Yosemite National Park: Amazing 3 Day Itinerary for First Time Visitors

Yosemite National Park should be on everyone’s travel bucket list! The first time I saw photos of Yosemite, I knew I had to go there one day. It looked like a dreamland! Located on the eastern side of central California in the Sierra Nevada mountain range, Yosemite is famous for its stunning granite cliffs and abundant waterfalls.

When my husband and I were invited to a wedding at Tenaya Lodge right outside of Yosemite, I jumped at the opportunity to extend our trip to include 3 days exploring the park. I’m so excited to share my experience at Yosemite National Park because it absolutely lived up to my high expectations and completely stole my heart!

Best time to Visit Yosemite National Park

While I’m sure Yosemite is breathtaking any time of year, spring has to be one of the best times to visit Yosemite for comfortable hiking weather and to see the waterfalls at their fullest. We went at the end of May following a winter with heavy snowfall and were rewarded with spectacular thunderous waterfalls. We learned that some of the waterfalls are merely mist coming off the cliffs later in the summer and fall or may not even be there at all.

The weather in the end of May was beautiful. It was cool in the morning, especially near waterfalls where we were sprayed by mist. As the sun got higher, temperatures got up in to the 70s. We dressed in layers so we could remove the outer layers as we warmed up from hiking and the rising temps.

The downside to visiting in the spring was there were still some trail and road closures due to snow pack. Be sure to stay updated with current park conditions and closures as you plan your trip. Visit the National Park Service website for the most up to date info.

Yosemite National Park 3 Day Itinerary

Planning a trip to Yosemite can be intimidating for first time visitors. There is so much to do and see it can be challenging figuring out where to begin. While it is important to do your research and have a plan, I do not recommend overpacking your schedule. Leave yourself time to slow down, enjoy the breathtaking views and just take it all in!

This 3 day Yosemite itinerary is perfect for first time visitors. It checks off a ton of must see things in Yosemite and each day builds on the day before for a really well planned out trip.

Here is the short version of how we spent 3 amazing days exploring Yosemite. Keep reading for photos and details about what we did and saw each day at this wonderous place!

• Day 1: Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias
• Day 2: Yosemite Valley
• Day 3: Mist Trail

Day 1: Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias

Mariposa Grove is the largest sequoia grove in Yosemite. It is located near the South Entrance of Yosemite and is home to about 500 mature sequoias.

How to get there

We entered the South Entrance of the park via Highway 41 and followed the signs off to the right to the Mariposa Grove Welcome Plaza and parking lot. The entrance to the grove is about 2 miles away from the parking lot. They offer a free shuttle from the Welcome Plaza to the grove that runs from approximately the beginning of April until the end of November. When we were there at the end of May, the shuttle was not yet running due to road conditions following an exceptional winter with record snowfall. Instead we hiked 2 miles on the Washburn Trail from the parking lot to the entrance of the grove.

Hiking

There are several trail options available. Since we were already doing 4 miles round trip to get to the grove and back, we chose to do the 2 mile Grizzly Giant Loop. Visit the National Park Service for more information about the trails at Mariposa Grove.

What to see

• Grizzly Giant
• Bachelor and Three Graces
• California Tunnel Tree
• The Fallen Monarch

Day 2: Yosemite Valley

Yosemite Valley is the heart of the park with massive granite cliffs and waterfalls everywhere you look. The valley attracts a ton of visitors and is where you’ll see several of the most iconic Yosemite sights. There are miles and miles of hiking trails ranging from easy to strenuous. Also, there are a few campgrounds, lodges, shops and restaurants throughout the valley.

How to get there

There are multiple entrances to Yosemite depending where you are coming from. To get to the valley, enter from the west via Highways 120 or 140 or enter from the south via Highway 41. We were staying south of the park so we took Highway 41 to the South Entrance. After entering the South Entrance, it took about an hour to drive into the valley.

We got there early to ensure we would be able to easily find an available spot in the Yosemite Village parking lot and then just walked and used the free shuttle to get around the park.

Hiking

There are tons of hiking options and trailheads in Yosemite Valley. On our day exploring the valley, we chose a couple of short easy paths with the focus more on seeing the sights than on hiking itself. We saved our long hike for day 3.

What to see and do

• Tunnel View – After entering the South Entrance, Highway 41 becomes Wawona Road. Shortly before reaching the valley, you drive through a long tunnel called the Wawona Tunnel and emerge to the jaw dropping iconic Tunnel View on the other side. There is an area to pull off so you can get out, enjoy the view and get some great pictures. We stopped here twice and found that the lighting in the morning and afternoon made a big difference (see pics for comparison).

