Last summer, almost exactly one year ago, Doug and I did Yosemite in one day. One long, glorious, arduous 13-hour day. That’s how the ultimate one-day guide to Yosemite was born. 

We fell in love with the park, and this year, almost exactly one year later, we went back to hike the Mist Trail. We hiked all the way up to Nevada Falls and came back via the John Muir Trail, a 7.3-mile hike which is classified as strenuous. If you only have one day in Yosemite, I do not recommend hiking the full Mist Trail. You’ll be tired and cranky and ready for murder (or a large burger) by the end. Maybe that’s just us. Anyways, I digress.

Yosemite is a park full of amazing hiking, but if you only have one day, still want to do a little hiking but see all the things there are to see, this one-day guide to Yosemite is for you! This is the itinerary we used and I recommend it to everyone.

(Remember that everything is different during COVID-19. Yosemite is only accepting entrance to the park via reservation, and they’re only allowing a certain amount of vehicles in every day. Because of this, it’s 100% not as packed as usual. However, the shuttle isn’t running and camping is very limited. The guide below is a general guide and not COVID specific.)

Before I dive into the guide, some things to note.

Accommodations: 

Both last year and this year we camped at the Mariposa Fairgrounds. Mariposa is about 45 minutes out of the park on highway 140. Highway 140 is also the most scenic way to enter the park. Of course, you can also camp in the park but that’s for people who prepare instead of deciding to go the week (or two days) before. Mariposa Fairgrounds have dry RV spots, RV spots with hookups, tent sites or you can car camp. They have showers and they’re usually very clean. It’s first come, first serve and a tent site is $35/night.

Best time to visit: 

I’ve never visited the park in any other month other than June, and I’m convinced it’s the best time. May can still be too cold, and some trails may still be snowed in. By June Yosemite is warming up, and the waterfalls are in full flush. See, one of the most magnificent things about Yosemite is the waterfalls. Not just the popular ones, but if you go in a particularly wet year you’ll see water run off all throughout the valley and it’s incredible.

Food: 

In order to get the most out of the day, I recommend packing a picnic lunch. We packed our backpack with beef jerky, chips, mandarines, nut bars and water. For lunch we brought PB&J sandwiches. To do Yosemite in a day, expect to walk 13+ miles, so you’ll be ready for all the calories at dinner. We ate at Curry/Half Dome Village (shuttle stop #14). There’s pizza, burgers, hot dogs, cafeteria food, ice cream and basically all the delicious things you’ll want after a long day of hiking and walking. All at a reasonable price.

The Ultimate One-Day Guide to Yosemite

We started our day around 5 AM, arriving at the park by 6 AM (remember, if you camp in Mariposa you’ll be about 45 minutes out). During the summer months, Yosemite is packed. Don’t underestimate the definition of the word packed. It is PACKED. As in, “you won’t find parking after 9 Am” packed. Get there early. I recommend no later than 7 AM.

