Best Trails in Yosemite Valley

There are some incredible views on this trail. We completed it on Sunday of Memorial Day weekend, so downside it was busy, major upside is that the waterfalls were in full flow. It’s a hard hike, but worth it. With generous stops for photos, breaks and lunch it took us 6hrs in total. The views from the top of Nevada are stunning, we stayed up here for a while. The Vernal Falls section was very wet. Really recommend wet weather gear for that section and good shoes to avoid slipping. The trail was quite busy, even for when we started at 7.30am. But it gets quieter as people drop off at different points. We took the winter route/ Clark Point section down because of the John Muir closure, but it was harder than we expected on tired legs!!

This hike is intense, but once you reach the top of the waterfall, it is 100% worth it. You shouldn't underestimate the altitude, and I wouldn't recommend a beginner to do the full hike. The nice thing about this route, however, is that you can stop halfway at the waterfall and decide to go back. Don't forget to bring enough water and food and do the hike with walking shoes. A tip: take mosquito spray with you, because half of the path goes through a forest. We didn't have one and were often bitten by mosquitoes.

I hiked Half Dome last summer with my brother. It was an incredible experience! It was the most physically challenging thing I have ever done. Now, while he would do it again tomorrow if he could, I do not plan to do it again. One and done! I used the Via Ferrata equipment (harness and lanyard) to help me accomplish this feat. Mentally, I could not have climbed the cables without it. I needed to feel safe on such a steep, challenging climb and this equipment did the trick. Since I don’t plan to do this hike again and since any other local climbing experience requires the use of their equipment, I am looking to sell mine. I paid over $200 for it and only used it once (on Half Dome last year). I would love to get $150 out of it, if I can. The harness is a women’s large. Please text me at 540-290-4688 if you are interested or have questions. I can send pictures of the equipment and of me using it. Other general advice I would offer for the hike: Train for it Drink lots of water Read up on the hike to know what to expect Enjoy!

Beautiful trail. The falls are in full flow. Vernal falls looks amazing from the bottom. Plenty of photo ops. Parking can be hard to find especially on weekends.

From the visitors center a great view even past the falls to see all the falls from further was fantastic!

This trail was extremely beautiful but very steep. It isn’t an easy hike but it’s worth it at the end. Take your time, bring water and comfortable shoes. We went on a Tuesday around 9 am and it wasn’t too crowded but by the time we came back down the parking lot was filled with people. I recommend going here the earliest you can. You will get wet but it isn’t too bad; it actually feels nice. Be careful though it’s easy to slip. Can’t wait to go back!