Best CA: Yosmite National Park

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Yosemite National Park is California’s most visited park for good reason. Huge landscapes, valleys, canyons, waterfalls and activities to suit every ability. The truth that everybody should visit Yosemite National Park is marred by one point of fact - everybody wants to visit Yosemite National Park. Meaning that this top-tier park is practically heaving with people year round. In summer months you’ll even find hour-long traffic jams in the middle of Yosemite Valley.

With a little planning you can avoid many of the crowds, either by timing your visit, taking a summer moonlit Half-Dome hike, or by checking out some great less frequently traveled hikes that we list in the Yosemite area outside of the valley. Here are what we think are the best trails of the region, summarized below with links to our trail reviews featuring photography and route maps that you can use on your phone for easy navigation. Did we miss your favorite trail? Let us know and we'll make sure to check it out.

Yosemite Valley
This is where the crowds head, and sometime it’s worth embracing that fact with a friendly smile as you join like-minded hikers on some great trails.

	5★ Half Dome 16-17 mi · Hard · Gain 4,800ft The epic Yosemite experience requires stamina and planning in equal measure, but it's worth it for both the journey and the payoff.
	5★ Upper Yosemite Falls 7 mi · Moderate · Gain 2,700ft Conquer one of the world's largest waterfalls on an excellent trail and experience some of the best valley views on the way.
	5★ Mist Trail, Vernal & Nevada Falls 3-5 mi · Moderate · Gain 1,040-2,020ft Hike through canyon and up sheer rock trails on the Mist Trail to reach two scenic Merced River waterfalls.
	4★ Lower Yosemite Falls 1 mi · Easy · Gain 50ft Get up close and personal with one of the most maginificent falls in the US without a long arduous trek.
	4★ Inspiration Point 2 mi · Moderate · Gain 1,020ft Hike away from the Tunnel View crowds to admire this signature Yosemite Valley scene on your lonesome.
	4★ Four Mile Trail & Glacier Point 9 mi · Moderate · Gain 3,200ft From valley floor to Glacier Point, the Four Mile Trail provides increasingly spectacular views of the valley as it winds its way up the rock.

Beyond The Valley
The park still has plenty to offer beyond the bustle of the valley and the tour buses. Here are a few of the offerings.

	4★ Cathedral Lakes 8 mi · Moderate · 1,500ft Two superb and tranquil Yosemite lakes await you at the end of a moderate hike away from the throngs of car-bound visitors.
	5★ Mount Dana 5 mi · Hard · 3,070ft This challenging trip to the second highest peak in Yosemite National Park (13,053ft) rewards with some of the best panoramic views anywhere.
	4★ Mono Lake Tufa Trail 1 mi · Easy · Gain 10 ft Explore just beyond Yosemite's Eastern boundaries to marvel at a lake with no outlet, and the curious tufa towers that jut from it's surface.

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Regional Map

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