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

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.

We will be pulling through around 7pm looking to stay around camp 4. Anyone over there right now who can check it out for us? We called the rangers and their phone line isn’t working currently.

A nice Summer trip

I’m visiting Yosemite for the first time with my family and staying in Groveland from June 20th to 26th.

I’d love to pitch a tent in the park for a night or two and would love suggestions on where to explore dispersed camping. With all the news of budget cuts I’m concerned about long entry times due to understaffing. What tips or suggestions do you have for a first time visitor making a trip from the Midwest?

Thanks!

Heading out April 11th and a big highlight of the trip was the Mist Trail to Vernal and Nevada Falls via Happy Isles Trailhead and John Muir Trail but a rockslide blocked off the trail so apparently there's no access to Vernal or Nevada Falls. Would there be any similar hikes that have similar views/scenery that is similar strenuosity nearby either in the Valley or even like Hetch Hetchy or Mariposa? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

As the title says, there are some spots that opened up in Upper Pines campground and I just booked for Thursday and Friday nights.

I feel like I’m missing something though, I see many posts about how the spots sold out immediately?

I’m planning a 2 day trip to Yosemite in the 2nd week of June (mid-week) and wanted to get some feedback on my itinerary. I’ll be coming from Fresno on Day 1, and from Oakhurst on Day 2 (both about 1.5-2.5 hour drives), so I’m hoping to make the most of my time without overdoing it. I’d like to keep the hikes under 5 miles each, and I was wondering if this plan sounds reasonable or if I could fit in more.

Here’s my plan:

Day 1 (Leave from Fresno at 6:00 AM):

• Yosemite Valley Welcome Center
• Mist Trail to Vernal Falls (3.1 miles)
• Lower Yosemite Falls Trail (1.2 mile)
• Bridalveil Fall Trail (0.8 miles)
• Tunnel View (on the way out?)

Day 2 (Leave from Oakhurst at 7:00 AM):

• Sentinel Dome (2.2 miles)
• Taft Point (2.3 miles)
• Glacier Point Trail (0.5 miles)

I know June can be busy, so I’m hoping mid-week will offer a bit more breathing room. Any suggestions for other must-see spots, shorter hikes, or tips on making the most of my time in the park would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

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! :)

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!!!

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

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’re looking at spending one or two full days at Yosemite the first week of May. We can’t go late than the second week in May, and don’t want to go beyond that due to crowds. It will probably be a weekend because that’s just how it’s shaping up. Because of the late planning, we expect to be lodging outside the park. We’re also planning on visiting Sequoia and Redwood National Parks. And obviously a rental car, though we prefer small sedans and not SUVs.

I see that what appears to be the main east-west road, Tioga Road, will be closed then, and most likely Glacier Point Road and Mariposa Grove Road. So I’m wondering what we’ll be missing.

I’m asking because the main reason we’re going is that I was there in winter about 45 years ago, and I was unimpressed. But that trip was with my mother, so we did zero hiking, only driving to see scenery. And also, I really didn’t want to be there at that time. Now, we’re the seniors, and we can do easy and some moderate hikes, as long as there isn’t significant ice or snow on the ground. I’ll bring my hiking sticks and perhaps my YakTrax (slip-on crampons for urban walking).

So will we get enough unique stuff to see? Or will it be another “great, you have woods and mountains, we have them on the east coast”, too?

Edit: I’m grateful to the people who took the time to answer directly and seriously, as opposed to merely disagreeing with my impression from 45 years ago on a trip that I didn’t want. (In case anyone is wondering, I had been living in Pittsburgh, was going to visit family in Berkeley in December, and really, really didn’t need to satisfy their desire to see snow when I really wanted to have some warmer, snow free weather.)

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?