•  Drive into the park on HW 140, then follow signs for HW 41. If you get there as early as we did, the ranger station may still be closed and you’ll pay on your way out.The moment you cross the ranger’s station, you’ll drive under two large boulders and on the other side, Yosemite will wow you. Once in the park, follow signs for HW 41 towards Brideveil Falls. Start your morning off with a short walk to these beautiful falls, named for their similarity to a bride’s veil. (COVID-19 Update: The parking lot for Brideveil Falls was under construction when we visited. I’m not sure if the falls are accessible at this time). 
• Continue on to Tunnel View. After Brideveil Falls, continue up HW 41 on to Glacier Point road. Right before passing through the tunnel, stop at the big parking lot for the tunnel view. This is going to be your first view of Yosemite in all its glory, and it will not disappoint. 
• Keep going up to Glacier Point. Glacier Point is the view you may have seen in pictures. You can see the whole valley from here, including the famous Yosemite Falls and Vernal and Nevada falls, You’ll see the valley, the other spontaneous snow-melt falls, all the domes and El Capitan. We spent a solid 45 minutes up there, just gazing and gazing and gazing. It’s a view you won’t get tired of. We also ate a breakfast of beef jerky and nut bars up there. (This year, 2020, we saw a bear digging in logs right at Glacier Point!)
• Drive down the way you came towards Yosemite Valley day-use parking. It’s time to park the car. You’ll want to be down in the valley and looking for parking by 9 AM, otherwise you’ll be hard-pressed to find a spot. We parked by shuttle stop #1 and left our car there for the rest of the day. Once parked, you’ll see rangers under canopies ready to give you a shuttle map (click here for a PDF of the map) and send you on your way. These guys lover their job and are ready to help, so ask them all the questions! they’re the ones that helped us plan this incredible itinerary, and no doubt they’ll help you find your own favorite gems. (COVID-19 update: The shuttles are not running in 2020 and rangers are limited, but they’re still around! And you can access everything by car or foot). 
• Take the shuttle to the Mist Trail (shuttle stop #16). The Mist Trail takes you up to Vernal Falls and continues to Nevada Falls. If you’re a slow to moderate hiker, I recommend only going up to the bridge at Vernal Falls. The hike up to Vernal Falls is short and paved, but steep. If you’re a slow hiker (like me), it could very well take over an hour. It is well worth it. The views going up are breath-taking, and the falls are impressive. TAKE NOTE: Most tourists will hike up to Vernal bridge and turn around. Don’t do this. Instead, keep going up a few yards and you’ll find some impressive, perfectly flat boulders to sit on and enjoy a glorious, close-up, misty view of Vernal Falls. We ate some chips, took some pictures, and cooled off before starting our way down.

Views hiking up to the Vernal bridge

• Once back at the bottom, take a short but sweet detour through the Happy Isles. This is a short walk to a couple little islands in the middle of the river. It’s a sweet spot that most people don’t visit, and a perfect place to for a quick dip, eat lunch, dangle your feet in the water and just take a deep breath.
• Hop back on the shuttle to Yosemite Village (shuttle stop #5). You’ll find the visitor’s center here with some fun information and displays about he park. It’s also a great place to use the bathroom.
• Head over to Yosemite Falls (shuttle stop #6). You can walk, but we took the shuttle. The walk to Yosemite Falls is short and paved with no incline. It’s a no-effort walk for an incredible view.

Yosemite Falls are always full in June!

• Walk across the meadow to the chapel. The meadow in the middle of the valley is charming, with paths going across and a nice river (also perfect for a dip). You’ll see the walking paths on the map, and there’s one right in front of Yosemite Falls. The chapel is on the other side of the meadow and it’s beautiful. I recommend spending some time enjoying the area. It’s also a great place to capture insta-worthy pics.

I have a weakness for chapels in the woods!

• Walk back across the meadow to the Yosemite Lodge (shuttle stop #8). Previously Ahwahnee Hotel, Yosemite Lodge is one of the most impressive national park lodges. Walk around and stop by their little shop for delicious chocolates, iced coffee and other treats which will be much needed by this point.
• Walk over to shuttle stop #E2 to go to El Capitan. This shuttle (the purple line) runs less frequently ( about every half hour), so plan to spend 30 minutes to an hour at El Capitan. This is a nice place to walk around or just lay under a tree and watch the brave climbers trying to conquer this incredible rock face.
• Take the shuttle back to the main shuttle line (the green line) and head over to Curry/Half Dome village for some dinner (shuttle stop #14). By this time, you’ve walked 13+ miles and eaten nothing but picnic food all day. It’s probably past 5 PM and you’re ready to eat your weight in food. Curry/Half Dome Village has a lot of options for food. We went for the pizza and cheesy bread. It was perfect, and we ate everything .No shame in our game.

Another option is to leave Glacier Point and Brideveil Falls for the end of the day. Some say the star-gazing from Glacier Point is truly incredible, and if you’re staying near the park I would say go for it and let me know if it’s as wonderful as I’ve heard!

There you have it folks, your one-stope guide to Yosemite. Remember that conditions are different during COVID-19 and you’ll want to visit the park page (here) before visiting to plan accordingly. If you’re a fast walker and hiker, you could also do part of the Mist Trail up to Vernal Falls. It’s a truly incredible hike!