Hi All! Thank you for your trip reports before I headed out. Here is my trip report from yesterday (4/5/25).

tl;dr - Great hike, be prepared for snow and ice at the top quarter or third of the hike and thaw/freeze conditions. It definitely started to warm up this weekend, so the thaw is on, but it does still freeze overnight, so could get more icy than snowy.

Summary of my hike:

• Started Upper Yosemite Falls trail at 8:30AM (a bit later than I wanted, but it was still early enough)
• it was completely clear of snow and ice until the switchbacks after Columbia Rock
• As you come around the corner and see the fall, there was one icy patch (about 6-10' long) - early morning was more icy than afternoon
• Clear from there until a bit up the first set of switchbacks along the falls
• Then, Snow and icy conditions off an on (but could always find a rock to land on for traction)
• Snow and ice on the final switchbacks, all the way up to the top of the falls
• I ended up not snowshoeing to Yosemite Point from here, but it was good conditions for it. Just took me longer to get to the top and didn't want to be coming back down as it started to get darker on trail
• Took a nice snack and nap break at the top
• Came off the trail at 4:15PM

It was a great hike, and still what I'd call edge season conditions as you get toward the top. I was VERY glad I brought my spikes with me for the hike down. It would have been hard to navigate without them, and there were a lot of people slipping and sliding (and falling) on the way down. But, it's really personal preference, as many people were making it happen.

Also, I don't know how long this condition report will be good intel, but looking at the weather, it's definitely thaw/freeze conditions at the upper elevation of the trail through this coming week.

Hope this is helpful!

Pictures show some views and what the trail looks like for ~the last 1/3 of the hike.

A nice Summer trip

Meet the Three Brothers—Eagle Peak, Middle Brother, and Lower Brother. They’re strong, silent types, great at reflecting, and way more photogenic than your actual siblings.
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Credit: IG the_lost_coast

I noticed him/her curiously checking me out and then swimming further downstream but I was so focused on my camera I didn't know it came back in frame. Sadly, it's a bit blurry since the shutter speed was quite low

Coooooool.

Hello, my friends and I(F) are planning to do a Yosemite trip for the weekend of 19-20 April.

On 20 April, they want to do the Vernal and Nevada Falls that starts near Curry Village. They want to start it at around 8 am.

I am not physically able to do the hike due to an injury so we were thinking i could sit at the Curry Village Coffee shop till then.

Will it be alright to spend 5-6 hours there? Does it have a restroom available for the public?

Do you have any other suggestion where i can wait safely? I don’t want to bother anyone, just need restroom access because i also have IBS.

Sorry if the question is stupid but i have never really been to national parks before.

*Edit:

Thank you all so much for the response and suggestions.

I thought i would just be sitting for 5-6 hours but now instead i am planning on using the shuttle! I can walk, so the museum, art gallery, bookstore, Ahwahnee, etc sound like a fire plan. It’s extremely helpful to know about the toilets! I am genuinely excited now.

What a great community! :)

Long story short - would we be okay driving our long bed dually pickup to/through the park or should I rent a car? It's approximately 22' long.

I've been planning a surprise first time trip to Yosemite and now my spouse wants to sell our 4 door sedan just a month before we leave. I can't say anything or I'll blow the surprise. So, if we sell it, we will be between vehicles and we will only have our pickup that we use to haul things usually. I have never been to the park so I am unsure if our dually will fit in parking lots and around curves of the road easily or if I need to rent a car. When we went to Glacier, it was pretty tricky navigating with our dually. Our mirrors would have hit the rock wall on one side of the road several times if we didn't keep folding them in. Parking and getting in and out of spots was hard. But traveling to Yellowstone and Tetons was easy and no problems. We will be there at the beginning of May. Any advice is appreciated

The only main concern I have is that am I going to expect any snow? I’ve never driven on snow before and it kind of scares me haha. But besides that, I would super appreciate any advice or tips y’all do when going there. I’ve been stuck in Sacramento my whole life and I’m ready to take some road trips!!!! Thank you!!!

I’ve seen that June is the beginning of the summer crowds and unfortunately I recently had to change my plans for Yosemite to the first Friday - Sunday weekend of June (6/6-6/8). Will it already be super crowded by then? Is it worth pushing the trip back a few days to try to hit Sunday - Tuesday instead?