• Swinging Bridge – This area was pretty flooded when we were there so we didn’t walk around too much, but it was still worth the stop for some great shots of Yosemite Falls across the Merced River.

• Bridalveil Fall – This is the waterfall seen from Tunnel View. We took the short path to get a close up view of the waterfall. There was a lot of mist the closer we got.

• Cook’s Meadow Loop – This is an easy, flat 1 mile loop through the meadow with amazing views all around, including Yosemite Falls, Half Dome and more. I enjoyed leisurely strolling the boardwalk through the open meadow and pausing to enjoy the views from all directions.

• Yosemite Falls – This impressive waterfall is one of the tallest in the world, dropping more that 2400 feet. It is made up of three separate waterfalls, Upper, Middle and Lower Yosemite Falls
• Lower Yosemite Fall Trail – This easy, paved 1 mile loop provides impressive views of the massive Yosemite Falls in its entirety and a close up view of Lower Yosemite Fall. The height of the falls is amazing and I loved watching the water splash as it crashed down from Lower Yosemite Fall. We definitely were sprayed, especially as we crossed the footbridge.

• Mirror Lake Trail – We shuttled to the Mirror Lake Trailhead (shuttle stop 17) and as we started towards Mirror Lake, we noticed there was a paved path north of Tenaya Creek to the left and a dirt path to the south of the creek to the right. We took the dirt path 1 mile to the lake and 1 mile back. It was a pretty hike along the creek and though it wasn’t a difficult hike, the paved option is available to anyone looking for an easier stroll to the lake. Mirror Lake is seasonal and has little to no water by late summer and fall.

• El Capitan is the world’s largest granite monolith and is famous amongst rock climbers. We were able to spot a couple of climbers, but it was extremely hard to see them without binoculars. Next time we’ll bring some for a better look!

Day 3: Mist Trail to Vernal and Nevada Falls

I absolutely loved this hike! The Mist Trail is one of most popular hikes in Yosemite and for good reason! It was both challenging and rewarding as we hiked to the top of TWO incredible waterfalls with picturesque views. As the name of the trail implies, we definitely got soaked from the mist coming off Vernal Falls as we climbed past on the granite stairs! When the sun shines on the mist there’s a good chance of seeing a rainbow.

How to get there

Arrive at Yosemite Valley early and find a parking spot at Curry Village. Take the free shuttle from stop 14 (Curry Village eastbound) to shuttle stop 16 (Happy Isles/Mist Trail). Follow the signs a short distance to the trailhead. After you’re done hiking, take the shuttle to stop 19 (Curry Village westbound). See map of Yosemite Valley shuttle route here.

Hiking

There are several options for making this hike longer or shorter. We chose to hike all the way to the top of Vernal and Nevada Falls. The Mist Trail connects to the John Muir Trail at the top of Nevada Fall, but that portion of the John Muir was closed due to hazardous trail conditions. Instead, we hiked part of the way back down the Mist Trail then cut across to Clark Point and continued down the John Muir trail from there. This allowed us to enjoy both waterfalls from other viewpoints and avoided passing the wettest portion of the Mist Trail again. I tracked the hike on my watch and it was just under 8 miles with an elevation gain for 2,300 feet.

After the hike we got pizza and drinks in Curry Village and said cheers to an amazing first visit to Yosemite National Park!

For Next Time

Like I said before, there is so much to do and see in Yosemite. I have a list started of things I’d like to do when I return to this beautiful national park!

• Glacier Point is an overlook with dramatic views of Yosemite Valley and its many peaks and waterfalls. This viewpoint can be reached via Glacier Point Road off of Wawona Road (Highway 41) or by hiking 4.8 miles one way on the strenuous Four Mile Trail. The road and trail were both closed when we were there, so this is top on my list for next time!
• Sentinel Dome and Taft Point Loop is a 4.9 mile loop offering more dramatic views of Yosemite. The trailhead is only accessible when Glacier Point Road is open.
• Upper Yosemite Fall Trail is a 7.2 mile round trip hike to the top of Yosemite Falls.
• Hetch Hetchy is a valley and reservoir located in the northwestern part of Yosemite.
• Tuolumne Meadows, located in eastern Yosemite, is a large high elevation meadow surrounded by granite domes that extends along the Tuolumne River. This area is accessed by a scenic drive on the Tioga Road (highway 120) which is open from late May/June throught October/November.
• The Ahwahnee Dining Room was closed for renovations when we were visiting otherwise I would have loved to have made reservations for a more upscale dinner with a spectacular atmosphere.

I hope you enjoyed this 3 day itinerary for Yosemite National Park!

Comment below to let me know your favorite Yosemite hikes and sights.

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