Yosemite Valley Loop Trail, CA
Get up close and personal with North America’s tallest waterfall and Yosemite Valley’s greatest hits on this 20.6-mile loop.
Yosemite National Park
Looking for the best hikes in Yosemite National Park? You’ve come to the right place. Beloved for its natural beauty and stunning trails, Yosemite ranks among the top hiking destinations in the United States. The park is America’s second oldest, and its many miles of trails, spread over one thousand miles of California wild, makes backpacking Yosemite a treat for hikers of every stripe.
Millions of tourists flock to Yosemite every year, eager to discover the spectacular Sierra Nevada mountains’ natural beauty for themselves. But most Yosemite hikers venture no further than Yosemite Valley, home to iconic sites like El Capitan, Sentinel Dome and Half Dome. Beyond the valley floor lies a wilderness wonderland jam-packed with hundreds of lesser-known trails perfect for more adventurous backpackers. Even so, if you’re looking to hike the world-famous Yosemite Valley, plan your trip for the off-season to avoid long lines and packed trails.
The Best Hikes in Yosemite National Park
Whether you have a day or a week, these hikes will bring you to some of the best of this iconic national park.
Latest in Yosemite National Park
How Yosemite National Park is Working to Welcome Disabled Visitors
When the Americans with Disabilities Act required better trail access for all, Yosemite saw an opportunity.
The Story of Enid Michael, Yosemite's First Female Naturalist
In the early days of Yosemite, a woman could be anything—including herself
A Youth Spent Dirtbagging in Yosemite
Some people fall for the parks so hard, they can’t bring themselves to leave.
Hike Yosemite in a Week
For backpackers, there’s nothing better in the entire park system. How much of it can one hiker see in a week?
Best 100 Miles: Cathedral Lakes to Happy Isles via Clouds Rest, Yosemite NP, CA
These 21 miles of Yosemite highlights are among the best 100 miles of trail in the whole national park system.
Life List: Yosemite's Secret Hut
Why visit iconic Glacier Point with the rest of the tourists when you can ski there—and have it all to yourself?
Readers' Best Sunrise and Sunset Photos
One great thing about being out on the trail is allowing your schedule to be ruled by the rising and setting sun. Here are the best sunrises and sunsets you photographed and submitted to our photo contest this year.
Yosemite National Park: Breeze Lake Backpacking Loop
Camp under sharp peaks and sharper stars on this 4-day, 20-mile tour along the eastern edge of Yosemite National Park. Summits, swimming holes, and trout abound.
Yosemite National Park: Hetch Hetchy-Vernon Lake Loop
Enjoy the quiet trails and scenic views of Yosemite Valley's less-traveled twin on this 28.7-mile overnighter. Early season is marked by waterfalls surging with spring meltoff.
Yosemite National Park: Sentinel Dome Loop
Hike 5.5 miles into Ansel Adams country to the top of Sentinel Dome and around to Taft Point for fisheye panoramas of Yosemite Valley.
Mammoth Lakes, CA: Sadler Lake
Escape Yosemite Valley crowds on this 21.2-mile, multiday trek to glacial cirques and turquoise lakes deep in the wilds of the Ansel Adams Wilderness.
Live from the Sierra High Route
Welcome to the map portion of Steve Howe's solo thru-hike of the Sierra High Route. Steve is BACKPACKER's Rocky Mountain editor, and he started this 37-day, 280-mile route on Saturday, August 26, 2006. He's podcasting once a day from his evening camp, and we'll be updating this map daily with a new waypoint showing where he's pitching his tent.
Yosemite National Park: Nevada Falls Loop
This 6.2-mile loop leads into a land of rainbows and big waterfalls among the granite faces of Yosemite Valley.
Yosemite National Park: Half Dome
Climb 4,800 feet on this classic 15.7-mile route to the top of the park’s most-iconic peak towering above the Valley floor.
Yosemite National Park: Dewey Point Snowshoe (Winter Route)
This 7.2-mile snowshoe to Dewey Point tops out at one of Yosemite Valley's most spectacular views--a panorama stretching from El Capitan to Half Dome.
Yosemite National Park: Mist Trail
A short 3-mile out-and-back full of rainbows, waterfalls, and sprawling mountainside views, this Yosemite classic isn't called the Mist Trail for nothing.
Yosemite National Park: Mariposa Grove Loop
Check out some of the oldest trees in the world--1,000 year-old sequoias--on this 4-mile loop through southern Yosemite's Mariposa Grove.
Yosemite National Park: Clouds Rest
Looking to tag a life-list summit without queuing up? Pass on Half Dome, and opt for the 12-mile climb to Yosemite's unsung granite peak.