
Two days in Yosemite for outdoors first-timers who want the Valley without backpacking: the valley floor for Tunnel View, Bridalveil and Lower Yosemite Falls, El Capitan and Cook's Meadow, plus the high views from Glacier Point, the Mist Trail and Mirror Lake. The plan re-plans itself around how you travel, so you can shift pace, budget and style and watch each day rebuild around the places you care about most.
Pick a style, a budget and a pace — the route and days below re-plan themselves.
6 stops · 4 meals · 1 hotelThis is the editor’s pick.
2 days
Each day takes one part of Yosemite National Park, kept close so you walk more than you ride. The map shows the whole route — pick a day to zoom in.
Premade sandwiches, snacks, drinks and ice cream bars at the Glacier Point overlook itself, in season. Simple food, with the view doing the rest.
Hike up the smooth granite dome for a 360-degree summit panorama over the Valley, the falls and the High Sierra. It is quieter than Glacier Point.
End a day 3,214 feet above Curry Village, with the Valley, Half Dome and Yosemite Falls in one view. A short paved trail makes the park's biggest view an easy one.
- Glacier Point Road is open approximately May to November; a short paved trail to the point is wheelchair accessible.
You do not need to climb it to feel it. Watch the sheer granite dome catch evening light from the Valley floor, 4,700 feet above you.
- Summiting Half Dome needs a permit from a preseason lottery; the dome is the valley's defining landmark from below.
The renovated Curry Village pavilion serves breakfast and hearty dinners, including its well-known pizza. Good fuel before and after the Mist Trail.
Motel rooms, wooden cabins and canvas tent cabins under Glacier Point, near the Mist Trail and Half Dome trailheads. The Valley's most affordable roofed lodging, seasonal.
- Curry Village is the valley's most affordable roofed lodging and opens seasonally.
Tacos, burritos and other Mexican dishes at Curry Village for a quick scenic lunch. Handy when you want to get back outside fast.
Hike to twin alpine lakes beneath the spire of Cathedral Peak. It is a full High Sierra outing, best saved for a longer or return trip.
- Cathedral Lakes is about 7 miles round trip with 1,000 feet of elevation gain.
Wander the vast subalpine meadow at 8,600 feet, where the Tuolumne River winds between granite domes. This is the High Sierra at its most open and gentle.
- Tioga Road, the only access, is open approximately late May or June to November depending on snow.
Climb the low, glacier-polished dome at the west end of Tuolumne Meadows for views over the meadow and the river's cascades. Short hike, wide payoff.
- Start a meadows day at Pothole Dome on its west end. The short climb frames the meadow and river before you wander further.
Hand-tossed pizza, salads and drinks on an outdoor deck at Curry Village, under views of Glacier Point and Royal Arches.
Stay put: ~102 min by taxi back from Pothole Dome tonight.
Where to stay in Yosemite National Park
Ranked for outdoorsy travelers on a comfortable budget. The places this plan sleeps in come first.
Curry Village
Motel rooms, wooden cabins and canvas tent cabins under Glacier Point, near the Mist Trail and Half Dome trailheads. The Valley's most affordable roofed lodging, seasonal.
Housekeeping Camp
Open-air camp units with concrete walls and canvas roofs on the Merced River, sleeping up to six, with covered outdoor cooking areas. Seasonal and outdoorsy by design.
Yosemite Valley Lodge
A traditional 245-room lodge at the base of Yosemite Falls, with family rooms, a pool and several dining options. Open year-round and well placed for the Valley.
Flights to Yosemite National Park
Fly into Yosemite National Park (FAT)
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Land in Yosemite National Park with data
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Getting around Yosemite National Park
How to actually move around the city — transit, rideshare, bikes, and taxis.
Public transit
The free Yosemite Valley shuttle loops the valley floor all day, and YARTS buses connect the park with Merced, Fresno and the other gateway towns, so a car-free visit works once you are in the valley.
- Yosemite Valley Shuttle
Free shuttle system looping Yosemite Valley: a Valleywide route serving lodges, food, campgrounds and trailheads every 12 to 22 minutes, and an East Valley route every 8 to 12 minutes, both 7 am to 10 pm.
Tip: Park once and ride the shuttle; valley parking fills by mid-morning in summer.
- YARTS (Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System)
Regional buses into Yosemite Valley: year-round on Highway 140 from Merced and Mariposa, with summer routes on Highway 41 from Fresno, Highway 120 from Sonora and Highway 395/120 from Mammoth Lakes. Tickets include park admission and connect with Amtrak at Merced.
Tip: Buy YARTS tickets online ahead of summer weekends; the fare includes the park entrance fee.
- Mariposa Grove Shuttle
Free shuttle between the Mariposa Grove Welcome Plaza near the South Entrance and the sequoia grove itself, running roughly mid-April through November; private cars are not allowed up the grove road in season.
Tip: Ride the shuttle from the welcome plaza; drinking water is only available at the plaza and the grove arrival area.
Rideshare
Rideshare barely exists here: Uber and Lyft do not operate for trips inside the park, cell coverage in the valley is too patchy to summon a car reliably, and drivers are based in gateway towns an hour or more away. Plan on the shuttles, YARTS, tours or your own car instead.
Bikes
The flat valley floor is made for bikes: 12 miles of paved paths link the villages, lodges and trailheads, with a free seasonal bike share for short hops and paid rentals for longer rides.
- Yosemite Bike Share
Free Conservancy-run bike share for rides of up to two hours in Yosemite Valley, unlocked with the LINKA GO app at hubs by Yosemite Village and Camp 4, typically June through October.
Tip: Download the app before you arrive; valley cell service is weak.
- Yosemite Valley Bike Rentals (Yosemite Hospitality)
Paid seasonal bike rentals at Yosemite Village, Yosemite Valley Lodge and Curry Village, early April through late October, with children's bikes, trailers and accessible bikes; last rental 5:30 pm.
Tip: Rent in the morning for the best choice; bikes stay on paved paths and roads, not hiking trails.
Taxis
There is no taxi service inside Yosemite National Park: no cabs wait at the lodges, none can be hailed, and the park runs on its free shuttles instead. Taxis exist in gateway towns such as Merced and Oakhurst for airport runs, booked by phone in advance, but they are not a way to move around the park itself.
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