Yosemite National Park 3 Day Itinerary
A suggested itinerary to explore Yosemite National Park
by Celeste Lipford and Terry Lipford - last updated on 1/23/2025
3 Day Itinerary for Yosemite - Click here to Print Itinerary
It’s always easier to know what to do once you’ve been somewhere. We found the information about Yosemite a bit overwhelming and it was hard to come up with our plan. We thought we’d share some information to make it easier for first time visitors to get the lay of the land by providing a suggested three day itinerary. Note that this can be for people who are active or those who have some physical limitations. Much of the suggested itinerary involves driving to viewing areas. If you want more exercise add more hikes to your day.
Day 1: Yosemite Valley Area and Hikes
- Mist Trail (moderate) - The Mist Trail is the most difficult trail on our list and may be challenging for anyone with walking issues (or arthritis) due to the incline of the trail, but we saw young children and families on the trail and they were able to make it with frequent stops. The trail is paved the entire way and there is water and bathrooms at the bridge viewing area below the falls.
- Lower Yosemite Falls (easy) - This is a very short flat hike to the lower falls.
- El Capitan - turnouts along Big Oak Flat Road (Highway 120 to Yosemite Valley) provide stunning views of El Capitan and Half Dome. Stop and take your time enjoying the views.
Day 2: Glacier Point
- Tunnel View on the way to Glacier Point - This is a turn out just before the tunnel on the way to the Glacier Point viewing area.
- Glacier Point Viewing area (driving). Amazing views await you at the main viewing area for Glacier Point. There is a large parking lot and bathrooms and water available at the viewing area. Take a picnic lunch and enjoy the vistas.
- Hikes: Sentinel Dome and Taft Point are two hikes near the Glacier Point viewing area. Parking can be challenging if the buses aren’t running. The parking is along the road there isn’t a parking lot. These are considered moderate trails so gauge your ability to do them. More information can be found here.
Day 3: Sequoia Groves - Merced Grove or Tuolumne Grove and Tuolumne Meadows or Mariposa Grove
- Merced Grove: This is closest to the entrance on route 120 and is the smallest grove with about 20 Sequoia trees but the least crowded. It’s a 3 mile round trip hike. It’s downhill to the grove and uphill rising about 600 feet on the way out. It’s a very pleasant hike.
- Tuolumne Grove and Tuolumne Meadows. First of all Tuolumne is pronounced like this...too.aa.luh.mee. Everytime we read the word we would get stuck so now you know how to pronounce it and can move forward. The grove is a 2.5 mile round trip hike. It’s downhill on the way in and rises about 400 feet on the way out. There are a few dozent trees in the grove including one that you can walk through. If you chose this grove and head there early you could also drive over to Tuolumne Meadows (about an hour away) and try one of the hikes there. There are different hikes for different levels. Check them out here.
- Mariposa Grove - furthest drive from the route 120 entrance and is the most popular grove. There are some restrictions during covid that require an additional (x) amount of hiking to get to the trail head. It is the largest grove with several hundred sequoia trees including the grizzly giant which is somewhere between 1900 and 2400 years old. More information about hikes in Mariposa Grove can be found here.
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