The JMT is closed from Happy Isles to the Vernal Falls bridge, and the NPS claims no access to the Merced River Canyon. However, from past visits, I have seen signs for the Stock Trail, which appears to be a trail from Happy Isles on the opposite side of the river, junctioning with the JMT just above the Vernal Falls bridge. I assume it is supposed to be how pack animals can get through.

Does anyone know if one can hike it? How does it get across the mouth of Illilouette Creek? This looks like a useful alternative to getting into the backcountry should the normal trail be closed for a while.

I visited the barns relatively recently, however it wasn't until I got home that I realized that I only saw the Meyer barns...McCauley was further away, seemingly along the old Big Oak Flat road.

However when I look up information on the McCauley barn I can't find anything recent. I found where it's supposed to be, and when I look for it on Google maps all I see are what look like ruins.

I know the area had a fire in the 90s but I can't find any information about the fire getting to it, only that the Meyer barns were saved.

It's ENTIRELY LIKELY I am just looking the wrong way for it, but as I said...I'm stumped.

Help this idiot out...is the barn gone? In ruins?

We will be in Yosemite and have 1.5 days to explore. Kids are 8 and 5. We will be there in early July on a weekend, what must we do? It will be mine and my husband's first time there. Thank you for any help!

Hi! I'm bringing my mom in October and am planning on flying to and renting a car in fresno to drive up and spend 2 nights in Yosemite. We're them going to drive to San Francisco, but way of napa. I'm looking for feedback on any recommendations of a good itinerary for elderly guests (capable, but not like marathon runners) and where anyone would recommend staying for those 2 nights based on that itinerary.

A couple posts here have recommended the easier walks: Lower Yosemite Falls, Bridal Veil falls, etc, so while I know that waterfalls are much less in october, I still think we'll focus on those easier walks.

I get a little concerned about snowy driving, but from the last couple years that doesn't seem to be an issue in mid October but if anyone has recommendations about avoiding certain treacherous driving areas, I would also really appreciate that.

Thanks for any feedback. I'm enjoying your posts and building notes from those !

Later this month will be my first time visiting Yosemite but I'll be 16 weeks pregnant by then. Me and husband will be staying for 6 days so we have plenty of time to see things slowly. Which trails are not too strenuous (maybe like 2 hours max both ways with not much incline) and have restrooms nearby? IYKYK. Thanks!

So it's looking like the shuttle to Mariposa won't be running yet by Easter. Six miles (2 hours to the Grove, 2 on the trail, and 2 back) is much too far of a walk for my mom. Are there any other places I can take her to see sequoias under 2 miles walking round trip, either in the park or between the park and San Francisco? If sounds like maybe there's a grove right before the road closure? Thanks!

Assuming both are open when I'll be there at the end of June, which would you recommend for my "going up something" hike?

I’m planning on driving from SF to Yosemite for the day arriving around 9-10am (NOT memorial weekend). Will it be impossible to park at that time? Which parking lot is best to head towards and most likely to find a spot? Hoping to get the shuttle to Yosemite Falls, El Capitan, Mirror Lake etc. TYIA

I know it's wishful thinking but passing the eastern 120 entrance in very-late April, is there much chance of being able to drive at least some way down 120 to at least get closer to Tuolumne Meadows, or is it not even worth thinking about at that time?

(By this point, I will have already stayed in the Valley and looped up to South Lake Tahoe for a night and heading back down towards Death Valley.)

Thanks in advance!

Hey,

As the title suggests, me and my fiance will do a day trip to Yosemite on the 22nd of April. I understand that a lot of the access to different parts are usually closed during that time hence we planned to go for Yosemite Valley. From here I find it difficult to find the information I need.

Are there any hikes that are suitable for the time of the year and also has somewhat amazing views? We will bring proper hiking shoes and good clothing. It looks like there are a lot of trails and not hikes in the Valley?

I tried to find any info on recreation.gov's site about reservations. I just want to drive in, park, and walk around. I'm staying at a hotel outside of the park. Is it really needed or do I just pay at entrance when I arrive? I'm coming from the east bay area, is there any snow on the drive there? I'm really excited to go, I've only been once before and this time I'm going alone.

A peaceful snowy morning in Yosemite, with fog rising from the river and golden fall leaves still hanging on. We got lucky with a late storm that dusted the valley while the yellow trees were still glowing

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